Burning the Midnight Out

Dangdut shacks and wine lounges, Irish pubs and rave parties by the beach, we love going out in J - town. Despite the newly introduced 3am closing time, there is still time to party past midnight. Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy Jakarta.

It's a Date
With the lack of a Parisian Left- Bank to amble along or a Balinese beach to feel the sand through ones toes, it takes a huge amount of creativity to whisk someone off their feet in the Big Durian. If you manage, your date will be putty in your hands. Start with a romantic but not overly-contrived dinner. If you are going all out, take your date for a lengthy degustation dinner at Sriwijaya at the Dharmawangsa. At upwards of two million rupiah, it is steep but utterly memorable. Surrounded by Majapahit relics and rich burgundy upholstery, every slurp of an oyster or sip of a truffle cappuccino excites the senses. The best part of the dinner is moving towards the library for a legendary chocolate martini. For a midway between the formality of 'the Dharm' and a cheaper restaurant, dine at Circa on the 48th floor of the BNI 46 building. This modern, boudoir-esque establishment, and winner of the French category of Jakarta's Best Restaurant Awards, overlooks the city skyline. With views over the city, live jazz and plush beds in the adjoining lounge, a canoodle over a Mighty Heidi ( lychee, vodka, lime and mint ) is entirely necessary. Should the date still be going strong past 11pm, drive to Dragonfly, a stunningly designed bar with hip crowds, Euro-lounge and hip-hop. The design allows you to chat and be intimate while the crowd parties around you.

Morning After: Feel the love and reflect by browsing through one of the city's bookstores like Aksara ( the best one is on Kemang Raya ) or QB Books in Kemang or Pondok Indah. If the night went terribly awry, lose yourself in a novel. If it went well, take in the soothing jazz, the smell of freshly-ground coffee and peruse pretty coffee table books. Ooh life is a walk in the park.

Visitor's Pass
With friends and relatives in town from abroad, the trick is to impress, show them the night sights but steer clear of straight-up Jakarta nuttiness, ie bars in Kota. Begin with dinner at a cultural institution. Cafe Batavia in Kota has seen its heyday but is still worth a look, or a visit for an aperitif. Have dinner at the new Dapur Babah on historical Jalan Veteran 1. This converted tailor shop is packed with stunning rooms, sepia photographs and VOC relics from old Batavia. The menu, divided into Chinese, Indonesian and Dutch food is written in old Batavia spelling. For an early-night post dinner have a quiet martini at the Dharmawangsa. For those who 'want to stay in town, the party circle ( bars nearby the HI roundabout ) is only ten minutes away by taxi. The Oriental Bar in the Mandarin Oriental, Cinnabar, Face Bar, the brand new Paparazzi, Fashion Bar ( by the owners of Fashion TV ) and burgundy in the Hyatt, are all within a stones throw of each other. Interesting people can always be found at Cinnabar next to the Deutsche Bank building. The crowd at the modern-Asian Cinnabar are sociable and interesting, and made-up of a mix of foreign correspondents, and young professionals who quaff wine and cocktails over small candle-lit marble tables. At around 9pm when the lights dim and the music gets a little groovier, small groups inevitably meld in to one. Skip over to the Oriental Bar for a chili martini complete with a fresh chilli. For a little more posing and shaking of one's groove thang, Fashion Bar in EX Plaza holds regular beach parties on the weekends and fashion shows by local designers. Or try a burgundy crush and a cigar at the Hyatt. Paprika, Jakarta's original wine bar and lounge and winner of a Conde Nast award, has seen drastic changes. They have introduced chill-out Sunday barbecues and still have arguably the best martinis north of Kebayoran.

Morning After: Spoil your guests with a spa treatment. A chocolate massage with champagne whirlpool at the Dharmawangsa is heaven. The spa at the Alila hotel also has a fabulous four-handed massage with system cleansing essential oils. Or keep it simple but quality with a massage at Bersih Sehat, of which there are branches in Menteng and Pondok Indah ( An hour and a half with Ibu Anna at the Menteng Plaza Branch will leave you glowing). Reflexology at Zen Living is another star option.

Party Posse
Many of the city's bars can be hired for private parties, though weekend nights are difficult to arrange for full reservations. Not to worry in J-town. Big crowds should look for somewhere with jugs, shooters and private alcoves to get the party started. Begin at Red Square which has excellent happy hour deals on cocktails and a walk-in freezer which holds up to seven people at a time, where groups can do shots made from ice glasses. They also have jugs of cocktails. These days Dragonfly is very popular and also fun for large groups. Retro nightclub has private alcoves which can be hired, and overlook the main dancefloor which is always entertaining and pumping. Depending on the music expect a younger crowd with hip hop and R and B nights and an older, mixed crowd with other music. Ten vodka red bulls please. For a glimpse at the models walk next door to X-Lounge and Vertigo overlooking the city, in Plaza Semanggi. Groups can also reserve parts of the lounge. There are a number of gay nights in town, West Pac across from the Sari Pan Pacific has a fun crowd and fashion shows on Saturday night. For cheesy but fun disco head to Avenue across the road.

