Atmospheric alfresco at the Dharmawangsa

Atmospheric alfresco at the Dharmawangsa

JAKARTA (JP): "You are fortunate -- we've got the Garden
Barbecue tonight," the waitress said as she ushered us to our
seats where we were going to dine alfresco in the Pergola
Terrace.

The Garden Barbecue is a fixture on Friday and Saturday nights
at the Jakarta Restaurant of the Dharmawangsa Hotel in Kebayoran
Baru. On weeknights it is the place of the Jakarta Market.

The atmosphere in the Pergola Terrace was casual and the mood
was accentuated by attentive waiters dressed in white polo T-
shirts and beige slacks. The tables were placed far enough apart
for diners to enjoy their own privacy but close enough to be part
of the crowd. A quartet played on a nearby stage while Yuyun sang
the blues and played the saxophone.

Bonus points for ambience were well deserved, as we took in
the charming contemporary symmetrical architecture. The facade of
the four-story hotel surrounded us on three sides, the fourth
opened into a skyline that was unhindered by buildings. In fact,
during the meal I often felt like I was somewhere else, in Bali
perhaps, and not in Jakarta -- there were no tell-tale signs to
remind me of the city.

Sitting there in the cool of the evening, we took a long time
to survey the menu as the ambience encouraged animated
conversation and gentle banter. Actually, the menu had been
decided for us; the Garden Barbecue has only a three-course set
menu priced competitively at Rp 92,000 and all we had to do was
choose our drinks.

We chose Nirwana (Rp 65,000 for a jug for six), a refreshing
nonalcoholic cocktail of fresh banana, pineapple and orange.
There was a free flow of iced water throughout the meal.

The first course was a chopped salad of romaine, red, green
and yellow capsicums and onion rings. It arrived in an unusual
"container" of a big round bread hollowed out with its top crust
removed. It was served with a choice of brownish, thick "balsamic
roasted onion dressing", reddish "smoked chili dressing" or the
ubiquitous Thousand island dressing, plus garlic bread.

The garlic bread was made from the thick top crust of the
"salad bowl" and cut into wedges like a pizza. It was warm,
having just been toasted, and lightly buttered and "garlicked".
It took the edge off our hunger without spoiling our appetites
for the main course.

The main course came in a large round blue-and-white Delft
platter consisting of barbecued beef steaks; lamb; chicken
breasts; white snapper fillet; seafood skewers; Gindara steaks;
and stuffed squid. The portions were ample, "as Pavarotti is
ample!", said one of our meal-tasting companions.

The beef cuts were rib eye and tenderloin. Both were done to
perfection -- medium rare, juicy and tender -- and were an
instant favorite at our table. I thought mine was delicious au
naturel, but another diner enjoyed his with bearnaise sauce.
There was also exotic papaya and honey barbecue sauce and the
all-time favorite black pepper sauce to choose from.

The lamb skewers were lightly flavored with rosemary and olive
oil. The chicken thighs and breasts were in marinated barbecue
sauce.

The seafood skewer consisting of a half lobster and grouper
was fresh and succulent. The delectable squid stuffed with
vegetable couscous was a winner at our table.

On the side were baked potatoes topped with chives and "bacon"
bits, grilled vegetable skewers and curried pineapple coleslaw.
The coleslaw reminded me of acar; light, zesty, crunchy and
refreshing, it was an ideal accompaniment to the meats and
seafoods.

Dessert was a choice of four types of sundaes and fresh fruit
cocktail. I chose the fried banana split and asked for only one
scoop of ice cream, vanilla, instead of two as I had eaten
enough. It came in a coupe drizzled with chocolate sauce and two
"split" fried pisang raja banana on the side, and a wafer stick
and a generous portion of whipped cream.

We shared a fresh fruit cocktail which came beautifully served
in a half hollowed-out watermelon. The cubed pineapple and
watermelon were served in a refreshing sea of lemon grass and
watermelon juice.

We ended an enjoyable evening with Italian Illy coffee (Rp
15,000) and freshly baked almond biscotti (complimentary). The
bill came to around Rp 150,000 per person.

The Garden Barbecue is a great event for good friends to hang
out under the stars and have a delightful evening while the band
plays on. The barbecue you can buy; the ambience is priceless.

-- Epicurus