Grand Manhattan, my kind of club -- kind of
JAKARTA (JP): The Grand Manhattan Club in the Hotel Borobudur is a new and swanky three-floor affair, another of those one-stop entertainment places.
Physically, the place is impressive. Not so impressive are the size of the crowds it attracts, which is to say it doesn't attract much of a crowd. But it is still new, having had its grand opening about a week ago, so one can assume it's still finding its feet.
Having said the club had its grand opening only a week ago, I must confess I first dropped by the Manhattan on a Saturday night about three weeks earlier. I had been informed by a reliable, or so I thought, bartender friend that the club had opened, so go check it out. And I did. I was most unimpressed; there was no drinks list, the bartenders couldn't seem to mix a cocktail and there was confusion over the bill.
The next day I learned the Manhattan was not really open to the public (though no one seemed to object when my party walked in), but was in the middle of their soft opening and concentrating on invited guests.
OK, forget about all the glitches, I thought. That's what soft openings are for, to iron out the wrinkles in private. And I am pleased to report that when I made my return visit, there was a drinks list, cocktails were promptly mixed and there were no heated discussions over the bill. There still wasn't much of a crowd, though.
Location: Grand Manhattan Club is located in the Hotel Borobudur on Jl. Lapangan Banteng Selatan, Central Jakarta. Basically it is around the back of the hotel, whereas Musro is up front. Telephone them at 384-2223.
Hours: The ground floor bar and the first floor karaoke rooms are open every day from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. The disco up on the second floor is open daily from 9 p.m. to about 5 a.m.
What's it got: The usual mix of beer, spirits, cocktails, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. Also has food, though the menu they are using right now is temporary.
Bill, please: Draught beer is Rp 17,000, Corona Rp 35,000. Mixed drinks are Rp 30,000 and premium spirits Rp 40,000. Usual prices for hotel bars and clubs. Currently, you get 20 percent of all drinks all the time. This will end when Happy Hour is introduced sometime next month, so I was told. When the Manhattan does get a Happy Hour, it will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with 50 percent off drinks.
Here's looking at you: The Grand Manhattan is a, well, grand club. I mean the place is big and impressive. The ground floor is the bar and cafe. It has several tables set back in nooks, a dance floor and bar. The room is kept pretty dark to create an atmosphere, I suppose. It is a rather pleasant bar; not too crowded, not too noisy. Just right for those who want to sidle up to the bar and have a few drinks.
For those who find sitting on a bar stool all night tedious, the first and second floors beckon. To go upstairs you have to exit the bar to find the stairs or the elevator (this is also true if you are in the bar and have to use the bathroom). The first floor is the karaoke area. There are a number of private karaoke rooms available for rent for those who enjoy a good croon.
Standing outside the rooms (named after famous sites in New York) are attendants, no doubt ready to help the customers, though I like to think they are stationed outside the doors so they can bust in and evict anyone who insists on singing New York, New York.
And this is no seedy karaoke joint. The rooms are clean and nicely furnished, quite pleasant really. So I learned when someone found me wandering around looking for a bathroom and gave me a tour of the place. This was during the soft opening, so they probably assumed I had been invited.
Up on the second floor is the disco. And what a disco it is. Stepping out of the elevator you find yourself in a vast and soaring space. I imagine it is a similar experience, though on a smaller scale, to entering Grand Central Station. Though this is just conjecture, never having been to New York.
There is a bar here, a very big dance floor and lots of little tables so you can just sit and furiously bob your head up and down to the blaring techno-house-whatever music. Looking down on the dance floor are several private rooms, some with karaoke in them. Now these are nice, and one could imagine feeling very important surveying the sweating, throbbing masses below you, as if they had all been summoned to dance for your entertainment.
Last call: I hate to dwell on it because I like this place and think it will do just fine when more people give it a try, but the Manhattan is not exactly what you would call crowded. But I believe when people do come they will stay. This is a big, impressive place, with something for everyone, no matter your predilection. (Penn Dawson)