Special dining experiences offered to New Year revelers

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta

Jakarta's restaurants and cafes are offering special and unique dining experiences for those who wish to celebrate welcoming in the New Year.

Special events and menus are being prepared in different styles and flavors to make your dining experience beautiful and unforgettable.

If you wish to experience a New Years party with exotic dining in classical French style and tastes, you can, for example, experience it at Planet Hollywood Restaurant and Bar on Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto.

The restaurant that features an extensive signature memorabilia collection will be transformed into a typical night in Paris in 1889, with Planet Hollywood staff wearing ball gowns. 'Moulin Rouge' is the theme of the New Year Party at Planet Hollywood.

The party will start at 9 p.m. with classic Paris ambience, guests will be treated to a musical performance featuring Shanty, X-pin Band. Top MC Hilbran Dunar will lead the fun-filled program that includes dance, fire-eating and parade. At the bar, the house DJ will galvanize the dance floor with the latest hits with artists dancing to the beat of the music.

At the bar, you will also be entertained by performers, such as fire-eating, jugglers and stilt walkers. They will demonstrate their acrobatic skills that will please you and your beloved partners.

To liven up the party, Planet Hollywood will provide a rare and attractive prize, a Trip By Helicopter. But if you fail to get the prize, there are other prizes like hotel vouchers, handset cards, hand-phones and many others.

Planet Hollywood Public relations Manager Maria S. Tenggono said that those who purchased tickets before December 15, 2002 would get a 10 percent discount.

Mario's Place at Menteng Plaza will feature a Fine Dining Concept that will allow you with your partners to enjoy a variety of entertainment with the theme "Surprise. Surprise. Surprise."

If you have a passion for jazz music or jazzy songs, Mario's Place is the right place for you. The cafe will present top jazz singers including Ermy Kulit, Johan Untung, Lourence Manaba and Zarky Rosa. The country's top jazz artists, Ireng Maulana & Friends, will demonstrate their musical expertise to accompany the talented singers.

Jazz will is not the only kind of entertainment you will get at Mario's Place. You will also be treated to dance performances. Top dancers from Mario's Dancers, Peace Acapella, Medusa Band and One Plus Two will delight you. Sponsors of the event will provide door prizes for you.

Mario's Place specially prepares a year-end dining experience for you. The menu will comprise soup, salad, snacks, main courses and dessert. You will have Goulash Soup or Minestrone Soup, Caesar Salad or Tuna Salad, Spinach Con Quesso or River Shrimp. For the main course, the restaurant will serve Chicken A'la Cacciatore or Grilled Salmon or Zwhibel Roast, Brasten or Lamb Chop Toscana. Cheese Cake or Apple Tart or Sweet Cheese Roll will be available for dessert.

Opened in Jakarta a year ago, Mario's Place has drawn great attention from new customers, especially within the executive circle who enjoy a cozy atmosphere and professional service. The musical atmosphere stands out in the restaurant. The restaurant with the concept 'One Generation Every Generation' features live musical performance from Monday till Saturday, with styles ranging from country and jazz to pop.

To welcome 2003, Restaurant Empire Grille at Menara Imperium, 35th floor, on Jl. Rasuna Said will serve three selections of a Special 4-Courses Dinner at Rp 500,000 per person. The cost includes a glass of wine.

If you select Set Menu "A", you will be served Home Made Smoked Turkey, Apples Teardrop Sald, Rosemary Beef Consomme with Prawan Tortellini, Srikaya Sorbet, Aseymirus Dutch Veal Medallion, Lemongrass Spike Lobster with Duo Marrow, Prawn Jus, Baked Alaska, Petit Fours and Coffee or Tea. Set Menu "B" offers Hors d'oeuvre, Seared Maines Scallops with barbecued Shrimp & Corn relish, Classical Onios Soup with Bagel Crouton, Srikaya Sorbet, Cajun Glazed Chicken Medallion with Beluga Caviar on Top & Prawn, Snapper Bouchee, Baked Alaska, Petit Fours, Coffee or Tea.

Dining at restaurants or cafes, especially to celebrate the year-end, would be incomplete without musical performances or other kinds of live entertainment. To enliven the dining atmosphere while awaiting the New Year, Empire Grille will present live music featuring bass, piano, saxophone and percussion. Several singers will also entertain you this with their beautiful numbers.

If you wish to try your immunity to things like hypnosis, please come and dine at Empire Grill. Here, you will be treated to hypnotic games presented by Rommy and his 'Hypnotize Show'. Rommy will exhibit his ability to play 'mind games' or tricks that he will perform from one table to another.

The unique and special moment at Empire Grille will reach its peak at midnight when fireworks light up Jakarta from different directions.

The large glass windows encircling the restaurant will allow guests to see the view of Jakarta and at the midnight, guests will be treated to a spectacular view, with lights of fireworks here and there, decorating the sky of the city. Inside the restaurant, all lights will be switched off to create a special moment, with the dim lights coming from outside. At the moment, all Empire Grille staff will come out and join in the 'Baked Alaska Parade' in which the staff will line up to hand a Baked Alaska, a delicious special dessert, to every guest.

"Baked Alaska is a delicious dessert with fire on it. So, the parade will form a fascinating and beautiful line of light amid the darkness and the grandness of Restaurant Empire Grille," the restaurant's Marketing and Communication Manager Brigitta Lisa said.

After the program, each guest will receive champagne. A master of ceremony (MC) who will lead the program will count backward starting from 10, 9, 8, 7 and so forth. "And the counting reaches 3, 2, 1, all guests will toast before drinking the champagne," Brigitta said. The program will end with guests blowing trumpets and producing a variety of noises to welcome 2003.