BANDUNG, West Java (JP): On a recent weekend escape to
BANDUNG, West Java (JP): On a recent weekend escape to
Bandung, it seemed like half of Jakarta had the same idea, with
most hotels booked up and "B" vehicle registration plates
seemingly everywhere on the streets.
I decided to head up to the cool climes of Dago, one of the
main attractions for visitors to the city. The minivan went
beyond the Dago terminal and continued heading northward, when,
lo and behold, just where the view southwards across the whole
city was at its most spectacular, I came upon a new concrete
building, very simple in design but accommodating one of the
latest attractions for foodies in Bandung.
I made a booking straight away for a table with a view for
that evening. It turned out to be the right choice.
Location: Jl. Bukit Pakar Timur No.73, Bandung 40198. Tel/fax
(022) 2531030. It is open at lunchtimes and evenings and major
credit cards are accepted.
Looks: As mentioned above, the restaurant is located on a
hillside overlooking Bandung, giving the restaurant a sweeping
panorama, which at night offers a dramatic view of the twinkling
lights of the city below. This view is marred only by a half-
finished building just below that obstructs part of the
foreground. (I was told by one of the waiters that it was planned
to be a hospital, but when it will be finished is anyone's
guess).
The restaurant building is an L-shaped barn-like concrete
construction that runs down the slope of the hill, thereby
offering a number of different levels all under one roof. The
ambience is trendy, postmodern minimalist, and two entire sides
of the building have windows, to take maximum possible advantage
of those views. The floor is bare wooden boarding and stone, and
the two solid walls are mainly bare brickwork, with some arty
motifs attached.
The lighting, very effective at night, consists mainly of
shaded halogen bulbs suspended on long cables directly from the
live electrical cables slung between the roof beams. This means
that although the tables are well lit, the people sitting at them
are in half-light, creating quite a romantic atmosphere. At this
elevation there is no need for air-conditioning, or even fans!
McNzie has already been open for about eight months, so a lot
of people have already got to know about it. On the evening I was
there the place was packed to the gunnels, mainly with Jakarta
sophisticates who had come mostly in groups of at least four
people.
My companion and I ended up at a table next to some Harley
Davidson enthusiasts, dressed in full regalia. The restaurant
must have dealt with about two to three full sittings that
evening, and as the place can accommodate around 150 covers, that
was an awful lot of diners!
The waiting staff, very much to their credit, were the epitome
of courtesy, politeness and calm, despite being rushed completely
off their feet. Their all-black uniforms complemented well the
restaurant's suave and urbane ambience.
What's it got? The menu is dominated by beef or steak dishes,
with a smattering of fish, pasta and chicken. Although there were
some Asian dishes available, the cuisine is primarily western and
presented in the nouvelle style. The fact that almost all the
diners on that busy night were Indonesians is a tribute to its
popularity. There is also a range of light meals (such as tuna
melt or steak 'n' cheese sandwiches), plus desserts. The usual
range of drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, plus wines,
are available.
Taste factor: I opted for one of the "specials" for that day
-- spicy steak. It was served almost like a stew, as the beef was
cut up, cooked in a rich red wine sauce and served on a bed of
seasonal vegetables. It was accompanied by rosemary potatoes. My
companion had chicken masala, which was creamy and spicy without
being too hot. It was served with vegetables and croquet-like
potatoes with a cheese coating.
Both helpings were reasonably sized and the food was tasty.
Unfortunately the dessert I'd ordered (mocha tartlet with
custard) was not available, and as I'd already waited quite a
while before they informed me about this, I didn't bother with
anything else. My companion had chocolate and mocha ice cream,
which was fine. Two cappuccinos rounded off the meal.
Price points: The meal above, including a Miller bottled beer
and a mixed fruit juice came to Rp 162,000, including tax and
service. Main courses were about Rp 20,000 to Rp 100,000 and
desserts Rp 15,000 to Rp 30,000. Drinks were around Rp 12,000 to
Rp 30,000 and a bottle of wine around Rp 200,000 to Rp 250,000.
(All the above prices exclude tax and service charges).
Minus points: Although the staff were very good, it was
obvious they were stretched to the limit, because the food
arrived before the drinks, the beer came without a glass, and it
took ages for the dessert to arrive. Bearing in mind the
circumstances though, this was a relatively small gripe.
The main problem with Mc Nzie is that unless you have your own
transportation, it can be difficult to leave after the meal is
over. My companion and I had traveled up as ojek (motorcycle
taxi) passengers from the Dago minivan terminal, but when it came
to leaving, the ojek were nowhere to be seen. The restaurant said
it was pointless to phone for a taxi, as no driver would come out
this far so late at night.
There was no alternative but to opt for shanks' pony, and
fortunately the last minivan going back down to the city picked
us up as we walked. Surely, there must be other diners who might
find themselves in a similar predicament, so couldn't the
restaurant at least make some transportation arrangement to run
guests down to the Dago terminal on the weekend?
Verdict: Strongly recommended for its trendy ambience, the
superb views (particularly at night), the romantic atmosphere and
reasonable prices. Bring your own transportation though! (Les
Coffier)