Avalon: More of the same, but music saves the day

I think it's no exaggeration to say that the bright young things and beautiful people of Asia are partial to a spot of luxury and ease.

Not for them the horror of fighting through a crowded, smoky, sweaty bar in search of booze, or dealing with cussin' and swearing bartenders who'd knife you as quick as they'd look at you (what sort of dives does this dude hang out in? - Ed).

Well, maybe I'm getting a bit carried away here. But, still, there's no doubt about it, the teenyboppers and twenty-somethings of Asia are definitely not into the blade-runner variety of drinking, and the term roughing it is decidedly absent from their vocabulary.

And the well-heeled party animals here in Jakarta are far from being an exception!

No indeed. What these desperados are into is lots of glitz, slavish service and exotic drinks the likes of which would have most normal tipplers rushing for the restroom.

OK, I must admit, I'm being a bit negative here. Truth to tell, such joints do have rather a lot going for them, at least if you've got a full wallet and are in an appropriately bright and bouncy mood.

I mean, it's not every day you get the chance to wander around what looks for all the world like a sinetron set except that all the money and good looks are for real, and at least you don't end up with as much beer on your shirt as you've got in your gullet.

The latest swanky establishment to set up shop here in the big smoke is Avalon, located on the top floor of one of those Kuta strip-like structures that have sprung up all along Jl. Kemang Raya like drunks at closing time.

So what's it look like? Well, as you'd expect from such a joint, no expense has been spared on the appearances front -- lots of mirrors, chrome and glitter, but all put together rather tastefully in a kitschy sort of way, if you follow my drift.

As you walk through the frosted-glass double doors, right in front of you there's a two-meter-high wine rack containing all manner of extremely expensive vintages, which more or less gives you an inkling of what Avalon is all about -- feeding flashy booze at exorbitant prices to gullible young people, most of whom probably don't even like the stuff! Ah yes, the evils of peer pressure are still alive and kicking.

After managing to avoid the temptations of the wine rack, head for the bar over to your left. From the punter's perspective, this is quite a convivial spot for a tipple, but from the bartender's point of view it must be the next best thing to working in the Siberian salt mines.

This is due to the simple fact that it's so atrociously designed that the unfortunate staff are forced to clamber all over each other to get at the booze bottles, all perched suitably high up on glass racks -- which, of course, leads to somewhat slow service when the place starts hopping, which it does all weekend long.

Over to the right of the bar, you've got the DJ's lair hidden behind a glass partition, and a somewhat minute dance floor that looks like its been lifted, fake palm trees and all, from the poolside of some luxury cruise liner.

And lastly, facing the dance floor is a great big, long chill- out area replete with oodles of comfy sofas of the sink-down-to- the-chin variety. Mind you, chill-out is perhaps something of a misnomer for this place. With the amount of intense canoodling going on when we were there, Finnish sauna might be a more appropriate term.

But it's the music that sets Avalon apart from a host of other similar establishments here in Jakarta. With lounge progressive, deep house, nu jazz, nueva Latin, chill out, progressive trance, and lots of other stuff that I've never even heard off, there's something to get just about everyone in the mood for romance of the raunchy variety.

And with the night rolling on, all that expensive booze kicking in, and the tips of your fingers, and other parts of the anatomy, throbbing in sync to the music, it's not hard to understand why this particular rendezvous is such a big hit in the canoodling stakes.

Only problem is, most of the regulars in Avalon tend to arrive in large shoals as if for protection from any predatory singles who might happen to be circling around.

But still, there would seem to be more than enough to go around for everyone.

As for prices, as I've said before, Avalon is far from being wallet-friendly, although Anker draft at Rp 19,000 is a bit of a steal. Miller Genuine Draft, though, will hit you for Rp 40,000 a glass, while a JW Red Label, Bacardi Light or Jim Beam are all going for Rp 39,000.

In the wine department, most bottles are priced at around Rp 400,000, while a glass of the house plonk is to be had for Rp 60,000.

Besides the great music, another feather in Avalon's cap is the superb food, enough to wean even this hardened old tippler away from his gargle.

If in doubt, try the duck legs, which had me wandering off into cloud nine before being brought sharply down to earth again by a vicious elbow in the ribs from the sidekick, eager to chance his arm on the dance floor before closing time.

So there you have it. Avalon, as flashy, trendy and pricey as any of a myriad of similar hangouts in Jakarta. Except for one thing: the music -- so good that you'll be hard pressed to keep from strutting your stuff on the dance floor. Wallflowers look out!

Avalon, Jl. Kemang Raya No. 3 Lt. 3 (tel:021-7199583/4). Open 10 a.m.-2 a.m, and to 3 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. All prices quoted above exclude 25 percent tax and service. No happy hour. All major credit cards accepted.

--Bill Blade