Fine continental, fusion fare at Warna by Pernique

Bill Blade, Contributor, Jakarta

If you happen to take a trip down the rather salubrious drag that is Jl. Kemang Raya, it could come as something of a surprise to you (if you didn't know better, that is), that the country happens to be in the grip of one of its worst recessions since the Dutch packed up their kit-bags more than half a century ago.

For despite all the travails that Jakarta has gone through over the last couple of years, restaurants and bars have continued to pop up all over the place down in Kemang, which just goes to prove that the spirit of enterprise is still alive and well in Jakarta.

An eatery that's been around for about two years now and which has recently been relaunched is the suave and sophisticated Warna by Pernique, in my book one of the most romantic and relaxing restaurants that this great city has to offer. And although in its previous incarnation Warna was not particularly renowned for its food, all that has now changed dramatically.

Guided by its knowledgeable proprietor, Reeza Budhisurya, and with chef Budiana holding the fort expertly in the kitchen, this really is the kind of fine eatery that will long be remembered, and be eagerly revisited time and again.

Apart from the exquisite food (which I'll come to later), what really impresses about Warna by Pernique is its setting in a beautiful garden reached only after passing through a fascinating gallery of antique Javanese furniture and delightful handicrafts.

In fact, the entire ensemble is housed in one of those fine old villas that used to line Jl. Kemang Raya. But unlike most of these, which have been gutted and turned into business premises of one sort or another -- usually fronted by garish, neon signs -- Warna has kept the interior of the villa and its accompanying back garden intact. Thus, the feeling you get as you browse through the tastefully decorated chambers of the villa on your way to the restaurant is akin to that of a guest in the home of an urbane and cosmopolitan friend.

In fact, one could happily spend most of the evening admiring the tasteful collection that Reeza has set out for us to admire (and hopefully buy -- although you'll need to bring your double plated platinum card along).

And then comes the real revelation -- the wonderful garden centered around a cooling pool, replete with emperor palms, hanging bougainvillea and delightful little pendopo (open-sided pavilions) for dining in the Javanese lesehan style (sitting on the floor on cushions around a low table).

This really is an enchanting venue for an evening of superb al fresco dining as one listens to the gurgling of the water and watches the joss stick smoke dreamily drift in front of the footlights strategically placed all around the garden (but be warned, as always with outdoor dining in the tropics, mosquitoes may be a problem -- pays to bring along some insect repellent).

And so, time to order from the extensive menu that chef Budianta has prepared, a tour de force of mostly Continental epicurean treats, complemented by some fusion, that will have all lovers of fine food drooling expectantly.

While my partner opted to forego an appetizer, I decided that such attractive surroundings merited the works. It was a real toss up between the seared beef loin with mesclum lettuce and cilantro dressing (Rp 35,000) and the herb salmon crepes with caviar, lettuce and basil cream dressing (Rp 38,000).

In the end I opted for the latter and was certainly not disappointed. The two salmon filled crepes, light and refreshing, turned out to be the perfect starter, tantalizing the taste buds in anticipation of what was yet to come.

Which for me, as it turned out, was the consomme of duck with liver dumplings and shredded vegetables (Rp 30,000). This particular choice was something of a risk on my part as I've never been overly partial to clear French broths, but was swayed by curiosity as to the form of the liver dumplings.

Well, there's no denying it, these certainly hit the mark. The consomme, however, as feared, was rather bland to my palate. Perhaps I would have been better advised to have gone for the seafood bisque with scallops, prawns, leeks and cayenne pepper (Rp 35,000) or, indeed, the Indonesian chicken laksa soup (Rp 25,000).

And so, on to the entrees -- a fusion creation of U.S. beef tenderloin served with pekcoy vegetables and topped with Chinese black pepper sauce (Rp 70,000) for my partner, and the roast duck breast served with honey mashed potatoes and a rosi sauce for yours truly (Rp 70,000).

The tenderloin came artistically served with baby potatoes, baby tomatoes, yellow and red capsicum, sweet corn and red beans -- all in all a veritable riot of color and flavors. To say that my partner was ecstatic is something of an understatement, with the only complaint being that the chef could have been a little more generous with the ladle when it came to the black pepper sauce.

As for the duck, well, what can one say! Perfectly tender. lean and melt-in-the-mouth, this particular duck would be enough to send even the most unresponsive taste buds into a tizzy.

Complemented by wonderfully creamy mashed potatoes and the piquant sauce, this is a dish that I'll certainly be going back to Warna by Pernique to savor.

Ending off a memorable meal with the light (and almost fluffy) Warna style cheesecake served with mixed berries sauce (Rp 27,000) for yours truly, and the warm apple pie served with vanilla ice cream (Rp 30,000), we left this delightful eatery sated and contented, and more than a little impressed. Well recommended on all fronts!

Warna by Pernique, Jl. Kemang Selatan No. 101, Jakarta 12730. You can call them on 71793536. Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun. to Thurs., and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. All quoted prices exclude 21 percent tax and service. All major credit cards accepted.