Happy Birthday to Me!

Well, I just celebrated my 26th birthday… sigh… birthdays… I don’t know who invented them. Why would one want to celebrate the number of years that one has been brought into this cruel, cold and barbaric world? Why would one want to be constantly reminded every year on the number of years that is left before they leave their loved ones? Why would one want to look back and realized that they have done nothing that the world would remember them by in the past? Why would one want to be shown the number of opportunities lost and missed due to their advancing age. Why would one want to be made to remember it is the time when people call you uncle instead of sir, mister or ‘goh goh’ (brother)? Just the other day in the cinema an AUNTY told her son to sit next to the UNCLE... and she was refering to me! ME! ME! I would have strangled her there and then but I gave her the benefit of doubt... maybe she's blind :P.

Sigh… birthdays… they are just so depressing. I supposed I have reached that kind of age, huh? A child would be screaming with joy during birthdays and an old person would be beaming with pride when he is surrounded by children and grandchildren in his 80th birthday party. I really don’t know why, but I just feel indifferent towards birthdays… maybe it would bring up the flavour if I celebrate with my wife… hmmm… okay, birthday wish… get a wife :P.

Well, enough of the really depressing thoughts… just like Dexter (will write a post on this one later), even if we felt nothing, we need to pretend that we feel something. Hey, it’s not called happy birthday if one is not happy!

Working in my third company since my graduation, this is the second time I receive a gift from my company. In my first company, I got a waist pouch for my birthday. It’s just some mass produced stuff by the HR in their attempt to show that they care… which I think failed miserably. I have no idea where the waist pouch is now. So, I’m pleasantly surprised when my current company presented me with vouchers for my birthday. It is a KFC voucher! Also, it is divided into two vouchers… one RM5 and one RM10! So, I can visit KFC twice loh… though I’m having difficulty in trying to get the perfect combination that would fully utilize the RM10 voucher. Also, I got a handwritten birthday card from my boss’s boss! Of course he just copied from a pre-written message and just wrote my name according to the list… but it beats those computer printed ones loh. Besides, it has been ages since I received a birthday card. I’m so touched :P.

Birthday card... handwritten by my boss's boss (BB)

KFC vouchers!!!

Apart from that, I had birthday dinner with friends! Well, it’s more like normal dinner lah but I haven’t have birthday dinner with friends since college… I still remembered I got a tie and a shirt from my college friends on my birthday because I was complaining I did not have suitable clothes to wear to the prom night.

Anyway, the restaurant is called Tao's. It is sort of a buffet dinner with the difference that the food is served to you instead of self-service. Our dinner started at 5.30pm. If one were to reach the restaurant and ordered before 6.30pm, there’ll be 10% discount (for weekdays only)! Also, during weekdays, one can sit there until they close shop which I think is around 10.30pm… although it would be quite a challenge to remain there for that long. During the weekends, the dinner is divided into two groups. The first group have to leave before 8.30pm to make way for the second group. We had lots and lots and lots of food… especially the sashimi… I think we had 3 to four plates of them. Following are the pictures during the dinner. I apologize first if I didn’t recall all the names of the food!

The Witch... camwhoring

The great sashimi moriawase... meaning mixed sashimi. We had 3 to 4 plates of these... personally, I prefer the salmon loh... but the most expensive fish on the plate is the sardin like fish with grey colour skin... doesn't taste very nice.

Erm... I think this is duck breast kua... no recollection... so you can guess how it tasted hor?

Some spicy sotong with sour sauce...

Tempura Moriawase... nothing can go wrong with frying!

I think this is called butter fish or something like that... anyway, with tender, juicy meat and lightly simmered in teriyaki sause, it's a favourite amongst all patrons!!!

Spicy Mantis Prawns... it's spicy duh, what do you expect?... taste is okay loh... will make you more hungry with the spices!

Erm... i think this is squid kua... the purplish thing looked like a squid... or is it mini octopus? Are they the same thing? No idea... I know how to eat only... not my favourite dish, but hey, it's a buffet... so we just order everything whether we like or not :P

Abalone... who doesn't like abalone? Sure, it doesn't have any flavour, but we are Malaysians... and that means we will definitely eat our money's worth in buffets.

This is called scallops, right? Tell me I'm right... sigh... my confidence has dropped considerably after this.. because I seem to have no knowledge in food at all! Anyway, this one is very, very good... well, at least the cheesy sauce is nice...

Grilled teriyaki salmon... anything that is grilled with teriyaki sauce can't be bad...

A very hungry Witch who is eating AND looking for her next victim...

Some cheesy crab filled crackers... not nice... too salty... but if you are there, order it too :P

The Witch... giving a disarming smile as she stealthily eat everything in front of her :P

Unagi... means eel you idiot... I prefer the grilled version without the soup...

This one, you must avoid at all costs... okay, I'm exaggerating... but the middle of the sushi is papaya! Papaya is nice lah, but when mixed with uncooked fish meat, it just it disaster... at least I think so... still you can try it if you don't believe me...

Another one of my favourite... Grilled lamb shoulder... very nice and tender... must try...

My boss cutting the lamb...

Some egg filled fried fish called Shishamo... sort of tasteless after fried... try the grilled one next time...

Chicken ban-ban... chicken fried with eggs... okay only, but you will fill up very fast if you eat this one... or maybe it's because we are already full when we eat this one :P

The Witch showing off a set of hand made beads... nice meh? :P

Apart from all those above, those that I did not take picture of is the ice-cream. Anyway, we ate and ate and ate until almost 9pm before we retire for the night. The best of all, The Witch paid for the bill! Of course I wouldn't mind paying the bill, but who am I to deprive her of giving me a treat? :P

Also, during dinner we had some very interesting conversations that give me a better understanding of the Witch and my boss. Altogether, it was a fine night... though I will need to suffer after this... the amount of calories, fat, sugar and sodium... shudder... I'd rather not think about that yet :P.