Simon Pitchforth, Contributor, Jakarta
Out in the tail end of North Jakarta exists Kelapa Gading, about the nearest thing that Indonesia has to a suburban Utopia. Walking around the area's pleasant tree-lined boulevards one can almost believe that one is in orderly Singapore as opposed to the nerve shredding chaos that predominates in our fair city. Not that many city slickers from the center of town actually make the trek all the way out to the Gading Coconuts but those who do may consider themselves well rewarded for making the effort.
The district is well looked after; clean and orderly in a way that soothes the underlying urban fatigue instilled by Indonesia's capital of bedlam. There are also more restaurants concentrated here than I have ever seen in my life. You could eat in a different one every evening for the rest of your life and still have plenty of eateries left over for a nice Mongolian barbecue and Japanese sushi fueled funeral bash.
All of this adds up to create a very typical Jakarta suburb. My subconscious image of the place is kind of as a modernized and expanded Kemang turned into a space station and placed in geo stationary orbit above Jakarta. The only fly in the Kelapa Gading ointment is probably its squelchiness underfoot. The Gading is built on very marshy land and during the infamous 2002 deluge, the floods in Kelapa Gading reached almost biblical levels. A Gading resident friend of mine had to jump ship for a few weeks, not being too enamored with wading between the TV and the fridge. All proud Gading-ites worth their salt should make sure that they have a rubber dingy ready for the incoming rainy season.
Slap bang in the center of the district lies the massive Mall Kelapa Gading, a huge pleasure dome that is the district's symbolic heart. They do things bigger in The Gading. Not content with having a mall about three times the size of an average one, Gading-ites now also have the adjoining La Piazza to enjoy: Kelapa Gading's answer to Cilandak Town Square's easy-going cafes and restaurants. You'll find La Piazza and Mall Kelapa Gading standing proudly next to Kelapa Gading's iconic, perpetually gridlocked, welcoming traffic circle.
So what's the place really like and where should out-comers check out when they visit Kelapa Gading? I've been to Kelapa Gading myself on a number of occasions, of course, but I thought I confer with a teacher friend of mine (Mr. Mark) who lives and works there. There are many language schools in Kelapa Gading and thus a corresponding number of bule teachers are needed to staff them, ensuring a sizable enough contingent of Westerners in the area. And that's without factoring in all of the considerably more wealthy families who enjoy Kelapa Gading's suburban ambience. Getting to Kelapa Gading on public transportation involves taking the new busway to Pulo Mas and then a transfer to a mikrolet/angkot. Not particularly convenient, but if you haven't got your own car in Kelapa Gading daarrrling then don't bother coming quite frankly, you're just lowering the tone of the place.
Kelapa Gading is a completely self-contained, hermetic environment and every possible amenity is available to the discerning paleface. As noted above, the food is great, although the service can often leave a little to be desired according to my friend. After dinner you can enjoy a few hours of karaoke with your chums at one of the many karaoke joints in the area.
La Piazza, Kelapa Gading's new food and relaxation plaza, contains an absolutely massive video screen which is popular with sports fans. The World Cup was a huge draw here. Also in La Piazza is the Western hangout of Verona's which is popular but pricey.
If you're after a less expensive ale then head to the more downmarket Wisma Gading Permai. According to my Kelapa Gading source, Rosewood Cafe and Maria's offer your more familiar large bottles of Bintang and cheap meals. Good luck everybody and don't forget your Wellington boots.
