The big 3 - 0

I like having weekend birthdays because I get to somewhat celebrate it for almost 3 days. So the following is just the food adventures I had courtesy of this annual event.

Chili Cheese Logs of Offbeat Cafe

Friday night, my actual bday, my mum had class that was until 9pm and I usually wait for her.  On any other day, we would have gone straight home to have dinner, but this being my bday, we decided to eat out. We eventually ended up in The Collective, at the Offbeat Cafe.  Well, the interiors were fine with their steel chairs and sofas, a little dark but I guess that's what they were aiming for and it was night after all.  They had an open kitchen with good exhaust system because despite what we ordered I didn't feel like we were wearing our food.  There were a selection of games and books that patrons were free to use.  The menu was written on a  blackboard on top of the bar but there were also several laminated menu cards.  I did like one particular piece which was the green bottle light fixture.  The staff was accommodating enough and quick in serving us. Now to the food. I ordered the ribeye steak and my mum the t-bone steak, and the chili cheese logs as an appetizer.  The chili cheese logs were fast enough and good freshly cooked.  The chili seemed straight from a can and zapped in the microwave (actually saw it with my own eyes)  with processed cheese used as a stuffing for the logs.  I don't mind the use of processed cheese, but you really have to eat as soon as possible because it becomes cold fast and if at first it was just palatable, cold it becomes a chore to finish. But the real travesty was the steaks. I was so in shock that I wasn't even able to take a picture. The ribeye was 1/4 inch thick and the size of my palm, and the t-bone was just a little bigger in size but the same thickness. Funny that I even specified that I wanted it medium rare since not only did they cook it for a LONG time but its thinness made cooking preference irrelevant. They were both served with heavily buttered garlic rice and a tablespoon of vegetables consisting of jullienned carrots, chayote and green beans.  My mum and I couldn't get out fast enough. Oh well. They aren't known for the steaks in the first place, but for the donut burger. Lesson learned. 

Baja Querida Mia of Army Navy

So after dinner, my mum still wanted to nosh, good thing we had an Army Navy near us. She had the Tortilla soup and I had a new menu item - the querida mia, which is like their version of pizza but made with tortilla. There are 4 varieties, cheese, baja, baja chicken and meat. I had the baja which is the veggie option, consisting of green bell pepper, onion and jalapeno. I quite enjoyed it, but must also be eaten freshly cooked to savor the crispness of the tortilla bottom and the ooziness of the cheese. I asked for hot sauce but didn't have to add any because the jalapeno peppers added sufficient heat. I paired this with a chocolate milkshake, which was almost like slightly melted ice cream, yum yum. Thinking about it, and I want some more.

Aomori Cafe facade with its gold and
purple chairs and dry-goods products

The next day, we had dinner out to officially celebrate my birthday. We had dinner in Aomori Japanese Cafe in Greenhills. It slightly reminded me as an in-between of Ji-Pan and UCC.  It had Japanese dry goods such as chips, coffee, and china.  The tea cups were darling to look at, real English tea ware, but costing P1000 plus for a pair of cup and saucer.  There's also a bakery and patisserie, with a variety of french macarons. The seats were super comfortable and furbished in either gold or purple faux-velvet. Choose the purple because  of its arm rests and feel like royalty, haha. The menu isn't that extensive but they have the usual pasta, salad, rice dishes and sandwiches. Something that's not so common are their waffles. Unfortunately, the food takes a long time to come, with each dish literally being brought out one by one. The longest took around 30 minutes, and it just had to be my grandmother's waffles. She was almost ready to cancel her order, good thing it arrived in time. I guess that's why they serve complementary bread with (get this) coffee butter. 

Selection of bread with Coffee Butter

I think they're trying to go the healthy route because their selection of bread consisted of wheat and grains. The coffee butter wasn't particularly strong, bitter or sweet. You wouldn't really realize what you were eating if you weren't looking for it. 

