Van Gogh is [Still] Bipolar, That Cafe/Living Art Space

Ask any foodie in Metro Manila, and I bet everyone of them has Van Gogh is Bipolar on their must-try-restaurants list. Why wouldn't they, this place is just really one of its kind.

Welcome to Van Gogh is Bipolar. Photo by Anj.

I've been to Van Gogh several times before and I unearthed a post about my very visit. This was something I wrote three years ago on my Multiply site (antanda! haha):

REVIEW: Van Gogh is Bipolar, November 2009

I didn't even know Van Gogh was bipolar before I tried out this place.haha

Basically, it's a place that serves happy-hormone food. You're supposed to try out their dishes to get rid of all your stress, anxiety, anger, depression and what have you's. And you know what, it actually works.:) 

All the dishes were carefully put together to make just the right chemical reaction to release those seratonin, dopomine and other hormones I don't really understand to make you feel happy! Like cabbage they say, is a good source of some vitamin that's a real pick-me-upper so most of their food go with cabbage. Yes, even the pasta.:p  

What's even more fun is you can choose from different dishes and different drinks depending on your mood. If you're feeling anxious for example, you should try the lemongrass tea because it tends to give you that "happy chill". If you're down in the dumps, you should go for the pomelo-mint tea that's an instant upper. And the list goes on and on. 

Yeah so it could partly be psychological, you know thinking that you'll feel good with all food would actually make you feel good, but whattaheck. The owner, a bipolar himself who patterned the entire menu from his own bipolar diet, is nothing short of wonderful. He welcomes you into the place, orients you on the menu, explains to you all sort of stuff I didn't exactly understand, and tells you over and over that you'll feel wonderful after your meal.:p And you really tend to.;) 

Their food is a little pricey, but totally worth it. They give hefty servings so you might want to order different dishes to share so you could try out more on the menu.:p 

Oh and aside from the good food, the place is really something as well. It's more of an art space, really rather than a resto. It's filled with all these art pieces. They've got this freedom wall and book swapping shelf. 

All in all, Van Gogh's is one dining experience you should really, really try.:) 

Oh, and most of the stuff they put on are home grown in the owner's farm in Isabela. Don't panic, it's organic like they always say. :p

Fast forward to 2013- my most recent visit to Van Gogh- when my friends threw a joint birthday bash last Saturday (more photos of that here). And I couldn't be more thrilled to be back.

Hello again, Van Gogh!

Van Gogh is Bipolar had grown really popular through the years. It's been frequented by foodies, foreigners and celebrities, featured many times in blogs, newspapers and even landed a story for CNN Go.

The place is still that quirky, intimate cafe. Even more amazing with all his new knickknacks and artworks/art pieces filling every corner of the place (which is his own house, btw). It changes its interiors every now and then, I noticed this time they covered the freedom wall to put another table set up, and I couldn't find the book swapping anymore either. Still, the entire place is tastefully made up.

Every corner tells a story. 

 Choose your crowning glory while you dine. Some stuff here are donated by guests. || Headdress Nook. Photo by Anj.

Because we all have skeletons in our closets. ||
Rest room/dark room/rant room where you can write your emotional baggage away. Photos by Anj.

Tea for your every mood. :)

There are also obviously a lot more customers now and you now have to make reservations to eat here. Although, Van Gogh is Bipolar is a self-service restaurant, there are guest servers every now and then.

The owner, Jetro, is still that warm, charming guy who makes everyone feel welcome to his home. Whether it's their first or tenth time here, he makes it a point to talk to every one of his guests. And yes, he still gives the whole chemical reaction speech upon serving your food. :)

The genius behind Van Gogh is Bipolar. || Jetro putting out the main course.

Speaking of food. Here's a little taste of what Van Gogh has to offer. :)

 Drinks and soup. || Courtney Love's Potion and Virginia Woolf's Tears

I forgot the name- hardboiled egg smothered in mozzarella topped with something I'm not sure what.
 Hehe. || Appetizer.

 Salad like no other. You wrap salted egg, mangoes, banana chips, dried fish, fresh tomatoes in cabbage
 and dip it in VGIB's signature sauce. Yum! :) || Larry Flint's Cabbage Experience. 

Salmon Belly with Black Mountain Rice which Jetro says it's the rarest and healthiest kind of rice.
|| Main Course, Fish. 

 Super delicious chicken over mashed potatoes, topped with  mango sauce & nuts.
 || Forget the name again. Hehe. Main course, Chicken.

To say that the food is delicious is so an understatement. Masarap talaga, AS IN. Haha. In all my visits here, the food never failed me. Not only are the dishes created by Jetro (hello dish names?), they're all made by him as well. (Actually, especially for the main course, you have to wait a bit for all the food to be served if you're a big group, 'cause he really plates all the food himself.) They're really healthy too.

One thing that I really love on the menu is this:

Absinthe + Dark Chocolate. || Mel Gibson's Darkest Sin. 

Mel Gibson's Darkest Sin. It's a shot of vodka that you take with a shot of dark chocolate with almond or walnut. Other times you take the vodka and chocolate in one shot. Boom. He makes the dark chocolate from fresh cocoa beans. Vodka + dark chocolate = enough to make me go crazy (no pun intended).

See you again at Van Gogh is Bipolar. :) 

From art pieces, to the signature dishes, from infinite tea sets, the rants & raves immortalized in a comfort room, to the natural high you get from being surrounded by happy food, happy things and yes, happy people, eating at Van Gogh is Bipolar is a dining experience like no other.

'Cause we all need a dose of happy hormones every once in a while. :)

Roanni


Van Gogh is Bipolar is located at 154 H Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village QC.
For reservation or inquiries call 0922-8243051. 

*Thanks Anj for some of the photos I used on this post.:)