The gentle scent of tuberoses has a soothing effect as the restaurant patrons take their seats. Four large wooden pillars obstruct visitors trying to look around the lovely interior.

The d*cor in this restaurant, Seribu Rasa, which means a thousand flavors, combines the architectures of traditional houses of various ethnic groups across the country, such as the Balinese, Javanese and Sundanese.

"We are not offering our guests culinary delights only. We are also trying to provide them with a fine and comfortable place to dine," said the restaurant's assistant operational manager Amylia Novitasari, or Amel. It seems that the owner of the restaurant has committed to giving diners the best place to eat. For this reason, Seribu Rasa has allocated a large part of its space to fountains and garden - not to mention the spacious parking lot in the basement.

The restaurant, which offers delectable dishes from around Southeast Asia, including a big serving of culinary specialties from Indonesian's rich gastronomic line-up, is divided into three buildings.

At the front is the private room, which can take up to 50 people and can be used as a meeting room for businesspeople or for a family gathering. This private room is bigger than the pavilion, which is located at the back of the restaurant. This pavilion, whose roof is reminiscent of old Javanese houses (Joglo) can take up to 30 people.

The main building is in the middle, and looks out onto the front house and the pavilion through the ceiling-to-floor windows. Between each building is a shallow fountain with large white clams inside. With its lighting scheme, the restaurant is possibly even more stunning at night than at day.

"This is a tropical house. We combine the use of woods and tiles on the floor as well as rocks to d*cor the fountains," Amel said.

The combination of rocks, wood and floor tiles with detailed carved ornaments on the wall is as calming as the scent of the tuberoses. The wooden chairs and tables give the place a homey feel.

With all those features, it is not quite surprising that more and more people are choosing to patronize the restaurant, which opened its doors on Jan. 5.

"The opening on Jan. 5 was actually a trial as we has not finished the interior design. Since then, more and more guests come here, so we have to be prepared to give them the best service," Amel said.

The restaurant is not open for the whole day, serving only lunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and dinner (6 p.m. through 10 p.m.), with the restaurant closed in between.

"Most of guests who come for lunch are business executives, while those who come for dinner are families. Meantime, only a few people came here between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., so we decided to close the restaurant during that time," she added.

Although having opened little more than a month ago, the restaurant has already garnered loyal "regulars" who order specific menus and drinks.

"The drink called Semilir Brastagi *iced strawberry drink* has become a favorite drink among our guests while Lumpia Crab Mabuhay *deep fried crispy spring roll with vegetables* is the favorite appetizer."

Another favorite appetizer is Udang Gulung, or fried shrimp spring roll with vegetables.

Seribu Rasa offers an array of mouth-watering main dishes, among them fried chicken with mango sauce, fried shrimp with fruit salad, and stir-fried lamb with honey sauce.

The restaurant also serves a selection of fish and seafood for guests. Some alcoholic beverages and home-style cocktails are also on offer. "We keep the fish and seafood alive in an aquarium," Amel said. "So our food is cooked with fresh ingredients."

With an array of delicious foods and a picturesque ambiance, this new restaurant will soon become one of the must-visit eateries in town.

Seribu Rasa

Jl Haji Agus Salim 128

Menteng, Central Jakarta

Ph: 021 3928892

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