Love food, love art @ The Vinci Gallery Cafe in Katipunan

My camera isn't a part of my body so I don't always have it with me every time I go out. Sometimes, when we do spontaneously visit a new and interesting restaurant, I have to settle with my camera phone. Once upon a date night, me and J spontaneously headed out to one of our favorite hangout spots- Katipunan. A lot has changed since our first few years in Ateneo and in a span of just a year or two, there were a couple of restaurants that popped up right under our noses. 

One of which is The Vinci Gallery Cafe. This art inspired restaurant is located right below  Katipunan's famous drinking place, Drews Bar. The walls were covered with beautiful paintings that I wouldn't mind buying if I had the money. Everything about the restaurant was interesting and fitting with the theme, from the chairs to the color, giving it a fun yet sophisticated ambiance. I also loved the fact that one of the sides of the restaurant were windows.

I particularly love how they made their tables using old love poem books and varnish. So while waiting for your orders, you can do a quick reading. Great idea and concept actually! I think I'll try this out in the near future.

The food was good, especially considering how affordable they are. The steak we ordered needed a little bit more flavor but the pasta was yummy.

Beef Tenderloin (P185)

Fettuccine Al Fungi (P140)

Overall, the restaurant is a good choice for a chill date night- especially for the younger couples because of the affordable food. It is also great for barkada food trips considering that they have a big space to accommodate any of you.  Check out their menu:

The Vinci Gallery Cafe
2nd floor J&R Concon Center 91 Alvero St. Loyola Heights Quezon City
For reservations, bdays and functions call or text:
0916.774.9303
0922.882.0390

A Craptastic dining experience at Modern Toilet Restaurant, Taipei

Here's an interesting place that would surely grab your attention. You might have seen this on Tumblr, or other internet posts or perhaps heard about it from someone: a restaurant with a humorous spin that, oddly enough, takes its inspiration from bathrooms. What started out as an ice cream joint selling poop shaped ice cream is now a full-scale restaurant with branches around Taiwan.

Modern Toilet is a restaurant in Taiwan that serves food and drinks in tiny toilets and urinals. The restaurant itself looks like a bathroom, with toilets functioning as chairs, and big bath tubs as tables. 

They supposedly have a branch in Hong Kong but I've heard from a cousin that the place has been closed when they visited a year ago. Anyway, they serve their rice meals,  appetizers and desserts in dishes like the ones below.

A HUGE serving of shaved ice with ice cream and chocolate whatnots (NT100)

Mozzarella sticks (on trad. Chinese Urinal aka. squat toilet plates) w/ dip in butt-shaped plates

Their drinks, on the other hand, are served in these cute cups. Urinals for cold drinks and a mini toilet mug for hot beverages. With an additional charge of NT30, you can opt to have your cold drinks served in urinal jars which you can take home with you.Pretty cool idea, if you ask me. Honestly, I enjoyed my iced ASSAM BLACK MILK TEA (R; NT120) more than the food. Better than the ones I buy in Manila. 

Poop looking bread 

I dunno about you, but I immediately wondered what their bathroom would look like- given that the whole restaurant already looks like a bathroom. So I went there to check as soon as we ordered. They had made their own sink using a toilet bowl infront of colorful and fun tiles. However, what excitement immediately turned into disappointment when I went inside the bathroom itself. It was just a small foul smelling room with squat toilet and a small urinal for the boys. 

You can bring your Modern Toilet experience at home by being able to buy their urinal and toilet shaped plates, mugs and glasses. Though it was a bit expensive, with food that was more visually stimulating than it is to the palate, it was nonetheless a fun experience anyone should try at least once in their lives. I wouldn't really make it a priority to come back but I'd still recommend first time Taiwan visitors to go check out this place. 

 The branch in Ximen (the one we visited) isn't found on the main road but in a small side street. Modern Toilet is advertised in Tourist pamphlets distributed via MTR stations so make sure to grab one of those for their map. Have a  pee-rific time!


Modern Toilet Restaurant
Addresses:
*Taipei Ximen- 2F, No7, Ln50, Xining S.Rd., Taipei City (02-23118822)
*Taipei Shilin- 2F, No184, Wenlin Rd., Taipei City (02-88614384)
*Taichung Yizhong- 2F, No101, Yizhong St., Taichung City (04-22232870)
*more branches, check out their website


Opening Hours:
WEEKDAYS 11:30AM-10PM
HOLIDAYS 11AM- 10PM