"Oh my Gulay!" literally translates into the silly phrase, "Oh my vegetables!" But this exclamation is really the Filipino version for the expression "omigosh." Makes no sense? I didn't think so, either. But the restaurant is living up to its name and more, and here's why...I was born and raised a carnivore. Veggies never had much appeal for me and vice versa. But this cafe/bistro on the top floor of an ancient building along Session Road had too much intrigue for me to ignore.
So, as is customary in the highlands (you have to huff and puff in order to get anywhere), this particular climb to the fifth floor can really work up anyone's appetite. And so there I was at the entrance, panting and parched and starved, and what lay before me was a vision. This wasn't just a restaurant; it was a village on top of a building, secluded from the rest of the city four floors below.
This place would remind you of a scene in a Peter Pan flick. There's a tiny bridge you'd have to cross to get to the numerous seating areas. Further from the bridge and up a few steps is a semi-open space that overlooks this storybook spread. Practically everything here has an ethnic touch to it, making it much more extraordinary than any other public place I've visited in Baguio. The place even has a mini-water mill that actually turns! And if you think that's unique, wait till you visit the john -- it's inside the village chapel. Haha! The entire area can seat 50 people easily. I went there on a weekday, but as I was informed, they also have a live band that plays during weekends, which justifies the stage you can see to your right the moment you enter this Peter Pan world.
Oh, and the food was much, much better than I expected. To my delight, it wasn't just veggies they served, but this was a strictly no-meat establishment (big DUH!). I had this creamy tuna sauce on fettuccini pasta, and it was heavenly...and just so you know, one serving is good for two tummies -- you get the picture. And they also have this balcony that's the perfect spot for coffee and lazy afternoon chitchats, or for moments when you feel like just staring into the horizon and letting your mind wander off into Neverland.
Feed your eyes and more. From the make-believe world inside to the Baguio City view outside, I doubt if there is a better ambiance anywhere else at the highlands.