Beef Yakiniku Sandwich

I ordered the Beef Yakiniku sandwich which was marinated beef strips in yakiniku sauce, served on a rye bread roll with scrambled eggs, sauteed onions, mayo, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce, with fries on the side. Its quite a substantial meal despite there not being that much meat, but each slice does have beef.  The scrambled eggs were wonderously creamy and the fries a tad salty and seemed pre-processed. Altogether, a filling sandwich and something I didn't regret ordering, but if given the chance to eat here again, I'd opt to order something else because there are other interesting options. 

Porkchop with Salsa and Multi-Grain Rice

My mother had the pork chop with salsa and multi-grain rice. The grilled pork chop was thick and served with a mango salsa which complemented it well. The multi-grain rice was distinctly nutty in flavor and extremely filling. My grandmother had the bacon and ham waffle set which consisted of 2 waffles, 1 pc of ham, 2 pcs of bacon, salad, and 2 eggs which she had scrambled. There was also the coffee butter, waffle syrup and chocolate syrup.  The waffle was cooked to order and very dense but crisp. Unfortunately, it cooled quickly. The salad had a pesto dressing and topped with nuts. In the menu, it mentioned option for the butter aside from the coffee, such as nutty butter, berry, etc, but we weren't given any option. If we go there next time, I'd like to try some of their other butters. Also, if this was really a set, it should have included a drink option.

Bacon and Ham Waffle Set

Bible Bread

From left to right, Sesame Macaron
and Oreo Macaron

To cap our meal, we tried 2 of their bestselling macarons - the sesame and oreo. I was prepared to like the latter over the former but I ended up liking the sesame more. Truth be told, this is my first time to try a macaron so I wasn't sure what to expect. The oreo had a very chewy interior, and the chocolate was intense but not sweet at all. The sesame reminded me of hopia, but the reason I enjoyed it was because of its crispier exterior and the whole sesame seeds that gave textural difference. The staff were very welcoming and were always at hand. They even have containers for the bags so that you don't have to put it on the chairs; however, if there were a lot of people in the little restaurant, it could prove to be crowded and difficult to maneuver around. There was also several promos ongoing for the bakery, and we availed of the buy-1-take-1 Bible Bread, so called because the wheat used to make the bread was gleamed from the bible. All in all, I enjoyed the food, except for the long wait for the food.

Deep Temptation for Cold Layers

Afterwards, we had dessert at Cold Layers which touts a healthier alternative to ice cream with just 1/3 of the calories. Its literally flavored shaved ice with your choice of toppings. We shared the Deep Temptation that consists of chocolate shaved ice, banana slices, chocolate pudding as a base, and topped with mini marshmallows and chocolate syrup. I wasn't sure how I was going to like this but I surprisingly enjoyed it. Since its just ice, its lighter but there was still a great chocolate taste and feel to it. Despite being made of ice, there wasn't a grainy texture. The only drawback was the marshmallows. I would have enjoyed it more if it had nuts. Still, enjoyable as a whole.

Baked Rigatoni with garlic bread

 Sunday night, my mum made individual baked rigatoni with garlic bread, after which we had the Ultimate Chocolate cake from Red RIbbon. It was a great way to end a birthday weekend. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME and until next year.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake from Red Ribbon

PROMETHEUS

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Prometheus was a Titan who brought down fire from Mt. Olympus and introduced it to mankind. Consequently, he was punished by Zeus by being tied to the top of a mountain with his liver being eaten by an eagle for all eternity. And therein lies the plot of Ridley Scott's new sci-fi movie. A space vessel of same name in search of knowledge that would answer man's ultimate question - where did we come from? Unfortunately, just like its predecessor, its mission ends in disaster.

