Hotels gear up for Aug. 17 fiesta

Hotels gear up for Aug. 17 fiesta

YOGYAKARTA: To celebrate the country's 59th day of independence
that will fall on Tuesday, Aug. 17, star-rated hotels in the city
have prepared a variety of special dinner packages.

Santika Hotel on Jl. Sudirman, for example, is offering
Pitoelasan -- which literally means 17 in Javanese -- a buffet
dinner themed tempoe doeloe, or period of the past, showcasing
favorite dishes from across the country like bakmi godhog (noodle
soup), bakmi goreng (fried noodles), soto kudus (shredded chicken
soup), soto kikil (beef rind soup) and sate ayam, the all-time
favorite chicken satay with peanut sauce.

According to the hotel's public relations officer, Erma Wheny
H., the buffet is on offer on Aug. 17 for Rp 45,000 net per
person from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

"The dinner is less formal, with dishes served in warung
(traditional food stalls) and hotel staff will be dressed in
period costumes," Wheny said.

The neighboring four-star Grand Mercure Yogyakarta Hotel is
offering the Nusantara Barbecue, a similar tempo doeloe buffet
for the 59th Independence Day.

Served on the nights of Aug. 14, Aug. 15, and Aug. 16 around
the fountain of the hotel's open-air courtyard, the buffet is
offered for Rp 65,000 net per person including a complimentary
glass of wine, beer, or soft drink.

"The dinner promotion will also give the guests an opportunity
to win numerous vouchers from the hotel such as free rooms, hotel
spa treatment and dinner vouchers," said Grand Mercure Yogyakarta
executive secretary Wiwied.

A similar buffet dinner is being laid out at the five-star
Melia Purosani Hotel on Jl. Suryotomo. The Gema Merah Putih -- or
echo of the red-and-white, referring to the national flag -- is
on offer for Rp 85,000++ per person on Aug. 17 from 7 p.m. to 10
p.m. at the El Patio Coffee Shop, and features both indigenous
and popular foods from across the country.

"Among them are nasi jagung urap sayuran (corn rice with
steamed vegetables and grated coconut), grilled salted fish,
pecel Madiun (steamed vegetables ala Madiun, with peanut sauce)
with rempeyek teri (fried anchovies in batter) and empal daging
(dry-fried meat) and terik daging Solo (meat cooked in coconut
milk)," public relations manager Atik Damarjati said. -- JP