Attitude is not everything at Neu Diva bar

Attitude is not everything at Neu Diva bar

JAKARTA (JP): Don't be fooled by the name. No self-respecting
diva would be caught dead in the Neu Diva bar, plunking her well-
toned fanny down on the ratty couch and resting her immaculately
clad feet on the cracked and stained concrete floor.

No, Neu Diva is a misnomer, which explains why this reviewer,
going by the name alone, showed up on a Tuesday night a tad
overdressed. Last week I was conspicuously underdressed among all
the good-looking people at the Manna lounge, this week
overdressed for the Neu Diva. What next -- showing up at the bar
at Prego's on a Thursday night in maternity wear?

Personal sartorial slips aside, the Neu Diva is a warehouse-
like bar that doesn't go in for fancy embellishments to try and
pretty itself up. It is basic and spartan, with no pretensions or
other diva-like qualities. If you like your bars spare, you just
may enjoy this place during the week. Though on the weekend it is
something of a different beast. But more on that later.

Location: Neu Diva is located next to the Senayan Driving
Range (not to be confused with the Senayan golf course, which is
located elsewhere). You get there by entering Gate 5 of the
Senayan sports complex. It's a bit difficult to locate if you're
not familiar with the area, so you may have to stop and ask for
help in pinpointing the place. Telephone them at 573-5417.

Hours: The bar is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and
on weekends it closes at 3, 4, 5 or 6 in the morning, according
to our waiter, depending on when all the customers decide to go
home. Happy Hour is from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., which, you will
notice, neatly coincides with its opening hours during the week.
During this generous Happy Hour you get a buy-one-get-one-free
deal on draft beer and spirits. There is also a cover charge on
the weekend.

What's it got: There is draft beer and bottled beer, spirits
and cocktails. The bar does not offer a very extensive choice of
spirits and cocktails, just the basics and sufficient enough to
get the job done.

There is also food, which comes from the restaurant upstairs.
Your basic selection of sandwiches, fried rice and bar snacks,
again enough to satisfy the munchies if they for some reason
strike you. One companion ordered the chicken sandwich, which had
somehow turned bad. The staff was very understanding, and without
prodding brought over the menu so my companion could order
something else, no charge. He picked the cheeseburger, which I
had already praised as tasty and in no way off.

Bill, please: Not at all expensive, as would expect given the
surroundings, particularly during Happy Hour. A whisky costs Rp
25,000, so for Happy Hour this means two whiskies cost Rp 25,000.
Rather reasonable. A cheeseburger (with fries) is Rp 24,000 and
chicken wings Rp 12,500. Prices one can live with.

Here's looking at you: Neu Diva is not much to look at. But
then looks aren't everything (but then no diva would ever own up
to believing in that).

When you enter Neu Diva you are struck by how bare-bones basic
the place is. This is particularly true if you walk in on a
Tuesday night and find the place virtually empty of souls, adding
to the overall feeling of abandonment the bar has. The floor is
concrete, there are some speakers stacked in front of a white
screen that probably shows some groovy images when there is a
show on. There is a pool table to your left as you walk in and a
large bar in front of you. Behind the bar are the bottles of
booze, but the meager collection just augments the feeling of
sparseness.

There are about three old couch-and-chair formations around
the edges of the room, as well as a few small, high tables in the
middle with some chairs with cute heart-shaped backs, as a
companion pointed out. The lights are low in the bar, though the
decor lends itself more to criminal conspiracy rather than
romance. Though maybe there's no difference between the two. And
coming from the speakers was the smooth voice of Sade, which for
some reason seemed appropriate.

There is also a VIP area in the back, divided from the rest of
the bar by dirty white screens. A peek behind these shows a room
filled with couches and overstuffed chairs and a really big TV.
Our waiter said that to be a VIP and gain access to the room you
should call ahead and make reservations, as well as promising to
spend lots of money. Which means the closest I'll get to the room
is my furtive glance.

Odds and ends: Neu Diva is largely devoid of patrons on a
weekday, but comes alive on the weekend with the sound of Techno.
This Saturday, for example, Neu Diva will play host to
Techknowledgy, a show which, according to the flyer, will feature
four DJs. So the deserted Neu Diva will come alive with Techno
fans, whoever they are, who will rave on until the early hours of
Sunday.

We were informed that on the weekend, the Neu Diva has even
been known to be visited by celebrities, like actresses Cut Keke
and Sophia Latjuba. You know if celebrities make the scene, the
scene is worth making. Much the same way you know that if
celebrities say "vote for a presidential candidate", that
presidential candidate is worth voting for. Never doubt a
celebrity: there's reason they're famous and we're not.

The Neu Diva really is two separate bars. There is the
deserted Neu Diva of the weeknight that has the feel of being
open just for the benefit of its employees. And then there is the
weekend Neu Diva, filled with noise, dancing and general
merriment. Personally, I'll take the weeknight Neu Diva.

Compliments should also be paid to the staff, who are
friendly, helpful and patient. Our waiter, for example, explained
that Happy Hour only included draft beer and spirits. He then
calmly and helpfully pointed out to us, who clearly didn't
understand the whole concept, that no, Corona came in a bottle
and was therefore not a draft beer, and various cocktails we
inquired about were in fact cocktails and not included in the
Happy Hour deal.

Last call: The Neu Diva may not be esthetically pleasing, but
there is something charming about the place nevertheless. Maybe
it's the post-Apocalyptic feel of the place, a bar you struggle
into from the wasteland for refreshments. It's bare and it's a
bit dingy, but aren't we all at times?

It provides a nice change of pace from the wine bars of the
city. And if you like a bit of Techno, you might want to try it
on the weekend. Though I would suggest a weekday visit, when the
unique charm of the Neu Diva is at its best. Just bring some
friends or you could get lonely. (Penn Dawson)