'Outdoor cafe' offers more than food and beverages

'Outdoor cafe' offers more than food and beverages

By T. Sima Gunawan

JAKARTA (JP): You can eat, drink, write a letter or read a
book in any cafe. But how about having your hair cut, renting a
laser disc, buying a cactus or checking your e-mail? The idea may
sound strange, but it is a reality.

From the outside, it looks like any other cafe, but a keen
observer might notice that even the name sounds unusual. Located
on Jl. Kemang Raya, South Jakarta, Galeri TC, can be interpreted
as either the Twilight or Twilite Cafe Gallery.

As soon as you step through the door, you'll find something
interesting. A tiny gift shop selling handicrafts and souvenirs
is on the right hand side with two or three rows of cute potted
plants, including several cactus, next to it. The stairs to the
second floor, are on the left, but there's no need to hurry
upstairs. There are many things to do on the first floor; a
bookstore, a barbershop, a boutique, a laser disc rental store,
and a cybercorner all vie for customers' attention.

Sisi S. Sutrisno, the cafe's designer, said that the concept
applied is that of a sidewalk cafe. Accordingly, the floor is not
covered by marble tiles but by rough cement. Tables are put on
the "pavement," while the stores are located all around.

"It looks like an outdoor cafe, doesn't it? But in Indonesia,
you can't really have an outdoor cafe because of the hot weather
and the pollution. So, we try to create an outdoor cafe indoors,"
Sisi said.

The cafe has a strong French atmosphere. There is a metal
structure resembling the Eifel Tower above the bar and several
French posters hang on the walls. An art deco style and 1930s
architecture dominate the interior.

The book store, Ku/bu/ku, is small but it has a great
collection of art and design books. There are also birthday
cards, children's books and manuals for aspiring Van Goughs,
including Introduction to Life Drawing and Basic Skills: Flowers.

There are three terminals in the Cybercorner, which is managed
in cooperation with Indo Internet, a local Internet provider.
Those who want to surf the World Wide Web are charged Rp 7,500
for 30 minutes. But Indo Internet subscribers get a discount rate
of Rp 5,000/30 minutes. In addition, subscribers get a 15 percent
discount on food and drinks.

"I come here three or four times a week to check my e-mail,"
Simon Jacklin, a British cost engineer, said.

He enjoys using the Internet cybercorner because of the
pleasant atmosphere. What's more, he added, "if you have any
problems with the computer here, you can ask somebody to help
you."

Simon is also a customer of the book store and the barbershop.
In the past five months, he has had his hair cut there three
times. It cost a snip at Rp 10,000 a go.

"In London we have bookstores in cafes, but I don't think we
have a cafe with a barbershop," he said.

The cybercorner is decorated with a number of photographs,
which were on display at the Ancol Dreamland Art Market Gallery,
North Jakarta, late last year. The photographs were taken by sex
workers at the Kramat Tunggak red light district, North Jakarta,
as part of an anti-AIDS campaign. The photos are sold for Rp
125,000 each.

Indeed the cafe also functions as an art gallery with most of
the pictures on view being for sale.

Rani D. Sutrisno, who owns the gift shop, said that the cafe
does not merely focus on making a profit. It also aims at
promoting the art.

"We have a mission to develop the talent of young artists,"
she said.

Located on a 600-square-meter plot of land, the cafe receives
an average of 200 guests -- both local and expatriates -- daily.
At weekends, the number increases to between 500 and 600 people,
according to Arie Rama, the restaurant manager.

At night, a variety of musicians entertain the guests.

The cafe serves Indonesian and Western food. Among the local
dishes are Nasi Campur Bali (Balinese-style rice with vegetables
and meat) which costs Rp 11,500 and an Indonesian set menu for Rp
20,000. The tenderloin steak costs Rp 28,500, and the Mongolian
Ribs Rp 15,000. A plate of chicken wings is Rp 8,500.

Rani's brother, Tara Sutrisno, one of the owners, said Galeri
TC opened in October 1995 with a Rp 2 billion investment. The
business is good and he is planning to open another cafe in
Jakarta along the same lines.