THE WORLD ON A PLATE...AT SM AURA

Spending a lot of time at SM Aura for work, I've come to enjoy this particular mall for a number of reasons.

- VICKY VELOSO-BARRERA

One of them is its size and layout a simple series of rectangular floors that is easy to navigate. It is pleasant to walk around and if you start to do that often, you'll begin to meet others who share that sentiment. You'll recognize ladies from the diplomatic corps, fitness buffs, others walking their pets.

Then there's a good selection of shops. The choices are not overwhelming and the mall is anchored by an SM department store. Aura is a premier destination with upscale shops, yet has affordable choices, too.

Food choices are probably the best reason to pick one mall over another.

When Aura started this "World in One Bite" promotion, it just made sense for me to try as many new (and old) favorites as I could.

Here's what I've tried, floor by floor.

In the basement level, our family's choice will always be Genki Sushi.

Here, you order on a touch screen and wait for your dishes to arrive. We already know what we want salmon aburi, sushi with the hard-to-find ikura (salmon roe) and tempura. As usual, I have my eye on dessert be-S cause everything is yummy, from the ice creams to the fruit jellies to the lightened Japanese take on western desserts.

Deuces, a Japanese coffee place nearby, serves delicious coffee in a mall that already has so many good coffee choices. The cereal milk coffee has me now stocking my mini ref with cereal milk. (While I'm on a coffee tasting trip, try the coffee with honey at Toby's