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I have to admit that sitting down to the movie, I had absolutely no idea what it was about, aside from knowing who directed it, Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender were in it, and that it occurs in space. I also had the vaguest idea that it was a suspense/thriller sci-fi movie. Other than that, my mind was a blank slate. Which is probably the best state to be in for it gives the viewer the chance to be overwhelmed and able to experience a movie with no bias or expectations. As a suspense sci-fi, it certainly did not disappoint, being able to build up to a climax and sustaining it the very end. However, I found the discussions regarding religion and the beginning of humanity a little over reaching and forced, and the attempt to give the lead female character a "back story" that (surprise, surprise) influences her in her current situation is old news and lacking in substance. As a whole however, I enjoyed the movie, in part because the end was so fantastic and unexpected (again, because I knew nothing about this movie), that whatever low points were negated at the realization of how this story fit in the movie universe, and made me hope and hunger for a sequel.

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The cinematography was excellent and the sets utilized were amazing in detail and scope. The transition between reality and CGI were seemless. I like Scott's method of creating the setting as almost another character in the story; sometimes, in the stillness of his shots, more palpable emotion can be felt within than from any drawn-out dialogue.

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Considering I must be the last person in the world to know this, I have no qualms in saying this - this movie began as a prequel to Alien. However, during the process of developing the script, it turned tangential until it became (in the words of the creator himself) a film "set in the same universe as the events of the Alien series” but wholly removed from it. However, there were still certain aspects similar to the sci-fi franchise. This was evident because despite not knowing that this had any connection to Aliens, I could not help but be reminded of it while watching.  For example, the use of an android and the set design of the alien military hub. Not to mention that the lead also gets impregnated with an alien baby. And, well, the ending that blew my mind and almost had me jumping out of my seat. Its unfortunate that the mention of the financing company for the mission did nothing to jog my memory; shame on me, I know. Anyway, no matter how blown away I was at the end, once the dust had settled, I realized that there were still a lot of questions left unanswered for me, most of which Shaw, the lead female, herself asked. Hopefully, this means a part 2 in the making, which I know "will not be part of the Alien franchise." I have to admit though, that I don't see a big fan base being created for Prometheus per se. Any fanfare would just be a residual from its association with Aliens, sad to say and probably to the disappointment of its creative team.

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In terms of casting, the jewel of the entire roster was Michael Fassbender. His ability to *not* convey emotion spoke volumes, and in my opinion helped propel the story, if such a juxtaposition was possible. However, don't expect him to be Data from Star Trek or even the other android from the first Alien. Now, if you're expecting Charlize Theron, prepare to see and expect as little from her as possible. Some of the issues I have with the movie are actually with her character. I read somewhere online that her character was created to really just be in the background. In that respect then, they were successful. However, I also read that additional scenes were written for Theron. If one of those additional written scenes included that travesty between her and the captain, then it should just have stayed unwritten.

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What can I say about the rest of the cast? The lead actress, Noomi Rapace, certainly held her own in the action sequences, and the others were believable enough in their roles. But I doubt any acting nominations are in their futures. I do have to specially mention Guy Pierce though. Despite seeing his name during the opening credits, I hardly recognized him. And this in spite of finding his prosthetics a little... fake, and his voice did not seem aged enough. Which makes me wonder: what deciding factor contributed in choosing a younger actor to play an old person vs casting someone of that age himself (or at least someone nearer that age)? Hmmmm…. On the other hand, what I do love is the mini-UN congregation that occurs in casting movies like this - there is always the obligatory Asian, African-descent, UK, and European.

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If the aim of Ridley Scott and associates was to bring the audience on an amazing movie experience full of suspense, fighting, explosions, and aliens (with or without 3D glasses), then I believe they were successful, as long as you don't think too much about the existentialist questions they pose. Did they make me contemplate whether Aliens are our ancestors? Sure, but only in the context of the movie. Did they shake my belief in a God? No. I believe that humans will never truly be able to answer the creation question because I have this little idea that the answer is too big for anyone to grasp. Plus, if we ever found the answer, then what else shall we strive for? 

