'Warung Solidaritas' no ordinary foodstall

Deni Putri, Contributor, Jakarta

Warung Solidaritas looks similar to other foodstalls. Its menu also offers typical warung fare. What makes it different is that it was established by chefs from the nearby Shangri-La hotel.

The foodstall has been temporarily set up on a two by five meter site with wooden boards and a tarpaulin roof. It also has a gerobak (food-cart) for cooking, four long wooden tables and benches, which can accommodate 25 people, and a wooden cashier's table.

Faced with these less than ideal conditions, the Solidaritas has come up with a unique way of attracting customers and satisfying its patrons.

It displays the flag of Serikat Pekerja Mandiri Shangri-La (Shangri-La Independent Workers' Union), indicating the owner's membership of the labor organization. The tent also bears a written sign saying Warung Solidaritas Karyawan Shangri-La (the Solidarity foodstall of the Shangri-La's workers).

Inside, there are pictures featuring employees on strike at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout on Jl. Thamrin and in the House of Representatives (DPR).

The foodstall, which is managed by 30 of the 579 Shangri-La employees dismissed by the hotel, offers dishes typically found in a roadside eatery but has given them unusual names, such as Nasi Goreng Stop PHK (Stop Dismissal Fried Rice), Nasi Goreng Sosis Kapitalis (Capitalist Sausage Fried Rice), Nasi Goreng Ikan Asin Resolusi (Resolution Salted Fish Fried Rice), Nasi Goreng Kambing Chaos (Chaos Goat Fried Rice), Mie Rebus Reformasi (Reform Boiled Noodles), Kwetiauw Buruh (Workers' Fried Noodles), Mie Goreng Solid (Solid Fried Noodles), Bihun Goreng Bersatu (United Fried Rice Noodles) and Cap Cay Kompensasi (Compensation stir-fried vegetables).

The beverages also have unique names including Komite Perempuan (Women's Committee) Avocado Juice, Revolusi (Revolution) Mango Juice, Nationalist's Soursop Juice, FSPM (Indonesian Hotel Independent Workers Union Federation) Mixed Fruit Ice and IUF (International Union of Food, Hotels and Restaurants) Tomato Juice.

The managers of the foodstall, who have been running it since Feb. 2001, want to publicize their demonstrations against the hotel's management over the issue of compensation for their dismissals.

Despite the presence of big name chefs formerly employed by the Shangri-La, not all the items on the Solidaritas menu are particularly delicious.

But the Nasi goreng sosis Kapitalis, Cap cay Kompensasi, Kwetiauw Buruh, mango juice and lemon ice really tasted good.

The food prices are far cheaper than what they used to charge at the hotel.

Nasi goreng Stop PHK is only Rp 5,500. Three other fried rice dishes go for just Rp 7,500 each. Fried noodles are Rp 7,500 while cap cay is priced at Rp 6,500. Fruit juice prices range from Rp 3,500 to Rp 4,500.

The prices listed on the one page menu include a 10% "tax", which is apparently used to finance the demonstrations.

Located on Jl. KH. Mas Mansyur in front of the Batavia tower, Central Jakarta, most of the foodstall's visitors are office workers from the buildings along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Casablanca. In a bid to serve its customers better, it even offers a delivery service.

However, the food and beverages offered by the foodstall, which is open 24 hours a day, lack variation, even though its chefs are experienced and well-versed in cooking European and Chinese food.

Diponggo, one of the Solidaritas staff, acknowledged that they couldn't serve European or Chinese food due to the limited cooking utensils available to them.

"We want to offer more varied menus but we don't have a freezer. We hope we can add to our menu in the future," he said.

The foodstall's coordinator, Jojo Suharto, said mango and tomato juices were the most popular beverages, while the goat and sausage fried rice were the most-ordered food items.

Jojo, who had worked at the hotel for almost five years, claimed that they could earn average daily net profits of Rp 250,000, some of which was used to finance the workers' activities and to help the dismissed workers' families.

Warung Solidaritas: Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur, Central Jakarta delivery service: 0817-112852.