Eating is fun. Dining on different kinds of
food is fun, and so is savoring the flavor and scent of each dish. Going to
different kinds of restaurants is fun too because that’s part of the experience
of dining.
But it’s a different matter if I’m being fed
chicken tinola and beef nilaga (stew). I love chicken tinola; that hot, gingery
broth warmed my days and nights in Baguio.
The beef nilaga’s rich chunks of beef and thick broth invigorate me when I’m
sick after drinking lots of beer. Leche flan? Yeah, leche flan is my drug, and
so is that sweet, pink salmon, be it grilled or sushi.
Each of us has dishes that we consider our
“comfort food.” Be it a home-cooked meal or something from your favorite store,
it’s a dish that not only makes you feel good, but also relieves feelings that
make you feel physically, mentally, or emotionally bad.
Doctors tell us there’s more to comfort
food than making us feel good. Our body produces hormones that affect functions
such as muscle growth, healing, mental activity, etc. What we eat affect the
production of those hormones. This holds more meaning to people living with
mood disorders. Aside from medication and exercise, a patient’s diet is also
important in managing his moods.
Travel photographer Jetro Rafael, for
example, is bipolar; or someone who feels very happy at one moment and then
suddenly becomes depressed. Aside from his photography and other art ventures,
he indulges in cooking as part of his therapy. Making his personal meal guide developed
into an idea for a restaurant; hence, the birth of “Van Gogh Is Bipolar.”
Van Gogh Is Bipolar is named in honor of
Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, who also suffers from severe mood swings. It’s
popular yet elusive - it opens and closes unexpectedly, has a very limited
seating capacity (12 diners at most), and reservations are hard to come by.
I was lucky to have dinner at Van Gogh Is
Bipolar before Jetro left for vacation.
My visit there was timely since for some time now I feel sick, tired,
sluggish, and uninspired to think of or do anything.
To show my displeasure, I
brought along two Angry Birds plushies, both with their frowning faces and sour
mood, but strangely a source of “squees” all around. I looked as angry as they are. Maybe what I needed was a
good meal after all.
Upon entering, patrons are urged to remove
their shoes, and with it (symbolically), their inhibitions and worries. Inside,
the place (Jetro’s home, actually) contains a living art space filled with tea
pots, photographs, books, old furniture, and artifacts from Jetro’s travels.
There’s also an area where you can carve or write down (and let out) your
thoughts.
Self-service is the norm here. You write
down your orders, ring the kitchen bell and inform the cook (sometimes Jetro is
in the kitchen), pick up your orders, and bring your soiled plates to the
kitchen. Also, you settle your bill via the honor system – you pay and get your
own change from a box on one corner of the restaurant. (There’s a note on top
of the box that says “1 million blessings and 1 million curses.”)
Van Gogh Is Bipolar’s dishes are named in honor of bipolar personalities. The ingredients in Jetro’s food produce “happy hormones” such as serotonin and dopamine that activate neurotransmitters in the brain, which in turn calm you down or lift you up. It helps that Jetro explains all the stuff about “happy hormones,” which dish has what effect and even recommends what to eat.
While waiting for my meal, I helped myself
to two pots of “extra calming” guyabano tea. First you choose what teapot to
use, after which you make your own tea, let it sit for a few minutes, add a few
drops of wild honey, and then start sipping.
The first course is a bowl of thick, warm,
wild turkey broth soup.
Along with it is a fruit drink called Courtney Love's
Potion of the Day. The concoction is made from fruit pulps and extracts, fresh
mint leaves and pure wild honey.
For appetizer, there’s Axl Rose’s Egg Shot,
an organic egg submerged in hot water, and with honey mustard or Jetro’s
special black sauce. You crack your own egg, carefully pour the yolk and
whites inside, and stir the mixture.
The main course is President Lincoln’s
Organic Turkey, served with black mountain rice pilaf, cabbage, and garnishings
of guava, mango, black olives, and other herbs.
For dessert, there’s a plate of water buffalo
milk ice cream – soft to the palate, semi-sweet, creamy, and relaxing.
It just goes to show that comfort food isn't
just about tasty food that makes us feel good; the science behind it shows how
beneficial such foods can be for our physical and mental health. Add that
looking around the whole restaurant, listening to the music, and just lounging
on your chair (while waiting for your meal) is food for the senses, enriching, invigorating,
and relaxing at the same time.
The idea behind Van Gogh Is Bipolar is to
give each diner a wonderful and therapeutic dining experience. It's not enough to say that such is what I experienced as well. People keep coming back to Van Gogh Is Bipolar because of the food, the surroundings, Jetro's hospitality, the positive vibes that comes along with the meal. It's the stuff that makes happy, light, glowing beings out of even the angriest of birds.
Speaking of the Angry Birds, well,
they’re still angry, but at least they have new fans; not to mention their
owner is leaving the place a sated, happy, and very satisfied being. Thank,
Jetro; and thanks to everyone for welcoming us.
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Van Gogh Is Bipolar
154 Maginhawa,
Quezon City
(02) 394-0188
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