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SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

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I did not actually want to watch the movie, but I had 4 hrs to kill in a mall with limited funds (therefore no shopping) and the movies that were showing were either: a.) I had already seen or b.) I did not want to waste my money on. So, Snow White was a compromise. Aside from my dislike for the actress in the lead role, I just wasn't sold on the "re-telling" of the fairytale because, let's face it - so many others have tried it before. However, I liked both Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth (a lot) enough for me to get through 2hrs worth of Kristen Stewart. Well, to sum it up- it wasn't LOTR but I didn't mind paying for it either.

It has all the elements we're familiar with regarding the fairytale - Snow white and her backstory, the step queen, dwarves, apples, and the huntsman in a more prominent role. They've also added more magic and even borrowed some elements from other fairytales (but I leave the discovery of which is which to you when you do watch the movie). The story in itself was well-developed enough, relying on flashbacks and mini-soliloquies to act as footnotes to the story. However, this might not be something for the really young as there are quite a number of connections and explanations to be said. I'm no longer a child, yet I myself have questions, such as: 1. How did Snow White become the "one" savior? I feel that the connection between the Step Queen and Snow wasn't fully elucidated; 2. Where did the magic come from? Granted that the Step Queen's mother was a witch, then did that mean Snow's mother was a witch, too, by virtue of the charm that was cast on Snow, albeit unknowingly? Or did it signify that goodness is innate and evil has to be worked on with spells and incantations?  3. And those apples, even if they were shown in the beginning, how did the Step Queen know to use them to bait Snow? Or is it because she knows everything? Did the mirror tell her? 4. But the most important of them all - why didn't the queen just kill Snow? She already mentioned in the beginning that she knew of the beauty-capacity of Snow, so why not suck her right then and there?  Maybe the answers to these questions were hidden within the movie, and I just wasn't paying that much attention or haven't analyzed enough to realize their significance. But despite all these questions, I was satisfied with the storyline. Everything I mentioned is just my obssesive compulsive nature to have things wrapped neatly and in a pretty bow. After all, you can only do so much with 2 hrs.

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On the upside, what struck me most was the seamless CGI and make-up, particularly the aging of the Step Queen. The cinematography is also worth mentioning. My favorite scenes were Snow lost in the Dark Forest and the funeral pyre, where the camera pans up as the dancing orange-red flames reach up into the dark night sky. Kudos to the concept of the "Santuary" where its unworldliness was palpable.

Something I appreciated from the film was its aim to be as grounded in reality as possible. Obviously, it was set in medieval times, and so the set and props tried to reflect that time period. Although reflecting back on it, they probably mixed up some facts from various time periods. While watching, I heard the confusion of some people that the Step Queen's mirror was not a mirror at all...that in itself should already be a clue. Of course I'm not well-versed with ancient weaponry and military strategies, but I believe some methods and forms they used are based on actuallity.  Perhaps, that's what had me confused somewhat - the mix of reality and magic together.

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On another note, I don't know if this movie has any connection with Disney, but watch the afore-mentioned Snow getting lost in the forest scene... Doesn't it seem familiar? And even the animals that Snow was friendly with in the animated version were re-worked here to have a more active role.

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For me, the character of Snow was well-crafted. She accepted early on without much fuss that being the daughter of the king, it was her responsibility to lead the uprising against the Evil Step Queen. On the other hand, she also acknowledged her weaknesses and sought for help when needed, as evidenced from her interaction with the huntsman. Unfortunately, the problem with me is the actress herself. Her acting in itself was not bad, truth be told. She was able to effectively deliver the princess' character of being headstrong but not combative or argumentative, of being realistic and hopeful at the same time. However, for me, she always acts the same. The same deadpan look in between acting stints... I almost expected Robert Pattinson as Edward to step in at anytime. Watch out for the moments Kristen Stewart is undergoing strong emotions, whether angry, sad or happy - it‘s emphasized by deep breathing. In fairness to her though, she looked every bit the determined but obviously fearful warrior that she was as she led the troops into the Step Queen's castle. It was something akin to Joan of Arc leading the French army. Maybe I would have wanted a little more fierceness, but she is afterall Snow White, and her goodness is key. But she does have the balls when necessary (e.g. At the end).  Could there be another actress to fit this role? I am not certain... Try as I can to be unbiased, I still feel that someone else could be Snow White. But then again, the nitpickings on her could be part of my prejudice, or it may not.

