Raging 'Zanzibar' offers cozy cocktails, fame

By Tobias Gluckmans

JAKARTA (JP): Exploding volcanoes, tacos, rock `n' roll paraphernalia and hand prints of the stars ... As Jakarta's up- scale nightlife continues to grow, new clubs, restaurants and bars are turning more to gimmicks and specialties to draw in an increasingly jaded elite market.

Zanzibar, which celebrated its coming out party in Blok M, South Jakarta, last week, makes its own particular pitch to Jakarta society through an array of cocktails from the familiar to the erotic.

Upon entering Zanzibar I was taken aback by the lack of effort to create an environment reminiscent of the tropical island from which the bar takes its name. Aside from a few ferns, some framed drawings of African wildlife, and a tropical mural there was really nothing else to prevent it from being dubbed Siberia instead. My dismay was hardly alleviated by the owner's explanation: "On Zanzibar Island, people pool commodities to survive ... while, at the same time many of the executive patrons of Zanzibar trade commodities to survive," said Gurhadi Kartasasmita.

Despite its weak ties to the Tanzanian island-state, Zanzibar still offers much for the discriminating night prowler. The interior designers, remarkably, have had to do little to transform a second floor office space into a cozy, familiar and comfortable bar.

Wood floors run alongside a sweeping bar until they reach a spacious platform ringed with cozy couches and spotted with tables where backgammon and Jenja are played. The walls are half paneled with teak and windows run the length of the bar and overlook the eastern entrance to Blok M. Dim table lamps, subtle curves and non-intrusive music instill a sense of security in shocking contrast to the bright, angular, sterile office foyer leading to the bar's entrance.

The grand opening celebration commenced with the roar of sassy music and the appearance of four women dressed as earless playboy bunnies armed with pink feather dusters; they were accompanied by five tuxedoed waiters wielding cocktail trays to which several wine glasses must have been glued. These two groups took turns, and even collaborated, on a variety of whirls, twirls and two- steps. Though the crowd rewarded their efforts with roars of approval, the meaning behind their decidedly non-Indonesian performance eluded me. I suspect, however, it may have something to do with commodities.

As more solemn music was tuned in, the celebration proceeded to the cutting of a large chocolate Z-shaped cake. After a few canned remarks about "quality" and "customers first," Scottish manager Steven Young proved to us all that he can drench a large crowd with a single bottle of champagne.

With the festivities concluded, it was time to put Zanzibar to the test. The bar's claim to have the largest cocktail selection in Indonesia seemed secure with just over 100 mixed drinks on the menu. However, I still had my doubts about quality: preparing mixed drinks is a skill not easily mastered. Fortunately, recognizing a well prepared cocktail is far easier.

Scanning the menu I quickly came across one of my old friends the "mudslide". I managed to get the attention of one of several bartenders impressing customers with flying glasses and uncanny hand-eye coordination. With all the excitement and airborne objects my order took a wrong turn and I ended up with a glass of white wine.

When the error was corrected, I was surprised to have placed before me a very small, stemmed glass with a flared top; within it were the main components of a mudslide layered and unmixed. This was a far cry from the larger cocktail glasses I typically associate with mixed drinks on the rocks. Nevertheless, I toppled the glass into my mouth, gargled a bit before swallowing, and concluded that it is probably impossible to make a bad mudslide.

My photographer, with a more visual inclination, chose the flaming "rainbow" (again in the flared glass) which once extinguished had the taste of children's cough syrup. Not a fan of sweet liqueurs to begin with, I leave the final judgment of the "rainbow" to the readers.

I continued on in more familiar territory, ordering a frozen strawberry daiquiri. For years I have struggled to develop my own daiquiri making skills, and in the process have acquired an understanding of the field's challenges and subtleties. With these qualifications I pronounce assuredly that Zanzibar's frozen strawberry daiquiri's are dead on target: made with real strawberries, not too sweet, not too watery, a touch of lime and only the slightest hint of the Bacardi rum inside. Zanzibar was beginning to look up.

Yanti, one of the many eager waitresses, informed me that the "orgasm" was, without a doubt, the most popular drink on the menu.

"It is the women, both expatriates and Indonesians, who always order this drink," she admitted.

Without hesitation, I put in my order. Again the small flared glass arrived, but this time the contents had an uncomfortably familiar texture and appearance. With only faith to lead me, I took the obligatory sip and discovered the concoction to be risky in name only; if anything, it was sweet and relatively harmless.

While I doubt the bunnies will return, Zanzibar offers a different happy hour specials for each day of the week: Mondays ladies can have "orgasms" two for the price of one, while business cards are collected on Fridays for a 9 p.m. drawing for a bottle of alcohol.

Yanti also confirmed that Fried Kalamari and Thai Prawn Salad were the crowd favorites from the limited food menu. Prices for meals and cocktails mostly fell between Rp 8,000 and Rp 20,000, with the bulk of cocktails priced at Rp 12,000. Pop music spanning from the 1960s through the 1980s is piped out at levels soft enough for guests to meet and carry on conversations.

According to the owner and several of the waitresses, turnout has been particularly good in the last two months with a balance of mature expats and Indonesians early in the evening being replaced mostly by Indonesian students in the later hours. Fridays and Saturdays the bar is especially busy.

"Right now, this is the place where the famous people want to be," said Yanti. "Most people here are from the middle to upper classes."

Several regular patrons confirmed her observations.

Gurhadi claims he found the inspiration for Zanzibar's cozy and cordial ambiance after making his own rounds of Jakarta's nightlife.

"Every time I went to a disco, cafe, restaurant, or pub I felt there was some element missing," he explained. "In Zanzibar, I feel I have included some elements from all of those places."

But Gurhadi seems all too conscious of the fickle nature of Jakarta's upper class night crawlers, and the need for him to maintain his establishment's status as the latest craze.

"We have created a cozy atmosphere, kind of like that Cheers song (Everybody Knows Your Name)." he said. "Each month we will hold special events like a fashion show or birthday parties to keep our regular guests and outsiders excited about Zanzibar."

For most of the patrons interviewed, Zanzibar was an alternative to other Jakarta nightspots in that it provided a place where they could expect to meet friends in an environment free from the undesirable elements that often plague other establishments.