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Spins round the stirring hand; lose by degrees

Their separate powers the parts, and comes at last

From many several colors one that rules.

 

Those lines taken from “Moretum” (“The Salad”), a classical poem by Roman poet Virgil, greets guests arriving at Immigrant, the posh restaurant, bar and lounge located on the sixth floor of Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta. The poem, which actually describes the mixing of various herbs and vegetables to make a salad, calls for guests to leave their identities at the door and blend in with the others in the spirit of jovial camaraderie and togetherness.

“Either dining is your thing, or drinking and partying is your thing. You can do it in Immigrant. [You can] build your own community in this place,” says Fergie Tan, Immigrant’s creative director.

The venue’s slogan, “One from Many,” is a take-off of the Latin motto found on the seal of the United States: “E pluribus unum.”

“People of any background, color and nationality are welcome to blend in as one and have fun,” Fergie says.

And on a recent Friday night the place was crowded with people of many different nationalities blending in at the long table at the center of the bar and lounge having a good time together. The interior, which is a mix of rustic and contemporary design, glints alluringly under the soft gold lights.

From the outside, the people are seemingly encased in another era and place, in which heavy industrialization and commercialism thrive and are widely celebrated.

“We derived the concept for the interiors from the atmosphere of New York City in the 1920s,” Fergie says. “It was considered an era of prosperity. Many immigrants came to try their luck in the city. [It’s] just like Jakarta today.”

Sonny Sutanto, an Indonesian architect who also designed Rustique Grill and Wine in Plaza Senayan, conceptualized Immigrant’s interiors.

A narrow, wooden-planked gangway leads between glass walls and the open-air terrace, leading guests to the restaurant’s main area. “It’s like a dock where ships carrying immigrants arrived in New York,” Fergie says.

The main venue is divided into dining and bar-and-lounge areas.

The dining area retains a homey feel with its exposed brick walls, floor-to-ceiling glass shelves stacked with empty wine bottles and an open kitchen. A rustic steel ladder leaning on the wall at the far corner leads to the wine storage in the club’s attic.

“Immigrant offers a wide selection of wines, both from the New World and the Old World, as well as champagnes and liquors,” says Marcella Bustami, banquet sales manager of Immigrant.

From the pizza bar in the dining room wafts a delectable aroma of wood-fired pizzas. The Italian thin crusts are among the favorites on their menu, along with pastas and steaks.

“We really take pride in our food,” Marcella says. “Our head chef, Fany Hermawan, was a head chef in one of Australia’s largest chain restaurants, Waterfront, before he joined us.”

The adjacent bar and lounge is wide and expansive. Sheets of shiny golden brass weave across the ceilings in wavy lines among the crisscrossed ducts and pipes overhead. A rusty propeller hangs above the entrance to the rest rooms.

“We designed the lounge’s interiors to resemble an airship that transports guests to a different time and era,” Fergie says.

A long communal table extends at the center under a thin metal beam that supports a row of golden light bulbs. A magnificent view of Jakarta’s glitziest skyscrapers from its floor-to-ceiling windows is clearly reflected on the mirrored walls. Cozy couches and low tables are aligned along the sides and the corners of the room.

“For me, the most important feature at Immigrant is its long, long bar,” says Teddy (not his real name), a regular at the establishment.

Neat rows of metal hooks embellish the L-shaped surface. The 40-meter-long bar is tended by 10 to 15 bartenders every night to prevent long queues for drinks.

On the other side of the room, three tall cage-like structures stand empty.

“These are reserved for special performances, dance or fashion shows,” Fergie says. “But our customers who want to dance on stage can also do it in the cages.”

On another side of the room, colorful graffiti and childlike scribbles in the style of renowned neo-Expressionistic American artist Jean-Michael Basquiat adorn its plastered gray walls.

“Graffiti is very New York,” Fergie says. “Basquiat himself started as a graffiti artist in the city.”

Beginning at 11 p.m., all areas, including the non-smoking dining room, become smoking areas.

From the lounge, heavily gilded doors with a classic Art Deco style lead to the terrace. At night, after hours of being bombarded with head-banging sound systems, dizzying disco lights and thick smoke, guests may find the breezy alfresco area a welcome respite. For once, you might even feel glad to catch a whiff of Jakarta’s balmy air with fellow night owls.

With a pair of power binoculars provided at one corner of the terrace, you can savor an almost 360-degree view of Jakarta’s animated skyline and the nonstop hullabaloo at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. And, as an immigrant, you’ll feel as one among the many.
Immigrant

Plaza Indonesia, 6th floor

Jl. MH Thamrin Kav. 28 – 30

Central Jakarta

Tel: 021 3983 8257/ 58