'Happy Day' restaurant sticks to basics<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): It seems that Jl. Ir. H. Juanda in Central
\nJakarta is exerting a compulsive attraction on me because I often
\nfind myself on that road with the small hope of finding, perhaps,
\nan exciting new restaurant, to replace the memory of those long
\ngone gutsy eating places which Noordwijk - the old name for the
\narea - was famous for.<\/p>\n
However, one restaurant owner recently confessed that the boom
\ndays for eateries on this street ended with the advent of plazas
\nand malls in the south of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Well, my browsing expeditions there resulted in the discovery
\nof the Happy Day Family Restaurant.<\/p>\n
The place is a newly renovated almost neighbor to a much
\nfrequented Padang eatery on the same road. In the evening you
\ncould hardly miss the restaurant for its many lights which
\novershadow poorly lit spots to the left and right of the place.<\/p>\n
Happy Day reflects the trend in Jakarta's culinary world of
\ncombining lunching or dining with household shopping.<\/p>\n
Not exactly the environment to foster gourmet and elegant
\ndining. No, it appears to be a place catering to middle-class
\nfamilies popularly known as \"family restaurants.\"<\/p>\n
Happy Day restaurant's interior cannot be called posh. It is
\nmodern but functional. Thick windowpanes make up the front of the
\nrestaurant and offer the best seats in the house.<\/p>\n
With its steady day-long flow of customers the seats don't
\nremain empty for very long.<\/p>\n
Addicts<\/p>\n
The new eatery is designed and built to appeal to the senses
\nof modern, yet hard working Jakartans.<\/p>\n
The men and women at the start of their budding careers,
\nsecretaries, clerks, shop managers, office managers, just name
\nit, you'll find them there.<\/p>\n
The observation only strengthened my conviction that the
\naverage Jakartan is well on his or her way to becoming addicted
\nto dining out.<\/p>\n
With establishments maintaining reasonable pricing policies,
\nhousecooks could become a thing of the past.<\/p>\n
It sounds too good to be true - but the reasonable prices are
\nno doubt one of the main attractions of Happy Day next to the
\ncasual and pleasant service by the waiters.<\/p>\n
Where nowadays could you find a good, tasty serving of chicken
\ncutlet plus French fries for only Rp 5,500 (US$2.56).
\nMost of us are still inclined to give the old thumbs down to the
\nflavor and quality of a dish if it did cost very little.<\/p>\n
No doubt the food at Happy Day is prepared in the same simple
\nmanner of today's cooking schools - leaning more towards natural
\nflavoring with minute quantities of spice or herbs. The taste of
\nmeat should not be smothered under heavy spicing.<\/p>\n
It tasted very much like American country food which is now in
\nvogue among young luminaries living in the capital.<\/p>\n
The menu at Happy Day combines popular Western food and
\nOriental fare. Among the western dishes offered are spaghetti,
\npizza, steak, baked potatoes and vegetables.<\/p>\n
As for dishes from this part of the world, Chicken Hainan
\nsprang to my eye although it did not appear to be the speciality
\nof the house.<\/p>\n
The average patron ordered western food with the majority
\nopting for steak and baked potatoes which was priced a shade
\nunder Rp 10,000 ($4.66).<\/p>\n
Another favorite of the Happy Day regulars seemed to be salad
\nserved at a long and impressive looking salad bar.<\/p>\n
Trendy female office workers, trying to keep unwanted pounds
\nat bay, opted for green salads with a light dressing, priced at
\nRp 4,500 ($2.09) as if it were the culinary find of the century.<\/p>\n
The list of drinks is kept to essentials like fruit punches,
\nfruit juices, soft drinks, beer, and mediocre but drinkable wine
\nsold by the glass.<\/p>\n
Even so, I could find no reason to complain about the present
\nprice of Rp 6,000 ($2.79) per medium-sized glass.<\/p>\n
A tip is in order for guests who like to enjoy a glass of wine
\nto complete their lunch or dinner. Order red instead of white
\nwine at Happy Day.<\/p>\n
The white wine of the house should rightly stay on the kitchen
\nshelf. It would be better used to blend with sauces for grilled
\nfowl, or, as the main ingredient in a marinade.<\/p>\n
-La Chica<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/happy-day-restaurant-sticks-to-basics-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }