Van Gogh is Bipolar is a unique restaurant in Maginhawa that revolves around the idea of healing and setting moods. It is perhaps one of the most well-known and long-lasting restaurants in the area.
To reduce the place to the word “quirky” is a disservice, as this restaurant is more than just that. They make an effort to spread awareness about being bipolar and other mental illnesses.
Here’s my first-time experience at VGIB…
Van Gogh is Bipolar
154 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village Diliman, 1103 Quezon City, Philippines
Operating Hours: Lunch 12 NN-3 PM / Dinner 6PM Onwards
Mobile: +63 922 824 3051
Facebook: Van Gogh is Bipolar
Locating the place isn’t so difficult…it’s entering the place that’s a puzzle as there are no visible doors. But finding the entrance just is part of the experience!
Once you figure out how to get inside, a sign asks you to remove your shoes.
The interior of the restaurant is quite dark and moody.
The shelves are lined with various antiquities and dried plants.
There are only a handful of areas where you can sit so it’s better to come in small groups.
The experience starts with a welcome shot of citrus in a test tube. The tartness perked us up for the whole afternoon.
We placed our orders and explored what we could in the area while waiting for the food. A map of the place and a list of instructions is provided on the table as well.
We decided to be silly and play along and got ourselves some hats.
A hand washing ritual commences soon after. All you need for squeaky clean hands are baking soda, vinegar, and some water.
Part of our order was the Mood Tea (₱99), which allows you to concoct your own mix depending on your mood that day. It begins with picking out your teapot from their selection.
We went for this owl, solely for the fact that it was the first thing that caught our attention.
There is a handy guide at the tea making station so you can decide which leaves to add according to your mood.
We were feeling a bit anxious that day so we went for the leaves inside the Light Chill jar.
A scoop or more of sugar is added according to the sweetness level you prefer.
Add some hot water and let it sit for a few minutes. Our Mood Tea had subtle hints of lemongrass.
Van Gogh is Bipolar promises No Preservatives, No Artificial Ingredients, and No Processed Ingredients. Their menu changes based on the mood of the chef and the availability of ingredients.
Vegan (₱299)
All our orders come with a side of salad, brown rice, and fruits. Stir-fried vegetables are used in lieu of any kind of meat. The dish isn’t 100% vegan as there was a side of quail egg.
Pescatarian (₱325)
A pescatarian diet is based off the vegetarian diet, but with the addition of fish. The salmon in our dish was bursting with flavor and had a good texture.
Carnivore (₱399)
The Carnivore dish had a generous serving of herbed chicken, which we finished in no time.
There are salt and pepper shakers on the table, but we found no need to use it as the food was already well-seasoned.
For dessert, we only had Marilyn Monroe’s Messy Ice Lolly (₱50) as the rest of the items weren’t available that day. It tasted strongly of bananas, but we found it too sweet for our liking.
After a full meal, we stepped out and stayed in the garden for a bit to relax our senses.
Overall, it was a one-of-a-kind experience for us. If you like intimate conversations and experiences that take you out of your comfort zone, I highly recommend a visit to Van Gogh is Bipolar. With an ever-changing menu, your experience will be unique from mine and others, and that in itself is a good reason to go.
Van Gogh is Bipolar
154 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village Diliman, 1103 Quezon City, Philippines
Operating Hours: Lunch 12 NN-3 PM / Dinner 6PM Onwards
Mobile: +63 922 824 3051
Facebook: Van Gogh is Bipolar
Live an Awesome Life,
Monique of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: We paid for our meals. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. If you need to call your server, there are bells or horns at each table.
