Where to satisfy an empty stomach

JAKARTA (JP): Selecting a good place to eat might be as difficult as finding a desirable partner. The problem differs from one person to another, depending upon his cash and taste.

For low-income people, the essential problem is how to find an adequate food hawker who offers the most hygienic and inexpensive meals.

The middle-income group prefers to try new places, although price remains at the top of their lists of what to look for.

The problem usually becomes more complicated when you are rich and live in a big city. In most cases, wealthy people not only need food that satisfies their appetite, but also high-standard services, fashionable places and elegant ambience.

In light of the above and the widely different cultures of those living in Jakarta, it is impossible to name the capital's best restaurants.

However, one could say that finding any type of cuisine, from Indonesia's traditional food to the complicated English dish, is not a difficult mission in Jakarta.

One important key to locating a good place to eat is observing an eating establishment's parking lot. Also, is there a long queue of patrons looking for seats? Watching the faces of people leaving the place will also provide a clue. It will be even better if you have a friend or food lover who does a good job as a talking restaurant menu.

Gourmets sometimes don't help, because they prefer to have their dishes at home.

Never rely completely upon the Yellow Pages or any guidebooks, particularly those over a year old because -- like food itself -- many restaurants and warung (food stalls) regularly come and go here. In order to make sure that the restaurant you chose hasn't changed into a new skyscraper, it's better to ring them first.

Ads in daily newspapers and on billboards might prove helpful.

You might want to try one of the thousands of restaurants or warung which offer a vast selection of cuisine that could satisfy the most discriminating of palates.

Among the three meal hours, breakfast might be a problem, especially for employees on tight budgets and travelers. The price of a cup of coffee at a fast food restaurant, for instance, is similar to a glass of coffee plus two or three slices of sweet cake sold by food hawkers.

Unfortunately, warung offering the local menu are few here. The small number of patrons, who prefer to take their breakfast home and eat it, may be the reason.

Among the places where food hawkers offer this Indonesian- style breakfast menu are the Pasar Baru market in Central Jakarta, Pasar Pagi market in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta and Aldiron Plaza at the Blok M shopping center in South Jakarta.

Due to the shortage of such a menu at warung in many main business areas, such as those on Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman, employees normally eat their breakfast a little late because the food will also serve as their lunch.

Indonesian, continental or American-style breakfast is available at hotels, shopping malls and business centers in the city.

Having lunch here is also quite easy. Traditional Indonesian dishes and a wide range of Chinese, American, British, Indian, Thai and Pakistani cuisine is available.

Oasis restaurant on Jl. Raden Saleh in Central Jakarta is a popular restaurant in Jakarta. Prices range between Rp 100,000 and Rp 200,000 per head for the buffet.

The great number of food courts in Jakarta and its surrounding areas also offer a variety of lunch choices.

At the Taman Sari food court near the Lippo Supermal in Karawaci Tangerang, people can get a good lunch for as little as Rp 10,000 to Rp 30,000.

Finding a good place for dinner is easy in Jakarta.

One of the most frequented places by seafood lovers are the stalls -- open only in the evening -- on Jl. Samahudi and Jl. Hayam Wuruk in Central Jakarta.

The average price is between Rp 10,000 and Rp 20,000 per person, depending on the meal you order.

Hailai restaurant in North Jakarta offers a wide range of sea- food specialties.

Foreign-cuisine restaurants can be found in areas where many expatriates live, particularly in South Jakarta.

The "rare" dish is also common here.

Fried bats with sauce costs around Rp 10,000 per plate at the Tinoor restaurant on Jl. Kesehatan in Central Jakarta. Other species of reptiles are offered by food hawkers in East Jakarta. (bsr)