A new bedroom to romp in

A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

You may have seen an episode of the popular U.S. Sex and the City TV series in which its main characters visit a restaurant designed like a set of bedrooms.

In the episode, some diners eat at a table placed in the middle of a bed while others lie down and enjoy some wine.

Did you wonder whether it was a real restaurant or just stage setting?

There actually is such a restaurant in New York. And now, there is one in Jakarta too.

Inspired by the Bed restaurant in New York, businessman Benny Winata, who lived in that city for years, recently established The Bedroom on Jl. Kemang Raya, South Jakarta.

The fourth floor of the Commercial Building is divided into "bedrooms", with the beds akin to beds found in five-star hotels: penthouse, presidential suite, deluxe, superior and standard sizes.

In The Bedroom, a penthouse bed can accommodate between 20 and 40 diners, while a presidential suite bed is for 10 to 20 diners, deluxe bed for eight to 10, superior type for four and standard bed with five long tables for six to 12 diners.

With romantic music playing, you can try The Bedroom's special menu named "Wet Dream" consisting of escargot and a glass of white wine for only Rp 75,000.

"The wet dream is a our special creation. It's expected to set a new trend in food that combines snails and wine," The Bedroom's marketing manager, Dewi Piay, said.

However, Dewi said The Bedroom, which employs former American Club chef Suyadi, also offers various European and Asian fusion dishes with prices ranging from Rp 18,000 to Rp 125,000.

While you wait and lie on the bed, you can try assorted lounge menus, such as garlic bread (Rp 18,000), deep fried calamari (Rp 28,000), grilled chicken wings in teriyaki sauce (Rp 25,000), seafood bruschetta au gratin (Rp 32,000) and deep-fried spring rolls (Rp 23,000).

Or you can start with an appetizer, such as prawn salad Siam style, Caesar's salad with chicken breast, escargot in the shell with herb butter sauce, seared Dori, prawns with garden salad, sea scallops and creamy leek gratin and lobster gratin with Mornay sauce, with prices between Rp 35,000 and Rp 70,000.

The pan fried U.S. sirloin steak with mushroom and herbs served with rice pilaf and assorted vegetables "Benny Wong Style" (Rp 125,000) is among the favorite meals, besides grilled salmon steak (Rp 75,000), grilled U.S. rib with honey BBQ sauce (Rp 120,000).

For dessert, priced between Rp 20,000 and Rp 35,000, you can choose brownies, strawberry melba, fried bananas or mixed fruit platter, all of which are served with ice cream.

Dewi said the food and atmosphere at The Bedroom were created in such a way so that guests could enjoy and stay on their mattresses for as long as they wished.

"One of our guests once fell asleep. We woke her when the Bedroom closed at 3 a.m.," she said.

Dewi said The Bedroom, which opened two months ago, was actually designed as a combined restaurant, lounge and bar.

The restaurant puts on live performances on certain days during lunch and dinner hours, while resident DJs play romantic jazz tunes at other times.

At lounge time, house music elevates the mood and encourages guests to enjoy the night dancing or just chatting over drinks.

"Guests don't just eat and sleep but also drink and dance. That's the difference between us and those overseas," Dewi claimed.