Hope springs eternal for jaded ol' Jl. Jaksa

Hope springs eternal for jaded ol' Jl. Jaksa

Bill Blade, Contributor, Jakarta

Less like a gracious old dame fallen on hard times than a raunchy
old hussy gone past her use-by date, Jl. Jaksa has been looking
decidedly frayed around the edges of late.

Once a home away from home to hordes of backpackers, these
have become a rare breed indeed in Jakarta since the start of the
monetary crisis and its associated political upheavals,
compounded by the disruptive activities of self-righteous,
damnation-spewing brethren who have occasionally threatened the
street.

Mind you, all the shake-ups don't seem to have fazed certain
grizzled old expatriate goats, mostly heavily bearded, who are so
often to be found holding court in Jaksa, bleating forth nonsense
about the woes of the world and the price of beer.

And just like any jaded, old crone, Jaksa has started to lose
a few of her teeth -- the most recent to go being the late
lamented Q-Bar, one of the few places on Jaksa with a bit of
savoir faire about it.

But even before Q-Bar's unfortunate demise, Romance (right
down at the Jl. K.H. Wahid Hashim end of the drag) had finally
given up the ghost -- not clear yet whether permanently -- after
years of just about hanging in there, as had Angie's, that old
Jaksa backpacker mainstay so beloved of the guidebooks.

But all's not lost and, fortunately, unlike most rouged and
painted old hags, Jaksa still possesses the blessed ability to
rejuvenate herself.

The latest pub to have opened its doors and provide some hope
of redemption is BFC (stands for "Bar Fans' Club") at Jl. Jaksa
No. 10 (Tel. 330605). This is actually the first pub you come to
as you wander south from Kebon Sirih, and is the successor to the
old BFC, which used to be located nearby but had to shift its
applecart due to lack of space.

One of the better joints along the drag, it could, however, be
said by uncharitable souls to be a bit on the dim and gloomy
side. But, with a large Bintang to be had for Rp 13,000 and a JW
Black for Rp 22,000, this place has a bright future provided they
liven it up a bit, not to mention rectifying the far from
ergonomically designed bar stools.

The next extant pub we come to as we meander southward after
the virtually moribund bar and restaurant attached to the Margot
Hotel is Memories (Jl. Jaksa No. 17, Tel. 3928839). This has
never been a particular favorite of mine but, judging by the
crowds, it's definitely not lacking in popularity and would
appear to have benefited hugely from the closure of Q-Bar just
across the street. Live music every night and cheap drink add to
its attractions. Open 24 hours, seven days a week, a big bottle
of Bintang will cost you Rp 13,000, while a house pouring of
whisky will hit you for a very reasonable Rp 22,000.

But like so many of the more basic Jaksa establishments,
little thought was given to hygiene or the convenience of ladies
when they were building the restrooms -- in many ways a large
hole in the ground would be superior to the clogged urinals and
malodorous, squat-down toilet (only one) that you'll have to
contend with here.

After Memories, we find ourselves at the one-room Ali's Bar
(Jl. Jaksa No. 25, Tel. 31900807), a place that has come to
resemble a little bit of Africa miraculously transported to the
apparently more salubrious climes of Indonesia, despite all of
the latter's economic travails.

Business, whatever it might happen to be, must be decidedly
good in this neck of the woods judging by the amount of JW Black
Label being guzzled down, the flashy clothes and watches on
display, and the neverending shouting matches as the West African
punters doggedly attempt to communicate on their cell phones amid
the din blasting out from the pub's sound system.

On the plus side, however, Ali's does provide the luxury of
air-conditioning, and a reasonably clean sit-down toilet. Neither
is it expensive. A large Bintang will set you back Rp 14,000,
while a JW Black Label will hit you for an eminently reasonable
Rp 25,000. They've also got English beer in the form of cans of
Boddington's draught (Rp 34,000).

Let's face it, though, Little Lagos is about as far removed
from the backpacker hangouts that used to dominate Jaksa as Ambon
is from Abuja. But of course, it all keeps the money rolling in,
so no one on Jaksa is complaining.

Next up is Papa's Cafe & Restaurant (Jl. Jaksa No. 41, Tel.
323452, open 24 hours, seven days a week), presumably named after
its lovable and rotund owner, Mr. Anton, who's about as fatherly
a figure as any you're likely to find these days down Jaksa way.
Open all night, a Bintang beer will set you back Rp 12,000
(nothing else, other than Guinness, available in the booze
stakes).

Once again, though, the restrooms leave a lot to be desired,
and the food has always struck me as being rather overpriced
(McDonald's combos are cheaper!), if not downright insipid.

Still, not a bad spot all round, populated as it is by quite a
crew of friendly expats most nights of the week.

The last watering hole worth its salt before you hit Jl. K.H.
Wahid Hashim is the true jewel in Jaksa's currently rather
tarnished crown -- Ya-Udah Bistro. More a restaurant than a
watering-hole (but most definitely NOT a German bistro), not only
is it spick and span, and blessed with decent restrooms, but it
also has the cheapest hooch and tastiest chow on the whole drag.

At an incredible Rp 10,000 for a big, cold bottle of Bintang
and Rp 22,500 for a glass of Bali's own Hatten red wine, you
won't get better value than this anywhere in Indonesia (they even
present you with an ice cold towel to freshen up with when you
take your seat).

But it's the food that really steals the show here. If you
like sausages with your beer, this is the place for you. Strongly
recommended!

Note: Credit cards are not generally accepted on Jl. Jaksa