Stargazing compensates for questionable cuisine

Stargazing compensates for questionable cuisine

By Bruce Emond

JAKARTA (JP): Few and far between they may be, but the
capital's open spaces are fast becoming a living testament of
sorts to Desy Ratnasari's soulful Tenda Biru (Blue Tent).

Not just blue, mind you, but a rainbow of hues, from fiercely
patriotic red and white to the rest of the kaleidoscope, is
staking out territory in upmarket sidewalk cafes.

Most are run by minor and major lights in the entertainment
industry and assorted public figures jumping on the collective
krismon bandwagon by displaying their culinary finesse or, in
some cases, pitiful lack thereof.

Of course, the public's adoration of entertainers as the
envoys of popular culture, joined with the need to appear that we
are all in this crisis together, was a marriage bound to happen
eventually.

The vittles on offer often take second place in the attraction
stakes to rampant "stargazing" and the covetous desire to see and
be seen in the choice cafe of the moment.

Belittle them as a fad and fancy soon to outlive their
welcome, but for the time being the cafes are doing big business.
Proof enough is the barb or two shot from disgruntled traditional
vendors who feel they are being pushed to the periphery of their
own profession.

From Jl. Tirtayasa in Kebayoran Baru where the first few set
up shop, the eateries have since set up tent in Monas in Central
Jakarta, Kuningan (reportedly an unwanted shock to the senses
from the turgid waters of the river alongside) and Plaza Senayan.

Not for those who lose all semblance of poise in the face of
crowds, the Senayan sidewalk cafes -- open on Saturday and Sunday
nights -- are nevertheless a gentle initiation for newcomers into
the arena of al fresco dining Indonesian style.

Concerns over hygiene and a sudden onset of "Java Jive" may
not be as great at this upmarket location, even though it is
still a cramped open area assaulted by dust and more nebulous
particles. Yet those who believe in safety in numbers in
confronting the threat of renewed unrest would have felt in their
element in the throngs descending on the cafes.

Food, glorious food was offered in abundance, ranging from
steaks, pizza and martabak pancakes (the meat variety) to a
mismatch of Indonesian-Western hybrids.

Some stalls stood out as the people's choice, particularly
those run by top artists. Loyal fans are willing to brave the
heat and while their time away on their cell phones in the quest
for a choice table.

They would reply in turn by doing them the honors of flitting
about between the bustling kitchen and the dining area out front.
Yet, the throngs are not always a ringing endorsement of the
quality of the fare.

In one case, four anemic slivers of chicken, a bowl of broth
and rice were not up to snuff from our past experience with
Hainan chicken, particularly with the glaring omission of its
trademark horseradish sauce. Better, though, were the iced coffee
and iced chocolate, both spiked with liberal amounts of rum. For
two, the bill came to Rp 36,000.

Granted, the food may just be an accessory to be toyed with
and dawdled over in the higher pursuit of drinking in the
atmosphere. In addition to the "stargazing" -- two spottings were
an actress/singer/ad executive linked romantically to a former
president's son and an aging singer nipped and tucked in the
extreme to achieve that deer-in-the-headlights look -- there is
assorted entertainment of cutesy child singers on stage and
palmreaders.

An evening out in a sidewalk cafe may not win any prizes on
the culinary front, but it is an offbeat way to while away a
balmy Jakarta evening.