Staid ol' Tavern goes on 'reenergization' trip

Bill Blade, Contributor, Jakarta

The Aryaduta Hotel has been eagerly spreading the word that the its rather sedate Tavern Pub has gone and gotten itself all "reenergized".

Reenergized? Wasn't that something that only happened to Captain Kirk and his intrepid band of space voyagers?

What could it all mean? With a companion in tow, I decided that it was high time to take a trip down Senen way in Central Jakarta to investigate.

Hours: 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week.

Here's lookin' at you: Well, contrary to initial expectations, the much vaunted "reenergization" certainly didn't have anything to do with the decor. The place, apart from a few cosmetic changes, was more or less just about the same as the last time I had a night out there a long two years ago.

"Mexican Hacienda" is the predominant theme, although it's all done in the best possible taste (apart from the fact that the "vintage" cricket posters plastered up here and there do seem to be somewhat out of place).

With lots of Spanish arches and dark, cozy nooks and crannies, this is the perfect place for a long, romantic evening, helped along by the fact that the ladies get treated to a glass of sparkling wine gratis, while the lads can glug to their hearts' content thanks to an all day buy-one-get-one-free offer right up until the end of May (draft beer only).

If you're on your own, don't despair for the Tavern's bar is just about as inviting and comforting as you're likely to find anywhere (there's also a side bar where those who can't hack the music can pose in splendiferous isolation).

Jutting out from the wall and fronting the stage, the main bar is a big, square, heavy wooden affair that lends an air of venerable solidity and age to the whole joint, helped along by the Tavern's equally solid tables, chairs and stools.

With low ceilings and dark stained timber beams, the whole ensemble wouldn't be all that out of place in Zorro, while at the same time being comforting and consoling in a boozy, womb-like sort of way, if you follow my drift.

Neither is the din produced by the band, almost within touching distance of the main bar, overwhelming. In fact, the Tavern has an amazing sound system that ensures by some miracle of modern technology that the volume is at just about the same pitch all over the pub.

Speaking of the band, it would appear that herein lies the secret of the whole reenergization mystery. Imported from the Grand Hyatt in Bali, Music Maker Band (yes, that's what they've contrived to call themselves), seems to be regarded as the bee's knees when it comes to pub entertainment. And, truth to tell, they're not half bad, although I don't know that they're quite enough on their own to elevate the Tavern onto an entirely new plane of existence.

Fronted by two delectable ladies and a long-haired gentleman in excruciatingly tight, white jeans, the seven piece group churn out the golden oldies in the tried and trusted way you'd expect from a hotel pub band -- Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive being about as radical as you're going to get at this gig.

But, having said all that, they seemed to keep the mostly middle-aged male punters happy, the mood of the latter no doubt suitably buoyed up by the demon drink and the gyrations of the curvaceous chanteuses.

Despite the best efforts of the band, however, the crowd was still pretty thin on the ground when we were leaving at around midnight

Bill, please: A glass of ice cold draft Bintang will set you back Rp 30,000 (but don't forget the perpetual buy-one-get-one- free promo).

Meanwhile in hard liquor land, a JW Red is to be had for Rp 45,000 per 45 ml glass while a JW Black or a Jack Daniels is going for Rp 60,000 per 45 ml glass.

As for wine, well ya gets what ya pays for, as the man says, and in this respect you could end up paying a pretty penny indeed with prices going all the way up to the, for me at any rate, uncharted bounds of million-rupiah territory.

For those on a more restricted budget, however, a glass of Jacob's Creek Chardonnay or Chiraz will set you back a reasonable Rp 55,000.

There's also a happy hour from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. when most drinks are to be had for half price -- with the extra free beer, the amber nectar can end up being very good value indeed (all prices exclude a 10 percent service charge and 11 percent tax).

Verdict: There's no doubt about it, the Tavern has got to be one of the most relaxing and friendly upmarket watering holes in the big smoke. Just a pity it doesn't seem to be able to pull in the punters, despite the major marketing effort they've been putting in recently.

Mind you, perhaps there's many a Tavern regular out there who might say that's just the way he likes it!