We first heard about the art-cafe Van Gogh is Bipolar from the review in Philippine Daily Inquirer. It sounded like eating there was a quirky experience -- visitors are required to take off their shoes, to pick their own teapot and may write random scribblings on a red wall.
However, this is not a review for Van Gogh is Bipolar. That's for another post. It was closed when we got there, because they were shooting their new restaurant menu. So, we tried Black Soup Cafe+Art Space instead, which is owned by the same owners.
The place was a treat to look at. Photographs of landscapes were spread on the walls. There was a photo tree behind the counter. Even the rest room was decorated with photographs. The chairs were mismatched, and so were the tables. There was a spread of used books, DVDs and mix CDs, the latter with personally mixed selections by the owner. A guitar and a piano was on one side.
The service was really slow, as there was just one waitress/cashier, and one chef. Our food took about 30 minutes to arrive.
Here's what we tried during our visit:
(Oh, can just give special mention to their water. We really like the bottle idea. It's like we're drinking champagne or wine. It's super unique and cool. ^_^)
Lemongrass Tea, 30 php
Glutton Guy: It tasted ok for me. It's not the usual tea that is being served elsewhere. But I also think that the it tasted kind of weird. However, for 30php it's not so bad. It's nice to try something different once in a while anyway. I would recommend that it still be served as a hot tea rather than a cold tea. I think, at least for me, that it's more refreshing and soothing that way. : )
Glutton Girl: I also ordered lemongrass tea. Just like Glutton Guy, it was kind of off for me. It wasn't what I expected it to taste like. This lemongrass tea could be more flavorful. It really tasted bland for me. In my opinion, if it's iced tea, it should be more tasty. This, however, was not. You still have to try it though to see (or taste) what I mean.
Nachos, 85php
Glutton Guy: It was just like ordinary nachos with additional ingredients. Yep, this is a delicious appetizer, especially because of the tomatoes, onions, and balsamic vinegar. The nachos were crunchy and the beef was cooked really well. The tomatoes and the onions give the nachos an added kick. The cheese was just heavenly an it blends perfectly with the nachos. It's one of those dishes that even though you've already tasted a version of it somewhere, you just have to try their version here.
Glutton Girl: I super love the nachos a lot! It has a big serving, and a lot of tasty toppings. It's really worth the price for you food addicts out there. Why not go and try it out next time you go out with friends? It's really one of their must-tries.
Chicken with Basil and Cheese Stuffing, 150 php
Glutton Girl: I ordered chicken with basil and cheese stuffing. It didn't taste as good as I expected, although it was decent. I didn't have to go to the restaurant to taste something like that, because we already buy frozen chicken cordon bleu from the supermarket that tasted somewhat like it. The marinade on the chicken was okay... but I just was expecting something special and out-of-the-ordinary from a place like this.
Adobo Flakes Pasta, 130php
Glutton Guy: Well, it wasn't the best pasta I've tasted, but it's worth the try. The waitress did say it was one of their best-sellers, so I gave it a shot and ordered it. However, it did not excite me that much. Sure, it was different. But, there's just something about it that didn't quite hit the spot. It did not have a lot of flavor, so I had to add some salt and pepper to make the flavors work. And believe me, it took quite a lot of salt to finally get the taste I wanted. Still, I would have to say that you still have to try it out for yourself. I think that not being able to taste this or any other pasta would make you miss the Blacksoup experience. : )
Pasta Ala Victoria, 120php
Glutton Guy: This wasn't my order because we had a friend with us that time. He ordered Pasta Ala Victoria since I think it is another best-seller of the place. I got the chance to taste his food and it was just the same comment as my pasta. It also needed some more flavor since what I was tasting wasn't enough (That is, if I was really tasting anything). It was like carbonara, but with carrots, grean peas, and corn. With regards to the pasta, it was cooked nicely. It wasn't overcooked so it wasn't too soft. It was a little bit dry, though. Why not try it out? You might have a different opinion from mine. : )
Grilled Tuna Sandwich, 40php
Glutton Guy: This was also our friend's order. But, I also got the chance to taste it. For me it was just like normal tuna sandwich. Nothing special about it. Just normal tuna spread (I think they made this) in two bread slices then grilled in a saucer. It tasted good, though. Well, probably because I'm a tuna sandwich fan. : )
Guyabano Shake, 60php
Glutton Guy: I have to say, this is one unique and delicious shake. I've never tasted Guyabano shake before. My friend had me taste this drink of his and it really was good. (I would gladly swap my lemongrass tea for this hahahaha) If I had known that their Guyabano shake was this good, I would've ordered some for myself. This is a must-try for you guys out there, especially during hot times like this coming summer. : )
Go to this cafe for the novelty of the place and, well, if you want to be somewhere different, but if you're craving for food that's more than "pwede na", go somewhere else. We will try Van Gogh soon and report if it's any better.
Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Black Soup Cafe+Art Space is sneakily located in the courtyard of a yellow building on 154 Maginhawa St., Sikatuna Village. It's just before you pass Good Burger.)
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