(AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote this review in January 2014, when I was jobless for a few months. Sadly, The Sci-Fi Cafe closed its doors for good in December 2014, and no news of its return have popped up six years down the line.)
I first heard of The Sci-Fi Cafe at Robinsons Galleria from friends who previously visited, but it was only after reading a positive review from an acquaintance that I was finally convinced to try it out. The cafe was located at a rather isolated spot at the topmost floor of the mall that saw low foot traffic - a contributing factor to its eventual closure. As soon as I arrived, the various toy displays in and around the store caught my attention and reminded me of the ones in the bi-annual Toy Convention (ToyCon.) I could say that the toy display took up a lot of space in the cafe, but this was its selling point.
Pop culture permeated this cafe - from the food names to the pipe-in music. I entered the establishment to Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" (the theme of the Rocky movie franchise, starring Sylvester Stallone), and heard the main themes of Star Wars and Superman multiple times. Diners could also have their pictures taken with costumes and props from different movies. Since I was here, I borrowed Wolverine's claws (made of foam) for a photo op. After having a picture, I then placed my order. The white leather table covers and stainless steel chairs gave The Sci-Fi Cafe a futuristic feel, akin to dining in a first-class space pod on the Intergalactic Express.
It was already noontime and I was feeling a bit drowsy, so I ordered the White Chocolate Mocha Frappe. It looks simple at first glance, but it matches the more expensive designer coffee counterpart in taste. It had the right amount of sweetness--not too cloying, just enough to tone down the savory taste of food (which proved useful later.) I tasted more of the caramel topping than the white chocolate blended in. I surmise white chocolate really has a more subtle taste compared to its milk-blended and dark counterparts.
My lunch order arrived soon after: the Total Recall Cheesy Chick, named after the original 1990 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and subsequently remade in 2012 with Colin Farrel as the lead. It consisted of Three chicken breast fillets topped with Parmesan cheese cause, served with a large cup of Java rice and vegetables. The chicken was tender and went well with the Parmesan sauce's sharp and salty taste, but I found that the latter jived well with the rice. The vegetables were a different story, as they looked rather bland. Fortunately, a sprinkling of cayenne pepper from a shaker beside my table saved this dish. All in all, the Parmesan cheese sauce made this dish memorable as it was the only element that bound everything together.
My experience here, however, was cut short. A staff member informed me that they were closing off the cafe by 1:00 in the afternoon for a seminar and will reopen later in the day. I would have ordered more, but it was fine with me. I paid the total bill and left to allow the staff some time to set up the place, promising to return in the near future. Unfortunately, that would not be the case as the cafe closed down in December 2014.
Until the next review, bon appetit.
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