As the sun started to descend, so did we. Down Baguio’s Session Road, we spiraled up into the old wooden stairs of the La Azotea building and emerged into the crazy world of indie filmmaker, Kidlat Tahimik’s Oh My Gulay!.

Like vegetable junkies, we keep coming back to this restaurant every time we’re in Baguio City. But it’s really not the dishes that makes us endure ascending five freakin’ floors but the place itself. I know I mentioned something about a restaurant having good food before anything else, but Oh My Gulay! I believe can get pass that adage.

First time visitors, beware, heads might start exploding with art overload (or non-art, depends really on who’s looking) upon exiting the cavernlike stairwell and entering Kidlat Tahimik’s twisted version of Wonderland. I’ll let the details speaks for itself; blue-lighted ponds, creaking wooden bridges, gargantuan cardboardman, tropical greeneries, sitting bulols, towering Morrocan structure that looks like its made of paper mache, wickerman, a cave, a ship’s hull, carvings, paintings, and artworks, artworks and more artworks; enough really make someone’s head spin.
Let’s take a tour; from the left of the entrance sits the stage where film showings, art shows, poetry readings and gigs are performed. Across the pond is the dining area. A wooden ship on the right near the kitchen, a dining niche on the left, further on an outdoor veranda with fantastic sunset view of the city. The mezzanine upstairs holds more seats for eating, cross its rickety bridge and you’ll find an art gallery; pass that, a cave with more artworks inside.

As its name suggests, this is a vegetarian restaurant. From their quirkily named dishes, we picked Chow-Chow Noodles (Php120.00), Lumpia Salad (Php110.00) and Limonada (Php60.00). After reading Ding’s post on OMG, I think I’ll also try their Anak ng Putanesca dish on our next visit.

 

As much as I prefer meat over veggies, Oh My Gulay! deserves a pat on the back for their no-meat dishes.

The spring rolls dish is always a favorite, it taste almost like lumpiang shanghai but is actually made of tofu. Leafy greens with Asian dressings compliment it. It was my first time to try out the Chow-Chow Noodles and I liked it. The garlicky, salty, sweet flavors are subtly incorporated into the dish, taunting you to relish it before swallowing. I like my food ultra tasty though, so I added heaps of pepper. The noodle’s firm and is mixed with all sorts of veggies.

I wish though that they’d add new dishes (veggie meat please) to their menu as it has been the same one since our first visit.

 
We ordered two cups of Hot Choco (Php50.00) afterwards.

The day faded fast while we were eating and twilight raced through as we finished. One after another, the houses across Baguio’s hills started to light up, the wind picked up and temperature started to plummet down. Perfect setting for recounting the day’s adventures while sipping our simmering chocolate drink.

 

 

Oh My Gulay!
Address: Roof Deck, La Azotea Bldg., Session Road, Baguio City
Open Hours: 11:00am - 9:00pm Everyday