Feeding a need for nightlife at Manna<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A new bar has opened in Jakarta and is gaining a
\nreputation as the hottest place in town, the place to be. Manna
\nby Dionysus is along the same lines as Cinna Bar and upstairs at
\nPaprika, which is good and bad.<\/p>\n
Like these other bars, Manna is a classy little spot that is a
\nwelcome change from the typical four-star hotel bar\/club that
\nseems to dominate the Jakarta nightlife. It is bad in that there
\nis little to distinguish Manna from these other bars and make it
\na unique experience for those seeking an escape from the rut of
\nthe Jakarta nightlife.<\/p>\n
This is not to imply that Manna is a bar to be missed. On the
\ncontrary, it is a fashionable establishment that does a lot of
\nthings right and deserves its burgeoning reputation. And while
\nManna may not be exactly heaven sent, it should satisfy the
\nappetites of those lost in the desert of the Jakarta's bar and
\nclub scene.<\/p>\n
Location: Manna by Dionysus is located in the Taman Ria
\nSenayan complex on Jl. Gatot Subroto, situated under Love's
\nrestaurant. I could not find any signs announcing the presence of
\nManna, maybe that's part of its mystique, so you may have to poke
\naround a little to find the place. You can phone them at 574-
\n5494.<\/p>\n
Hours: Manna is open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., seven
\ndays a week.<\/p>\n
What's it got: There is a very large selection of wine at
\nManna, in keeping with the new trend in bars. There is also, of
\ncourse, the usual selection of beer and liquor common to all
\nbars.<\/p>\n
Bill, please: Standard pricing for your upper-class
\nestablishments. The prices are higher than what you will find
\ndown on Jl. Jaksa, but no more so than other bars in the same
\nclass as Manna.<\/p>\n
Here's looking at you: You enter Manna through a small hallway
\nlit by candles spaced along the floor near the walls. Inside is a
\nlong bar and a number of couches and chairs arranged around low
\ntables. These couches are on the far side of the room, next to
\nthe large window overlooking the Taman Ria lagoon.<\/p>\n
Apparently, it is possible to call ahead and reserve a couch,
\nwhich may be a good idea. If you don't have a couch and the bar
\nis full, as it was on Saturday night, you will find yourself just
\nfloating out in space, wondering where to put your drink and your
\ncigarette ash.<\/p>\n
The room is low-lit, intimate but not so dark you can't see
\nthe people around you. The design is classy, clean and spare,
\ngiving the room a sense of openness so you don't get the feeling
\nof being hemmed in.<\/p>\n
Oddly, to my mind, the room is carpeted. It seems an odd
\nchoice of floor covering for a bar and there are the inevitable
\ncigarette burns forming their own little design on the carpet.<\/p>\n
Odds and ends: The music at Manna is pleasingly hip, an
\neclectic collection you are not likely to recognize but adds to
\nthe overall classiness of the bar. The music is not intrusive,
\nbut rather adds to the atmosphere.<\/p>\n
The crowd at Manna is generally well dressed. If you show up
\nin scruffy jeans and a T-shirt they won't kick you out, but, if
\nyou are the kind to feel self-conscious, you may feel like you've
\ncrashed the wrong party.<\/p>\n
This is also a bar that is best to go to in groups. It is not
\nfilled with floating singles looking to be picked up, but rather
\none gets the impression that everybody knows everybody else
\nthere. An exaggeration, true, but still it will probably make for
\na more enjoyable night if you come as more than a party of one or
\ntwo.<\/p>\n
Last call: Manna by Dionysus is the latest entry in that new
\ntrend of classy bars catering to a well-heeled, distinguished
\ncrowd. And it succeeds in providing an atmosphere of elegant ease
\nand sophisticated frivolity. While it does not stand apart from
\nother bars of this type, Manna is a welcome addition. (Penn
\nDawson)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/feeding-a-need-for-nightlife-at-manna-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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