Restauranteurs target local market

Restauranteurs target local market

JAKARTA (JP): In this area of emerging markets and appetites,
the needs of certain restaurant enthusiasts tend to go unnoticed.
Luxury hotels and five-star restaurants continue to spring up in
Jakarta, catering to the palates and pocketbooks of a chosen few.
Now, one can now find delicacies from just about any corner of
the globe -- for a price.

Though the proliferation of such establishments is usually
accompanied by an increased awareness of foreign cuisine,
essentially a positive development, those bereft of bulging bank
accounts tend to stay in and leave the globe-trotting gourmands
to their tables in the corner.

Two new locales have arrived in Jakarta not so much to win
over those who have fallen through the culinary cracks but rather
to provide simple, quality dining at more moderate prices.

Restoran Nightmare Pizzeria Italiano was the dream of 35 year
old Angelo Giallombardo who left his hometown of Siena, in the
bucolic Italian region of Tuscany, to try his luck on the streets
of this Indonesian metropolis.

"I traveled through Indonesia a couple of years ago and knew
at that time that I was going to be back," recalls Giallombardo.

Though Jakarta is already home to a number of quality Italian
restaurants, Nightmare is the first genuine pizzeria to open in
the city. The owners have not only imported an Italian wood pizza
oven, critical to a toasty crust, but also a seasoned pizza maker
from Salerno, Micheli Cuozzo.

These authentic touches were part and parcel in their goal of
setting out to create the type of establishment that they
themselves were accustomed to frequenting back home.

"We wanted to create an ambience where people could come,
socialize and play board games while having something wholesome
to eat -- at any hour."

Located at Jl. Abdul Muis No. 72 A, in front of the Tanamur
discotheque and just down the street from the Grand Metro
Equatorial Hotel, selections from Nightmare's menu can be had 24
hours a day, seven days a week. "Thus we chose the name
'Nightmare.'" says Giallombardo, "We originally wanted to create
something along the lines of a haunted house but in the end
decided to keep it more thematic than horrific. Some people may
have found it difficult to eat with a severed head staring at
them during their antipasti."

Vaffanculo

One may choose from over a dozen different kinds of freshly-
made pizzas created mostly from ingredients imported from Italy.
The All'Ortolana is a very delicate vegetarian pizza, and though
I found the use of cucumbers an unnecessary topping, the pizza as
a whole was quite savory. One may also opt for 4 Formaggi, four
cheeses, or the Vaffanculo, a specially Mediterranean combination
of artichokes, olives and anchovies. For a pizza without any
tomato sauce whatsoever, try the Fume.

As a primi piatti, Nightmare does a nice job with their
fusilli alla puttanesca, cooked al dente and with plenty of
garlic. The cafe-style menu also includes an international array
of crepes, sandwiches, steaks, salads, omelettes and a healthy
selection of Italian desserts and coffees available to those with
enough extra belt space.

For those hobbling out of a disco at indecent hours of the
morning, or for anyone more inclined to nocturnal activity,
Nightmare also has a fully-stocked bar. Beer is reasonably priced
around Rp 5000 for domestic and Rp 9,000 for imported, with
wines, long drinks and cocktails costing a bit more.

As for the food, appetizers range from between Rp 6,500 to Rp
12,000 and pastas and pizzas run from about Rp 7,500 to Rp
14,000. Steaks will cost you a bit more and for the more fancy
desserts, such as their homemade tiramisu, one can expect to pay
Rp 5000 to 8000. Visitors interested in something light and sweet
will be pleasantly satisfied by the wonderful nocciola,
stracciatella, caffe and other flavors of Italian ice creams and
sorbets.

Nightmare's appeal lies mainly in the fact that it makes no
pretensions and simply hopes to attract a generally younger
clientele, ages 15 - 35 according to the proprietors, who don't
necessarily want to go to a mall or hotel to have a nice meal.

The walls are lively decorated with framed horror movie
posters and original paintings and the atmosphere is quite airy
and warm. The wait staff appear able, though somewhat awkward at
times, and are relentlessly attentive, a trait typical to most
establishments in Jakarta. Nightmare seats about 100 people and
with two floors, the upper-level can easily be booked for private
parties and business gatherings.

New kid in town

Another savvy business decision has been made by the owners of
Sandwich Kid, stepping in to fill the under-represented market of
delivery lunch foods and desserts.

For those familiar with Marks and Spencer, Sandwich Kid offers
a very similar service with their hygienically heat-sealed
sandwiches chilled and delivered to all metropolitan locations.

The sandwiches are quite tasty and can be tailor made to order
for any business affair, be it a luncheon or an office snack. All
the meats used are halal and nearly everything that goes into the
sandwiches is homemade.

Their "egg mayonnaise with beef 'bacon'" sandwich is quite
nice with the bacon being almost indistinguishable from the real
thing. The "rich chocolate cake" is indeed rich, though a little
to heavy and frosting intensive. It does, however, more than
serve the purpose for those chocoholics in need of a quick fix.

Although Sandwich Kid places a premium on convenience, there
are a couple of snags that need to be worked out. They are still
unable to deliver on the same day and all orders must be placed
12 hours in advance. In addition, the minimum order is Rp 70,000
per delivery, making it a little difficult for any individual
with a sudden urge for carrot cake to just pick up the phone and
order.

Such kinks will most likely be worked out by next year as the
Sandwich Kid plans to open a shop in the Bapindo Center on Jl.
Sudirman. In the meantime, Sandwich Kid products are available at
Kem Chicks and Hero supermarkets and can be ordered by phone or
fax at 846.0863.

-- Jason Tedjasukmana