JP/19/R00

JP/19/R00

Outback Steakhouse dishes up authentic slice of home

Karen Stingemore The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

One of Jakarta's leading Western restaurants (in terms of sales) does not specialize in burgers and fries but, rather, lists dishes such as Bushman 'Shrooms, Walkabout Soup O' The Day, Chicken on the Barbie and Land Rovers (giant steaks) as some of its signature dishes.

The Outback Steakhouse, an Australian-theme restaurant, provides a laid-back atmosphere -- much like the attitude of many from the antipodean nation -- so it is no wonder that many Aussie expatriates frequent the two restaurants in Ratu Plaza and Pondok Indah Mall, South Jakarta.

Owner of these restaurants Prasoon Mukherjee said 40 percent of the restaurant's clientele were expatriates, with the majority Australian.

"The Australians who eat at my restaurants say they like going there because it gives them a slice of home. They enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the humorous names of our dishes, such as the Kookaburra Chicken Sandwich and, most importantly, they enjoy the range of food we have to offer," Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee owns nine such restaurants across Southeast Asia, in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

He chose to become involved with them because he liked the concept of a restaurant dedicated to an Australian theme and he chuckled when he explained how the idea for the restaurant was conceived.

"After watching the classic Australian movie from the 1980s, Crocodile Dundee, which starred Australian "larrakin" (mischievous) actor Paul Hogan, the American founders were inspired to create a restaurant that featured everything from boomerangs to Aussie beer," he said.

"It was obviously a winning concept because The Outback Steakhouse has now taken the crown of the world's number-one casual dining restaurant and has grown from a couple of outlets in 1988, when it was founded, to 1,000 restaurants dotted around the world now."

Mukherjee believes there are three key reasons why the chain has been so successful.

He said the first was because the best Australian, specially bred grain-fed beef, was used for its Land Rover steaks.

"Second, every waiter is only ever assigned to work at three tables at a time, thus providing more personalized and efficient service," he said

"Third, is the financial system offered by the company. It is a classic and mutually beneficial system where investors give shares to the general manager and in five years can buy back the general manager's shares."

The restaurants say they pull in about 7,000 customers per month, which equates to about US$2 billion rupiah in monthly turnover; Mukherjee said sales were rarely affected by outside issues, although political problems occasionally caused patronage to drop.

Visitors to The Outback Steakhouse are mostly families and entrepreneurs between the ages of 30 and 50.

Mukherjee intends to continue to grow his market share by boosting the restaurants' advertising.

He said the outlets were currently advertised in newspapers but predominately on radio because the traffic was so bad in Jakarta; with people spending so much time in their vehicles it was the medium that reached the target most effectively.

"We are about to start advertising on buses, which is pretty exciting," Mukherjee said.

The most popular dishes at the restaurant are the Rockhampton Rib-Eye, either a 225 gram or 285 gram rib-eye steak named after a town in the Australian State of Queensland renowned for producing top-quality beef; the dessert, Chocolate Thunder From Down Under, which is a pecan brownie with ice-cream, chocolate sauce, cream and chocolate shavings; and Bushman 'Shrooms, which are mushrooms breaded and deep fried and served with spicy ranch dressing.

For those wanting to experience a popular Aussie pastime, customers can try The Big Bloke Draft, a big beer that is the best part of a liter.

The design of the restaurant adds to its relaxed atmosphere, with its open spaces and subtle decor of light-tan-colored woods and large block tables.

Pictures of Australian landscapes adorn the walls, from scenes of Sydney Harbor to bush settings; fluffy kangaroos and koalas, boomerangs, maps and flags also add character to the design.

In terms of the Australian authenticity of the restaurant there are certain things that don't quite ring true, such as the Buffalo Chicken Wings, which are not really Australian food but more an American favorite; however, these small mistakes can be overlooked because the restaurant successfully plays on many Aussie cliches.

As the founders watched the playful and geneneralized images from Australia in Crocodile Dundee the restaurant was probably never intended to be taken seriously, and its Australian customers appreciate that.

The restaurant's simplicity and humor are undoubtedly Australian and, as one Australian customer said, vital ingredients for a good time.