In search of a crowd at BcBar on Jl. Thamrin
JAKARTA (JP): After a round of phone calls to friends on a boring Wednesday night, it was off to BcBar -- which we remembered as once crowded to the hilt but is now only open three nights a week. Wednesday, thankfully, is one of them. The question was whether it still had what it takes to perk up a mundane evening.
Location: The second floor of the Sarinah building on Jl. Thamrin, next to the Hard Rock Cafe. You can't miss it at the top of the escalator, to the left with a brightly colored sign. To make sure it's open when you want to visit, you can phone them at 2306040. Unfortunately, the operator isn't too amiable during the day, so better try at night (and if there's no answer you will know why).
Hours: Open on Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m until it empties, and from 9 p.m. onward on Wednesdays.
What's it got: A wide selection of spirits and liquors. If you have the guts to test your tolerance for the hard stuff you might want to give their specialty, the Super BC, a try. The bubbly drink in the tall lab glass -- it seems to have a bit of everything in it, including beer and liqueurs (!) -- is bound to help you mingle through the night, if not hit the ground running.
On Fridays they have a special called "BC Time Out" where they serve a variety of light meals for a special price from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. And if you hate to miss a bargain, be sure to arrive before 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for the free cover charge.
They also serve snacks all night long, but if you're on a budget and starving, just hop downstairs and Ronald McDonald will be happy to serve you with some greasy treats.
Bill Please: Working out the cover charge is a bit of a hassle, but it's quite a draw for those who only drink beers. There are three choices: Rp 30,000, which includes a standard drink, such as beer, Rp 40,000 for "house pouring" of different drinks and Rp 50,000 for an exchange of a cocktail.
Drink prices are reasonable for a bar/club type of place. A shot of Tequila is Rp 30,000 and soft drinks are around Rp 20,000.
On not-so-busy nights you can ask the bartender for cocktails that are not available on the drink list. On busy weekends, however, the run-off-his-feet bartender is likely to totally ignore any special request.
Here's looking at you: The entrance is a bright room with two sets of beige sofas, although I'm not sure who prefers to sit down there when the bar is upstairs. On the left are (strangely) two pairs of stairs to go up, so I assumed the one on the right is to go down.
It has a wooden floor, so ladies be sure to wear your rubber heels here because the sound of stilettos will compete with the music.
Upstairs is a well-lit room the size of a tennis court that's also a dance floor on weekends. Along the sidewall is a stool sofa, and several sets of high-tables with chairs. A couple of steps, three more tiny stairs, and, voila, there's the bar. The square-shaped, shiny aluminum bar is nicely accompanied by several steel stools.
The sound system isn't disappointing, but the choice of music -- House alternated with R&B -- is not my preference to listen to over a few drinks. Although it's called BcBar, the atmosphere never quite feels like a bar at all except on weekdays. On weekends the place turns into a crowded club at maximum volume, with bass-banging music.
So, what's your sign?: The crowd at BcBar is ... uh, what crowd? Well, excusably, it was a Wednesday and the night was still early. But if you're one of those who lacks a good pick-up line, this is a great place for you, because with the loud music on weekends, nobody would be able to hear your cheesy come-ons anyway.
Odds and Ends: On weekends the crowd is varied, from the regulars, to the wandering drinkers from other bars. If you are an older-something and do not want to bump into a niece or two, avoid weekends since the place is packed with ABG youngsters, or so the bartender says. On Fridays the crowd is a mix of twenty and thirty-somethings.
Be sure to come with your own crowd to dance with on weekends, unless you're brave enough to hop on top of the bar and dance, when the bartender will politely douse the back of the bar with spirits and light it up, and there you are, dancing the night away with your feet on fire. For the little exhibitionists (megalomaniacs?) among us, there's always a stage on top of the bar for you to strut your stuff. (Warning, this ritual is not for beginners).
Last Call: If you're bored and "alone" on a weeknight, a Wednesday to be exact, this would not be my first suggestion, since you'd more likely to find yourself stranded alone. But if you have a good crowd and want to drink the night away without bumping into one of your in-laws, this could be your first choice. (Nuraini Razak)