It was love at first sight between me and the Golden Egg Roll sold by Baker’s Passion, a new bakery-cafe in Robinson’s Midtown. Something tells me that the place is the lost twin sister of Bread Talk since they have similar selections like the kaya and floss-crusted bread.
A pair of sausages sandwiched in a fluffy bun are aptly called “Binoculars.” Isn’t that cute? Makes me wonder why we can’t have bakery goodies like what these Singaporean-Malaysian chains offer. There’s just something about the texture and fluffiness of their bread, they’re even creatively done. I guess cost and the rising prices of flour is still a consideration but there must be something to inspire our local bakers. I love, love pan de sal but it’s soooo last century, together with Spanish bread, mamon, kababayan and the whole lot of them.
But this is not really what this blog post is all about. I just find it funny that Baker’s Passion prohibited me (the blogger :P) from taking pictures of their items and their spanking new place.
“Am sorry Ma’am but we don’t allow picture-taking inside. If you want, you can write a letter to the owner and we will forward it to our head office,” the poor lady manager tasked to explain the situation to me said.
I accepted what she said, even though I had to surreptitiously take photos of what I ordered (see above!) It wasn’t surprising actually, since there are a number of places which impose the same. That’s why I have to ask permission first each time before they judge me a looney for flashing my digicam, a spy or both. But write the owner?? What the hey….
I began to compose the letter in my mind:
Dear Mr. Chen (or whatever the owner’s name was),
It was my first time to visit your place today and I must say it’s lovely. I am determined to splurge my $3 daily budget for snacking just to try the delicious-looking items in your counter. There is just something about the golden crust and pretty designs of your expensive breads which calls out to me and makes me flash not only my wallet but also my digicam. Call it a compulsion and my boyfriend knows this for a fact, but I just gotta take food pictures!
You see Mr. Chen, am a blogger and there’s something about this passion/avocation which makes words incomplete without a picture. That’s why am asking your permission to allow me to take a shot, short of getting free advertising for your obscure place. You don’t know blogging you mean? Maybe you can start with what I googled here: Introduction to Blogging.
Your “no picture-taking” policy is traditional to say the least, but times have changed and it is high time merchants like you reconsider. It’s not like your precious recipes are going to be pirated out of the kitchen at the sight of a zoom lens. Cellphones and digicams are as commonplace as baking pans and spatulas these days. Most of the time, when your customers take pictures, it’s not like they’re spying on you. They just want souvenirs of the monstrously-priced food they ordered from the menu, or they’re crazed bloggers like me who simply have. To take. A picture!
Hoping for your consideration of this matter, I remain
Hopelessly devoted to your egg roll,
Ajay
As of press time, this letter is a work in progress ๐
Hmm, I’m sure your heartfelt plea will compel the owner to greet you himself on your next visit, if only to personally prevent that “crazy blogger” from photographing his little puff-pastry innocents ๐
Why, don’t you know a photograph captures the soul? Oh, d horror!
And you shouldn’t ask her boyfriend, ask her kids – what kinda world is it, when a MOTHER prevents her children from eating until she’s photographed their entire repast, exhaustively?
Truly, Blogging is a Harsh Mistress ๐
Whatever happened to comment moderation? Heh.
Call it ‘delayed gratification.’ WE’re supposed to say grace, and take pictures (!), before meals. ๐
What is the bread called “Kababayan”?
Does it look rectangular? Thin bread on all sides, with a thick filling of something that looks either red or purple?
why is it that they have no picture taking policy? was that a zoo? and animals might get scared of the flash? haha! ๐ or maybe they think others would copy their items.. hmmmm…
the golden egg roll looks so good! ๐
i feel your pain!
it’s gotten so absurd sometimes that i like taking pictures just to piss off snooty restaurant managers and owners.
specially those clueless blockheads
who don’t realize how much (free!)
advertising mileage a blog like ajay’s
gets for their establishments (sipsep!)
hahahaha
my rule is.. if i cant take a picture, i wont pay for my food.
nakapagpicture naman kami diyan (cell phone cam) ๐
they recently closed it….i felt so sad when i saw the wonderful ambiance of Baker’s Passion melt into a chaotic demolished space…their apple cinnamon twist, solo pizza and grilled chicken panini as well as the strawberry frappe and JanPan Mango are the best…i wish we could find another Baker’s Passion…
what happened to baker’s passion? We missed the piggy floss, spicy floss……
Kababayan looks like a small muffin.
The rectangular one with red or purple filling is called Kalihim.