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With regards the Step Queen, Charlize Theron was perfect. She is trully beautiful and regal, and a true actress because who else could manipulate her beauty to become hard to the point of ugliness? I must say though that her accent at times was a little confusing to listen to. I don't know if it was intentionally done, but there was a marked difference between the acting of Theron and Stewart, almost as if to illustrate the difference between their characters. One was larger than life in her actions, using the full breadth of her arms to gesticulate; whereas the latter was quite reserved in her actions. Did this symbolize that evil was ostentacious and all smoke and mirrors? While good was quiet but strong? Whatever the case, I enjoyed Theron as the Step Queen. Next, Angelina Jolie as Maleficent...

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Fresh from seeing him as Thor in Avengers, Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman just seemed to be a dirtier, more drunk version of that former character. Fortunately enough, the story propels the watcher into its universe and you eventually lose sight of Hemsworth as an individual and he becomes the Hunstman. It was a little confusing at first, that he should suddenly turn against giving up Snow upon seeing her, and even the lackluster explanation near the end wasn't that much satisfying. At least, there was no overt tones of romance between the Huntsman and Snow, as I was afraid there might be. I know some people may argue with me on this, but I really feel that the turnning point at the end wasn't a declaration of romantic love but of... True love. Almost agape-ish. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part because I just want Hemsworth to end up with Natalie Portman (whoops, wrong movie!). After all, if they really wanted to play up the romance card, then they should have highlighted some sort of rivalry between him and William, Snow's childhood friend. Although, there was one scene come to think of it.... But I think the writer and director of this film had higher aspirations than to focus on some love story. In hindsight, the character of the Huntsman was almost just a means to a way, and I think that if this was a true story, the Huntsman was incidental, and that Snow could have been helped by any other person; it just so happened to be him.

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The prince charming was not a prince charming per se. The character was actually the son of a trusted duke of Snow's father, who grew up with her. However, because of inevitable circumstances, they were separated. When the movie proper begins, he learns her whereabouts and searches for her, using ALL necessary means. Now then, if I was someone who had not seen a decent (decent being the operative word here) man for many years, and suddenly had to choose between the hunstman and the duke's son... I personally would choose the hunstman. William, the name of the character, unfortunately pales in 

manliness beside Hemsworth's character. Don't get me wrong, William can hold his own during battles with a bow and arrow (just as I wrote this, it occurred to me - William Tell, is that you?!?), but the Huntsman's agility to yield an axe is more impressive. Maybe William's character was suppose to serve as a point of dilemma, but I feel that if so, then that wasn't even explored fully (barely even hinted at one point). Although the presence of his character did serve as a turning point, I think something else could have done about it. Personally, William was superflous. But the actor is cute, I'll give him that.

As a special mention, the dwarves was a welcome treat. They were obviously for comedic relief and a certain awwww factor, but it wasn't overtly so, and they were able to stand on their own. Although, the dialogue of Bob Hoskin's character was a little cryptic and left one hungry for more. Also, there was too much of their backstory which I think was not needed. On the other hand, I'm happy that they weren't made into caricatures of what people are used to, and handled just like any normal-sized character. The effects and camera angling was also good in showing the height discrepancies without being too forced. Although, I just learned recently that there was an issue regarding the employment of normal-sized actors instead of vertically-challenged persons.

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If I had children with me, perhaps the one lesson I want them to leave with is that fairytales are not bible truth. Happiness and happy endings should not be based on finding another person, but on yourself. Fight for your right towards a happy ending! And true love's kiss is not necessarily romantic in nature. After all, is a parent's love for their children any less true? Or two friends for each other?

