Cafe Batavia: Glimpse of old Jakarta in Kota

Cafe Batavia: Glimpse of old Jakarta in Kota

Bill Blade
Contributor
Jakarta

Those of you who pay any attention at all to the City pages of
this esteemed rag will have noticed a propensity on the part of
certain Jakarta bigwigs to turn their rapacious eyes every so
often to the Kota area in the western part of town.

Promising the earth, moon and stars, and that Jakarta will be
transformed into a green and pleasant paradise any day soon,
their promises waft around for a while in somnolence-inducing
clouds, just as you would expect from so much hot, if not
actually toxic, air, before being forgotten completely for
another year or so.

There was a time, in fact, when one particularly deranged
bigwig was regularly to be found prancing around asserting that
Kota was soon going to be even spicker and spanner than
Singapore.

Dream on, pal!

For the fact remains that Kota is still just the same dive it
always was: chaotic, crowded and crazy during the day, and
dismal, dank and dreary at night (as well as disquietingly
deserted).

And despite what the guidebooks say (Lonely Planet has a lot
to answer for), the only tourist you're likely to find up in the
old city is the odd lachrymose Dutchman, wandering around
dejected and depressed at the fate that has befallen old Batavia.

There is, of course, always the possibility that you may meet
other tourists, but these are most likely dyed-in-the-wool
greenie activists convinced of the radioactive nature of Sunda
Kelapa harbor, and abusing their visas for nefarious,
environmental purposes.

But they should be warned, the penalties for such subversive
activities around these parts are pretty severe, or so I'm told.

But despite all the chaos and the mess in Kota, there are one
or two places there where you can see how things could be if some
of the money spent on reclaiming the north Jakarta coast in an
apparent effort to cause more floods was put to better use.

One of the best places to get some sense of what Jakarta was
like before the lunatics started taking over the asylum and
tearing down just about every vestige of the old city is Taman
Fatahillah, or Fatahillah Park in English -- actually there is no
park, just a large, paved square lined with impressive civic
buildings from the East Indies era, such as the old Batavia
Stadhuis, or city hall, and the architectural gem that housed
the former Supreme Court during the Dutch days (now another one
of those incredibly boring museums that Jakarta is so proud of).

No less impressive in its own way is Cafe Batavia, across the
square from the Stadhuis and housed in a fine building that was
constructed between 1805 and 1850.

Having fallen victim to the vicissitudes of time and the
neglect that characterizes so much of Kota's architectural
heritage, the building was finally restored, rehabilitated,
repackaged and reopened in the early 1990's, in tandem with one
of the more successful of the normally futile City Hall schemes I
referred to above.

All done up in immaculate colonial style, Cafe Batavia was set
fair to become Jakarta's answer to the Long Bar of Raffles Hotel,
Singapore fame -- somewhere that Kipling's Dutch cousins, or
their modern-day, camera-clutching successors, would feel right
at home in.

Well, that was the plan, at any rate. The reality, however,
turned out to be somewhat different and, after a couple of well-
publicized run-ins with the police, the establishment appeared to
be on its way to terminal decline.

All that is in the past, however, and Cafe Batavia, now under
new management, has come the full circle and is finally bathing
in the glory that it formerly aspired to -- a Jakarta landmark
and a truly splendid venue for fine wining and dining.

Looks: There's no doubt about it, it's the looks that really
set Cafe Batavia apart from your average, run-of-the-mill
restaurant and boozer.

Occupying two floors of luxuriously appointed grandeur and
style, this is one of the few places in Jakarta where you can get
some idea of what this neck of the woods was like for the
privileged few half a century ago. Even if it is only a replica,
it's a darn good one.

The first floor, however, is rather dark and dreary, best
passed through as rapidly as possible as you make a beeline for
the sweeping staircase (somewhat reminiscent of the Titanic), on
your way up to the Grand Salon (which serves as the dining room),
and the absolutely delightful Churchill Bar on the second floor.

With the walls covered from top to bottom with an eclectic
array of fascinating art photographs and vintage posters, you
won't be lost for something to look at if your date turns out to
be a tad dull.

And for all the Dutch visitors anxious to see that there's
still some slight trace of their intrepid countrymen's long
presence to be found here, the Churchill Bar has thoughtfully
hung a fine array of portraits of the governors general of the
Indies on the wall facing the bar (curiously, the last governor
general to serve before the somewhat ignominious surrender of the
East Indies to the Japanese sports a rather sardonic, uppity sort
of smirk -- little did he know!).

There's also a touching portrait of the old Queen Beatrix, and
an interesting Dutch poster proclaiming victory over the Nazis.
All great stuff for nostalgia buffs.

The bar itself is semicircular affair of heavy, aged timber,
and is eminently inviting. In fact, it's not difficult to see why
it was once selected as one of the world's great bars by Newsweek
magazine.

The only quibble I would have, however, is that with only a
waist-high partition separating the bar from the dining room, the
tipplers high up on their barstools (which are very high indeed),
have to restrain themselves somewhat, and not to pontificate or
guffaw too loudly. One wouldn't want censorious stares from the
diners, would one?

As for the bartenders, well, like true professionals they know
how to keep a discreet distance while always being there when
needed.

What's it got?: Just about everything that you'd expect from
such a superior establishment, with prices to match, of course. A
local draft beer will hit you for Rp 24,000, while a Johnnie
Walker Black or a Jameson Irish is to be had for Rp 50,000 (all
prices exclude 10 percent tax and a 10 percent service charge).

Cafe Batavia also has a vast range of cocktails on offer,
including some award-winning creations by their own bartenders,
such as Borneo Sunset or Marry Me.

And don't forget the wonderful restaurant, which has a full
continental dinner menu should the munchies kick in.

Odds and ends: Just about every male who has ever set foot in
this particular establishment comments at some stage on the
restrooms.

And worthy of comment they are, for the unfortunate tippler is
required to urinate up against a stainless steel mirror that
allows one's fellow urinators (for want of a better word) to size
up what the competition's like, it they're that way inclined. A
little off-putting, to say the least!

Verdict: Absolutely great spot. A lot of effort has gone into
this place, and it shows. Great atmosphere, booze and food.
Thumbs up all round!

-- I-box

Cafe Batavia, Taman Fatahillah, Kota, Jakarta (Tel. 6915531 -
34). Open 24 hours a day seven days a week.