Burgundy, a new upmarket watering hole<\/p>\n
Bill Blade, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It's not every day that penniless, overworked hacks get a chance
\nto savor the high life, but when we do we sure know how to milk
\nit for all its worth.<\/p>\n
Which is why a frisson of anticipation suddenly shot up my
\nspine after the normally beastly editor directed me to check out
\nBurgundy, the latest watering hole to pamper the punters at the
\nGrand Hyatt, a place I've tended to avoid every since getting
\nsaddled with an enormous bar bill in O'Reiley's by some
\nerstwhile chums a couple of years ago.<\/p>\n
But, thankfully, staid ol' O'Reiley's has now gone the way of
\nall watering holes that bear an uncanny resemblance to the
\nmorgue, and has been ably succeeded by Burgundy, just about as
\nhappening and trendy a place as you're likely to find anywhere.<\/p>\n
Opening hours: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 5
\np.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n
Looks: Getting as far as the salubrious climes of Burgundy
\ninvolves something of an expedition that includes climbing a
\nnumber of grand, sweeping staircases. But nothing too strenuous,
\nand well worth the effort when you realize what Burgundy's got in
\nstore.<\/p>\n
From the outside, you could be misled into thinking that your
\ndestination is actually some sort of swanky hair salon, but this
\nfirst, fleeting impression soon disappears after you push your
\nway through the double glass doors into the warm, noisy and
\ncrowded interior.<\/p>\n
For the joint was fairly heaving on the Saturday evening of
\nour visit (already packed by 10 p.m.), with most of the
\nclientele seemingly consisting of glamorous ladies (many of whom
\nappeared to spend inordinate amounts of time playing with their
\ncell phones), and eager gentlemen trying desperately to attract
\nthe attention of the said glamorous ladies.<\/p>\n
One of the first things you notice after your eyes adjust to
\nthe predominant, yes, you guessed it, burgundy color scheme
\ninside, is the inordinate number of mirrors.<\/p>\n
In fact, there's so many mirrors that its difficult to escape
\nthe sight of your own ugly mug staring out at you unexpectedly
\nfrom dark corners.<\/p>\n
But, this isn't a bad thing (the mirrors, that is), for truth
\nto tell, Burgundy is a tad on the small side, and all of these
\nreflective devices tend to make it appear around 50 times bigger
\nthan it really is.<\/p>\n
No smoke and mirrors, mind you, for despite the fact that just
\nabout everyone had a cigarette or cigar hanging out of their
\nmouths, the air remained perfectly breathable all evening -- some
\nmean extraction system!<\/p>\n
Due, perhaps, to the presence of so many mirrors, Burgundy can
\nin no way be characterized as one of those awful expat bars full
\nof loud, fat middle-aged Caucasians (rather like myself,
\nactually), endeavoring valiantly, and often obstinately, to get
\nover here what they couldn't get at home in a month of Sundays.<\/p>\n
No, this particular watering hole is the stomping ground of
\nmostly Asian punters, including locals and a far sprinkling of
\nKoreans and Japanese, with the odd bule (Caucasians) thrown in
\nfor good measure, all of which tends to reduce the incidence of
\n\"money politics\" in the male-female relationship stakes ... I
\nthink.<\/p>\n
Not, of course, that our Japanese and Korean brethren are
\nadverse to nocturnal hanky-panky, not by a long chalk. But they
\ndo tend to pursue their goals in a quieter, more respectful
\nmanner, all of which means that Burgundy has a certain savior
\nfaire and finesse that's sadly absent from some other top Jakarta
\nhotel bars I could mention.<\/p>\n
What's it got: You name it, they've got it. Good booze, wine
\nand music, and possibly one of the best selection of cigars
\nyou're likely to find anywhere here in the big smoke. These range
\nfrom diminutive Cohiba Exquisitos (Rp 150,000 each) and
\nMontecristo No. 5s (Rp 80,000 each), to the full flavored smoke
\nprovided by the monster Cohiba Siglo IVs (at Rp 210,000 a go).<\/p>\n
But, what really sets Burgundy apart from the abject crowd of
\nalso-ran Jakarta hotel bars is the fabulous music.<\/p>\n
Now, while I'm not normally partial to the likes of Matt
\nBianco, the young lady singer from New York and her fellow New
\nYorkers on the piano and the cello are capable of performing such
\nunearthly magic that even the blandest of elevator music comes
\nout sounding great.<\/p>\n
With the African-American pianist giving his all, the cellist
\ndoing wonders with his bow and the glamorous diva singing her
\nheart out, a visit to Burgundy is well worth the effort just to
\nsee this trio in action (over here out of fear of terrorism in
\nNew York, no doubt!).<\/p>\n
Burgundy also boasts an extensive selection of fine wines,
\nincluding many available by the glass, rather a treat after the
\nCuvee Speciale that's normally served up as the house wine in so
\nmany establishments.<\/p>\n
And if after all the boozin' and carousin' you're feeling a
\nlittle peckish, there's also an interesting selection of bar
\nsnacks available, including such light treats such as lobster
\nsashami (Rp 450,000), foie gras terrine with toasted sour dough
\n(Rp 150,000) and crostini with tomato, basil and air-dried beef
\n(Rp 50,000), none of which are likely to fill you up but could do
\nserious damage to the drinks budget.<\/p>\n
Bill, please: Ah, here's the rub. No such thing as a free
\nlunch, as they say!<\/p>\n
A bottle of Corona, Budweiser, Victoria Bitter or any of the
\nother beers from Burgundy's extensive selection will set you back
\nRp 50,000, while a shot of premium whisky will knock you on your
\near for Rp 65,000. Meanwhile, cocktails average Rp 70,000 (all
\nquoted prices exclude 10 percent service and 11 percent
\ngovernment tax.<\/p>\n
Verdict: This is a great spot for a relaxing evening on the
\ntown. The excellent music, atmosphere and service will have you
\non cloud nine even if burgundy isn't your favorite color or you
\ncringe every time you see your face staring out vacantly from a
\nmirror. But, be warned, if you're planning to hit the town big-
\ntime via Burgundy, do bring your platinum card along for the
\nride. Methinks you'll need it around these parts.<\/p>\n
Burgundy, Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Jakarta 10230.
\nYou can call them on 3901234.<\/p>",
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