Spanish Jakarta erupts in style at Holiday Inn

Spanish Jakarta erupts in style at Holiday Inn

By Parvathi Nayar Narayan

JAKARTA (JP): Time to take out those castanets and let your
feet go tappin', the flamenco way! Time to sample some delicious
Spanish finger food, known worldwide as tapas. Have a sweet,
sometimes strong glass of sangria, the traditional red wine
concoction, or just sit on the "Patio" and look down at the
sea...

If this is a menu that appeals, then it's time to visit the
newly opened Plaza de Espana, at Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. Here's
a restaurant that prides itself on providing the complete, yet
casual Spanish dining experience. While it may be the city's only
restaurant serving authentic Spanish food, it is equally a place
to go to have fun.

Step through the restaurant doors and enter a Spanish village
square, complete with tapas bar. Tapas refers to a mouthwatering
selection of food in bite size portions, or Spanish appetizers.
This tapas bar isn't just a place, but a concept. It's a venue to
hang out and meet people. And by the way, some tapas on the side,
maybe a drink or two.

The Tapas Bar offers nearly 60 varieties of tapas. There are
no menus here -- you simply point at what interests the taste
buds. Some of it is eaten cold; delicious bell peppers marinated
in olive oil, spicy jalapenos stuffed with cheese, and squid in
its own ink sauce. Or for something more familiar, check out the
pizza-like empanadas. There is a wide selection of meats and
seafood cooked at the bar itself, served piping hot. Definitely
economical, tapas dishes are priced from only Rp 4,000 to Rp
8,000 per serving.

For drinks there is of course sangria, that heady combination
of fruit juices, pieces of fruit and red wine. It is practically
the drink synonymous with sun drenched Spain. Priced at Rp 15,000
a glass, or Rp 75,000 a pitcher, it may not be cheap, but it's
the taste of experience that goes down smoothly.

The main dining area is a series of rooms beyond the Tapas
Bar. It's modeled along the lines of a classical Spanish home or
"maison", converted into a restaurant. A team from the Holiday
Inn Crowne Plaza, Jakarta, visited Spain to shop for artifacts,
fabrics, even posters to provide the authentic ambiance.

For those who want it, there are areas more secluded, with
special places like the Matador Room or the Patio for intimacy.
The latter has a trompe de l'oeil type painting on two walls --
giving the effect of being perched atop a hillside in Catelonia,
looking down to the sea. There is also the "wine cellar" where
one can pick wines, plonk or a superb vintage, with the option of
drinking real quality by the glass.

Tapas, in any number, are a great meal within themselves, but
equally they are the ideal entree. If you do decide on main
courses though, how do pieces of Spanish omelette, eaten cold and
stuffed with potatoes and olives grab you? Careful though, what
may seem like tiny portions can satisfy very quickly. There is a
selection of soups too, with chilled gazpacho always a tasty
option.

For main course the first choice has to be the traditional
paella, especially for the first time experience of Spanish
cuisine. It must rank as the most famous of Spanish dishes -- it
is what spaghetti is to Italians, tacos to Mexicans. Paella is
essentially rice flavored with saffron, mixed with a number of
other tasty ingredients, always including the best of local
seafood, chicken and vegetables. The result is a dish that is
more than a meal in itself.

At Plaza de Espana there is a vegetarian paella too, as well
as the most unusual pasta paella. This features a combination of
mixed seafood, fusilli spirals and vegetables. The prices range
from Rp 22,000 for the vegetarian Paella, up to Rp 26,000 for the
pasta variation.

Other main dishes consist of a selection of seafood, meat and
poultry. Chuleton A la Parrilla, or grilled veal chop marinated
with garlic and herbs, is tasty and succulent. Accompanied with
roasted potatoes, pickled onions and a selection of pulses
including lentils and garbanzos allowing for combinations in a
dish that might otherwise have contained simply too much meat.

A similar selection of accompaniments came with the Cordero
Lechon Al Homo, or roasted lamb shank with Castillian spices,
priced at Rp 30,000. The portions of meat were large, and people
with small to medium appetites would be wise to share the dish.

Spanish food is usually cooked with lots of saffron, olive
oil, red peppers, garlic, lemon and the liberal use of fresh
herbs like rosemary and oregano. Chef Esmeraldo says most of the
top-quality ingredients are readily available locally, but
specialty items like serrano ham, and certain cheeses, are flown
in from Spain.

At regular intervals during our meal, waiters rushed to the
center of the floor. They sang special songs about the
restaurant, danced, keeping rhythm on the tambourine. Once guests
recovered from their initial surprise, they relaxed almost
visibly, soaking in the idea of casual spontaneity that Plaza de
Espana says will become its trademark. One doesn't have to remain
an onlooker either -- you are more than welcome to join the
waiters, who are only too happy to show you the steps of their
dance.

But no dining experience is ever complete without postres or
dessert. Just one of the best on offer is the Crema Quemada Plaza
de Espana or Creme Brulee. It came with a spun sugar basket,
sticky, but fun to break off in bits and nibble. This also served
as an interesting contrast to the creamy texture and flavor of
the creme brulee.

The Leche Frita is described as fried milk with Anisette
sauce, served with ice cream. But this one was a trifle stodgy
for the liking, as were the Churros Con Chocolate, fried
doughnuts. Shaped like bread sticks, these are dipped into a hot,
bitter, chocolate sauce.

The range of dishes has been conceived from various areas of
Spain. The accent is not on presentation, because as chef
Esmeraldo eloquently illustrates "... the food is handled too
much by the time it is presented for you to eat". At the Plaza de
Espana, the order of the day is simple, but authentic food. The
kind you might find at home in Spain. Buen Provecho!