Morning After: After two litres of water and a good shower, reunite with friends to share stories and digicam photos over a lengthy brunch at one of the city's five-star hotels. Satoo at the Shangri- La has a great range of International food stations, cooked fresh by the chefs. Reservations are recommended. Most hotels charge between 100.000Rp to 240.000Rp per head. Some hotels, such as the Four Seasons, which has delectable Sunday roasts and Yorkshire puddings, offer the option of free-flow champagne. A little hair of the dog goes a long way.

Giggle All the Way Home
Jakarta is nothing if not unpredictable and many will argue the best nights are had at seedy bars and niche establishments. If you're up for a laugh, forgo the cosmopolitans and head for the random clubs. De Leila on Gatot Subroto, from the makers of the infamous JJs and Tanamur of day's past, is an enormous Arabic bar with a predominantly Arabic clientele, a live band and a mix of hip - hop and hip-shaking Arabic tunes. An enormous Aladdin on a magic carpet looks down at the crowd. I recently went there for my friend's birthday. Having promised her a gaggle of charming gentlemen, she was surrounded by ten men from South Yemen shouting 'Habibie' and clapping as she twirled. We laughed in the cab as she pulled out a namecard that read 'Hussein - Travelle Toors' 'What the falafel?' was her response.

While it is not advisable to go without a male accompaniment there are a number of humorous karaoke bars and self-contained cities in Kota, North Jakarta. K7, a new bar at Jalan Fatahillah supposedly has the best sound - system in the city. Stadium is an institution worth at least one trip. Previously they only closed for half a day on Sunday evening and that, a friend says 'is only to get the people out who are living there'.

Morning After: Go to Ratu Plaza on Jl Sudirman, stock up on DVDs and relax for the rest of the day.

The average cocktail price at the bars listed above is 60.000Rp, outside of Happy Hour. Entrance to clubs is around 70.000Rp per person.

Every Night of the Week Hot deals and nights around town

Centro

1. Wednesday
   'Wild Cherry'- Ladies enjoy free champagne and vodka cocktails all night plus free entry.
2. Thursday
   'Jam & Hop'- For students with valid ID, First drink charge of Rp. 35,000, all house pouring drinks only Rp. 15,000

Blowfish

1. Wednesday
   'Mantra Life'- Resident DJ Sam and featuring MDS Band, playing Top 40 and RnB
2. Friday
   'Stereo Sushi'- Soulful house and eclectic RnB with Resident DJs Sammy and Aay
3. Saturday
   'Soul Moomba'- Hip hop and Rnb with DJs Ndru and Sami

Red Square

1. Jakarta' s First Vodka Bar for Lunch & Dinner introducing Russian Fusion Cuisine Specially priced set menus every day. Lunch: 11:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Dinner: 6:00 to 11:30 PM
2. Red Square for Internet
   HOT SPOT with free access through August 31, 2005
3. Red Square for Happy Hours
   Buy one and get one free Absolut Vodka Cocktails, House Spirits & Heineken Beers. Hungry? Happy Aps just Rp 15.000 to Rp 20.000 Monday to Friday from 4:30 to 7:00 PM
4. Red Square for Entertainment
   Bar Flair & Fire Show every night at 11 PM and midnight!

It happens every week at Red Square!

1. Monday Night
   Bottle-mania! Bottles of House Spirits just Rp 350.000 ++!! Absolut Vodka, GordonÁ_s Gin, Famous Grouse Whisky, Jim Beam Bourbon, Bacardi Rum & Arandas Tequila.
2. New Wave/Retro Tuesdays
   DJ Ari spins Classics, a blast from the past. Corona Beer just Rp 20.000 net.
3. Wednesday Night
   Cocktail Buffet! All the Vodka Cocktails you can drink from 9 PM to midnight for just Rp 250,000 ++. ANZ cardholders just Rp 200.000 ++.
4. Red Hot Thursdays Ladies Night.
   First Vodka Cocktail is Free for Ladies. Buy one and Get one Free for Vibe-rator Cocktails! Sexy Dancers by D & D every Thursday night.
5. Thank God it's Friday!
   The weekend starts now! DJ Arthur spins new wave, NY Garage & Progressive. Red Square Shooters: Buy two get one free!

Cinnabar

1. Saturday and Sunday,
   6th and 7th August 7pm - 10pm Order a special grilled main course and get free flow drinks
2. Saturday and Sunday,
   13th and 14th August Order a set menu and get a discount according to your age on set menus
3. Saturday and Sunday
   20th and 21st August 7pm - 10pm Order a special grilled main course and get free flow drinks
   
   Note: Excluding Wine

Nine Muses

1. Tuesday
   Songbooks of opera, musicals and classical pop by Dorothy Poon (soprano) and Helen Nanlohy (mezzosoprano )
2. Wednesday
   Light jazz by Idang Rasjidi trio featuring Margie Segers (female jazz vocalist)
3. Thursday
   Latin and jazz sound with Daya quintet
4. Friday
   Songbook of vocal jazz by TJNDD Trio
5. Saturday
   Jazz via pop