A Visual Feast and Van Gogh is Bipolar: Part 1 of 2

I first found out about Jetro Rafael and Van Gogh is Bipolar through my friend, Jenny Pascual. She constantly raved about her good friend’s restaurant in Quezon City. She mentioned that owner/creator, Jetro is bipolar and the menu items are named after famous bipolar people.

Then it was at Jenny’s event, Moveable Feast (check out my previous entries about this wonderful event part 1, part 2 & part 3) where my auntie, Ate Liza and I, along with fellow food fiend, Lisa all met Jetro. Our common support and love for Jenny, I guess you can say, endorsed us some seats. In order to dine at his restaurant, you have to make reservations and diners are picked by lottery as Jetro can only accommodate about a dozen diners a night.

So finally, last week, on a cool evening, we made our voyage into the unknown. I had absolutely no idea what to expect except the fact that Jenny was all praises about it, so it must be good!

But as expected from a cool cat of a guy, Van Gogh is Bipolar is a hidden gem without the name of the restaurant screaming and calling out for customers to come in. Although the restaurant was like a little cottage tucked inside a compound with a shop, coffee house/cafe and a gallery (of those I noticed), it seemed very warm and welcoming.

This is the first thing that caught my eye right before we were to enter the indoor dining area, recycled egg shells converted into fascinating garden decor. This must be a sign of EGG-ziting things to come, eh? 😉

Upon entering….

Hey There, Good Looking’!
Charming and good-looking Jetro greets us….

Here he makes us aware of the house rules. There are so many elements of these rules that I love… “Welcome to my home. Van Gogh is laid back. Be patient.” and “Stupid & idiots are welcome“.

We are then invited to create our own tea Van Gogh is Bipolar-style….

Step one, according to the instructions above, is to choose your own teapot…

Place 3 teaspoon-full of your choice. In my case, I chose the extra calm. Something I definitely needed while in the middle of a crazy work week.

So now that I have my tea, of course I opted not to sit around but rather explore the restaurant’s surreal interior design…

Glancing on some materials posted on the wall, I guess you can call it a crash course before the main course….

I loved how even a broken wine glass is recycled into a candle holder, now casting even more interesting shadow play onto the walls. It’s the imperfections that make things even more alluring, don’t you think? 😉

Celebrate Our Flaws.
What else can I say? 😉 I am a definite believer in this one!

Into Darkness.
The entry to the “dark room”….

And why is it called a dark room? Because here you can write your deepest, darkest secrets on the walls. Check out some of the former diners’ deepest, darkest secrets. Maybe you might know one of them? Or maybe they’re talking about you? Haha!…..

You have to pass by this area in order to make it to the restroom, which is another interesting room in itself. People tend to linger here and you’ll see why….

What Comes Around Goes Around.
An art work in itself in the form of a reminder….

X Marks the Spot.
A snapshot of the ‘x’ of r-e-l-a-x spelled out for us across the room….

I realized, I had no choice here but to relax as Jetro advised us that being at Van Gogh is Bipolar is about taking your time. Our table is ours for the night and that there is no such thing as rushing his diners to turn over tables for incoming ones.

And stay we did….

Our orders are taken….

Coming up soon in Part 2, read and hopefully experience through my words and photos the happiest of all happy meals you’ll ever have!

TO BE CONTINUED.

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• bipolar facts
• bipolar people
• carve your name
• celebrate our flaws
• dark room
• deepest darkest secrets
• happy meal
• how to make tea
• interesting imperfections
• Jenny Pascual
• Jetro Rafael
• lovely unique restaurant in Quezon City
• Moveable Feast Philippines
• parasol chandelier
• recycling a wine glass
• relax
• shadow play
• take your time
• Van Gogh
• Van Gogh is bipolar
• what comes around goes around
• wooden carving
• x marks the spot