Scary treats at Halloween parties in Jakarta restos

Scary treats at Halloween parties in Jakarta restos

Maria Endah Hulupi
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Halloween night is supposed to be the scariest night of the year
with children and adults dressing up like ghosts and goblins
roaming the streets for trick or treat.

While "vampires" will leave their coffins to seek out their
victims, Halloween party goers in Jakarta can go out to enjoy an
"unusual" dinner, offered by several restaurants and cafes.

Halloween is a holiday to celebrate pagan rituals, like human
sacrifice and midnight orgies in dark woods. In reality, the
celebration of Halloween, which started as a harvest and fire
festival among the Celts, has been co-opted by America, with its
gift for mass-producing everything from food to holidays.

And even though many Indonesians are unfamiliar with the
foreign tradition, the theme sells and in the past several years
special events, marking the celebration have been held by a
number of restaurants in the capital, including Front Row Sports
Grill in Taman Ria Senayan recreational complex, Central Jakarta.

"It's still a surprise but the theme chosen is among the
scariest so as to ensure that visitors joining the event will
have goose bumps and, of course, fun," said Sofiya Irzandach, the
restaurant's banquet sales coordinator.

The restaurant celebrates Halloween night on Oct. 31, 2002,
part of its 5th anniversary festivities, dubbed "5 years, 5 days,
50 percent off". During this five-day event, diners can also
participate in the restaurant's special programs.

During the first three days until Oct. 29, the restaurant
offered 50 percent off for food and beverages. There is also a
three-day competition until Oct. 30 with games including 9-ball
billiards, Sega rally, arm wrestling and a drinking competition
(it's not the quantity of beer that counts but the speed of
drinking). There are prizes and gifts from sponsors for the
winners.

A day before Halloween, dinners will be entertained with
classic rock songs on its Classic Rock Night on Oct. 30,
featuring the 7 Years Later band.

The festivity will be wrapped up with night of Halloween
during which, guests will be served by scary-looking waiters,
serving "unusual" treats.

There will also be a scary sexy dancer, a fortune teller,
Jamaica Cafe Acapella and prizes. Guests can wear their scariest
costumes and enjoy the celebration.

The restaurant has created a special Halloween set menu at Rp
102,900++. The menu includes pumpkin soup and one of three main
courses, namely Adams Family Steak (grilled beef with three
pepper butter, served with French fries and mixed vegetables),
Jack The Ripper Chicken (grilled chicken breast basted with the
restaurant's special Jack Daniels glaze and served with mixed
vegetables and loaded baked potato) or Swamp Thing Platter
(shrimps, calamari and white fish battered and fried served with
tartar sauce, hot and sweet sauce, French fries and coleslaw) and
the dessert is caramel turtle brownie.

Although there is nothing unusual to be expected from the food
presentation, the restaurant chefs have ensured that the menu
comprises vivid-colored food to match the Halloween theme.

Two other restaurants also in Taman Ria Senayan complex,
Italian restaurant Italianni's and TGI Friday also offer special
Halloween set menus.

The Halloween set menu at TGI Friday is available at Rp
99,900++ which includes appetizer, dessert, free refill of soft
drinks or a glass of beer and four main courses to chose from:
Jack Daniels chicken (grilled chicken breast basted with Jack
Daniels glaze and served with baked potato and vegetables),
mushroom chicken mushroom (deep fried chicken breast topped with
sauteed mushroom and mozzarella cheese served with fried
mushroom, baked potato and vegetables), fisherman platters
(battered shrimp, calamari and grouper fillet served with Fridays
fries) or BBQ burger (melted Colby cheese, cajun onion rings and
Fridays barbecue sauce).

While Italianni's offers two Halloween set menus at Rp
89,000++, namely Nosferatu's Favorite, consisting of minestrone
soup, steak cacciatore and raspberry cake and The Bride of
Nosferatu's, including zuppa di mussel for soup and one of the
three main courses, namely penne remigio or spaghetti bolognese
or frutti di Maare and tiramisu for dessert.