'Dangdut' delirium and belly dancing at De Leila Pub
JAKARTA (JP): It was a Wednesday evening, the eve of a public holiday, and a couple of Australian friends I had staying with me (their first time in Indonesia) were beginning to show clear and present signs of boredom, as evidenced by their constant whinging.
Seeing that the writing was on the wall, I decided it was high time to take them out on the town for the night. Where better, I thought, than to take a pair of greenhorns in Jakarta, eager to experience the sights and sounds of the metropolis, to a bar devoted to dangdut music, that hybrid Indonesian-Middle Eastern (or Indian, depending on who you talk to) pop music that has become well-nigh synonymous with Indonesia, in the same way as kretek cigarettes.
A quick call to an acquaintance more knowledgeable about such establishments brought forth the name of the De Leila Pub.
Location: Very central in the Patra Jasa building at Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto No. 32-35. If you're driving, just be careful to slow down a bit after Planet Hollywood as the entrance to this building is pretty easy to miss, and if you do miss it (like we did) you'll have to drive all the way down to Jl. Rasuna Said to do a U-turn and then all the way up to the Semanggi cloverleaf to get back on to the right side of Gatot Subroto again. Not recommended!
Hours: 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. seven days a week. We were also assured by the staff that the closing time could be extended if the action was still in full swing at 4 a.m.. Might well turn out to be a case of "open all hours".
What's it got: A well-stocked spirit and liqueur bar, draught and bottled beer, cocktails available, etc. It was a little difficult to find out exactly what else they had as there didn't appear to be any kind of a drinks' list.
We were also told that a full menu was available, but it appeared to be an elusive kind of beast, for, despite being requested a couple of times, it totally failed to put in an appearance. Maybe the powers that be in the De Leila Pub are graduates of the "keep-'em-drinking-till-they-drop" school of bar management.
Bill, please: Well, first things first, there's a cover charge of Rp 30,000 that entitles you to a draught beer or one soft drink (it never ceases to amaze me how beer and soft drinks command the same prices in Jakarta hostelries).
Your second Bintang draught beer will set you back a rather steep Rp 25,000 while a small shot of whisky (Johnny Walker Red) or vodka will run you Rp 37,500, including 11 percent tax and 10 percent service -- by the way, can anyone actually enlighten me as to what the correct rate of VAT in restaurants and bars is, as everywhere I visit seems to charge a different rate? For those who prefer cocktails, a Singapore Sling or a Long Island goes for Rp 50,000.
Here's looking at you: While De Leila describes itself as a "pub", it's clear from the moment you realize that you've got to fork out a cover charge that you're dealing with something more akin to a nightclub than a bar. This impression is more than reinforced when you walk in and spot the enormous stage and fairly crowded dance floor.
Despite its nightclubby overtones, those of you who prefer a reasonably quiet and comfortable bar where you can carry on a conversation and actually see your fellow tipplers won't be disappointed, with not one but two bars being available for your drinking pleasure. The downstairs bar is set back from the dance floor and stage in a dimly but adequately lit alcove and is sufficiently far removed from the stage and speakers so as not to be too noisy, but not so far removed that you can't continue to keep a close and beady eye on all the goings on out on the dance floor.
The upstairs balcony is a little gem, from the dizzying heights of which you can ogle all the dangdut dancers below on the dance floor to your hearts content. Mind you, after a couple of minutes of this you might find yourself beginning to doze off as watching dangdut dancing, even as performed by its most attractive and energetic exponents, tends to be a somewhat mind- numbing and soporific pastime. So give yourself a good pinch and go and get another drink, unless you fancy keeling over on the spot!
As for the clientele, well they're not the sort of folks you'd find hanging out at an Eminen concert or an all-night rave. In general, the ladies were quite conservatively dressed, while the gents appeared to be of the "young executive" variety, as they are so stomach-churningly referred to in Jakarta. Lots of ties in evidence and, incidentally, a large number of Indonesian males of Arab descent.
As for the music, when we first entered De Leila a full-scale dangdut band was in mid-repertoire, female lead singer decked out in skin-tight red costume (spare tires et al alarmingly visible), bedecked from top to bottom with the de rigueur gold jewelry, and looking for all the world like a stunted version of the gypsy Carmen of operatic fame. The band took its leave at 11 p.m. and standard disco took over. This was still continuing as we were leaving at midnight.
By the way, there is a really cool restroom with a seemingly deranged lavatory attendant trying desperately to ply you with all sorts of oils and balsams, no doubt to be used for exotic, kinky purposes.
Odds and ends: Absolutely wonderful belly-dancing show (all very tasteful, mind you). I, as a married man, had to keep my eyes averted, of course, but my Australian companions were reduced to a state of drooling incoherence by the gyrating vivacity of the dancers (somewhat less buxom but definitely more acrobatic than their Middle Eastern sisters).
Verdict: While dangdut ditties do not appear high up on my list of all-time favorites, I must admit that while not exactly undergoing a Pauline conversion, I nevertheless had a bit of a change of heart upon seeing dangdut performed live in the flesh, so to speak, especially when combined with the belly-dancing. So, even if you can't stand dangdut, take a tip from me and go to De Leila with an open mind. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Anyway, given the look of delirium plastered across the faces of most of the denizens of the dance floor, the majority of De Leila punters were well-pleased and getting exactly what they had paid for. (Bill Blade)