I'd say that in a summary, the movie was pretty successful in giving another version of this fairytale. 

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J. CO OH NO

There's a new donut place in town, and it hails from Indonesia.

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I've already been seeing their advertisements around the metropolis in the MRT stations months ago, and I have to admit my interest was piqued, albeit a little dubious on how successful they would be in penetrating our market considering the demise of Go Nuts after Krispy Kreme entered the country.  Nevertheless, I dragged my mum one week day afternoon after hearing from her that their branch in Megamall was already open.  At first I wondered at the wisdom of having the store located along the Strip, but thinking about it further (and from seeing the filled seats all around the place), it was smart on the owner's part because this meant that they could close later than the other shops located inside the mall (which more or less closed by 9pm).  Also, it helped that they were a stone's throw away from the pedestrian overpass; hence, within eyesight of potential walking customers who may (or may not) have been thinking of bringing home something yummy.  So, partially relieved that this new business would have no shortage of customers (although why I was worried for something and/or people who I had no connection with made no sense whatsoever...), we entered the shop.

First impression... bright and cheerful.  There are two separate counters, one for the donuts, the other for the coffee drinks at al and frozen yoghurt (yes there is!).  There's quite a number of tables and seats available, with comfortable sofa chairs placed by the walls.  So far though, there's still quite an excited and hectic buzz in the air, which might be from the nervous and almost over achiever-ish attitude of the wait staff who are all obviously eager to give their customers a good time "the j. co way".  Because of this, on my part, I feel that you can't relax just yet in j. co and savor your cup of coffee over donuts and talk with friends.  Well, the frenetic energy could also be from the fast turnover of customers that came in and out of the place, most of whom seemed to be professionals in a bit of hurry.  Considering, the time of day we went (mid-afternoon on a weekday), this probably explained the clientele at that time.  Perhaps the weekend an nighttime crowd would give a different ambiance.  Anyway, enough logic and on to the food.


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Well, when we went, we didn't order any drinks, but a look over the menu showed the usual house brew, latte and tea offerings, as well as green tea, thai tea, avocado, and (what i'm most curious to try) cherry-flavored coffee.  Right now, they're actually offering a free glazed donut (what they call glazzy) with any coffee drink.  More on this theme next time.

so as you can see, we had ours to-go.  In general, the donuts are not as sweet as krispy kreme or go nuts.  probably because they're not all glazed prior to adding toppings.  Although they're quite soft, I din't find them as melt-in-your mouth as its American counterpart.  As of yet, I haven't decided if that's a good or bad thing.  Anyway, the following is a bite-by-bite account of what I've tasted so far.

Cheese me up

I am enamored with sweet and savory combinations.  Which is why I was excited to taste this flavor.  So much so that I was willing to wait 15 minutes for it.  However, when I tasted it, it didn't quite live up to my expectations for the primary reason that it just wasn't cheesy enough.  When it comes to cheese donuts, Cello's still rules.  I think it was because there was no contrast enough between the sweet donut and salty cheese.  Although they do have a specialty donut named J Club which is a cheese-topped donut with a slice of cheese in the middle which I'm also looking forward to try.

Tiramisu

According to the sales girl who took my order, this was the best seller. And I couldn't agree more.  Here, the not-so-sweet donut worked well with the richness of the coffee flavor of the icing.  Even the cream filling wasn't so sweet.  Definitely a must-try.

Black Jack

This is another best seller in my book.  It's a plain donut, dipped, covered, DRENCHED in really rich dark chocolate ganache.  'Nuff said.

Alcapone
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This was my mum's donut, and being the finicky person she is, I was pleasantly surprised that she enjoyed it, owing to lots of slivered almonds on top.  The glue that binds it to the donut is white chocolate.



So far, to be happy with 3 out of 4 donuts is a pretty good score I guess. Well, dear donuts of J. Co, whihc of you will be next.....