Lara Djonggrang

Ah, the nouveau riche you've gotta love ‘em. I thought I had seen it all. In America , my home country, people get mega-rich every day. One day a ball player can be living in his car, and the next he's got a 20 million dollar deal with Nike. I remember once watching the MTV show, ‘Cribs', which offers viewers a through-the-keyhole look at the homes of the rich and famous. My favorite episode featured an American-football quarter back's home. In his bedroom ver his king-sized bed splay a chinchilla fur comforter. The lounge is outfitted with a ridiculously large flatscreen TV and black leather sofa and a sound system with monstrous speakers. On the wall hangs a picture of two snow leopards cuddling and a large portrait of his mother. Mind you, this tribute is not “in memoriam” – his mother is still very much alive. Anyone who looked at this house would not, even for a moment, conclude that the owner had taste. But it did convey one thing: Money and lots of it.

The same sort of lack of good taste exists in Jakarta among the parvenus. A chandelier can only be so big before it becomes an eyesore. Many of the houses here, just scream “Look at me, look at me! I have an underground parking garage, imported marble columns and the biggest plasma TV you've ever seen!”

But the newly opened Lara Djonggrang was the biggest slap in the face I have ever received. Too longed had I laughed at tasteless Indonesian wealth. Finally Indonesian wealth laughed back at me.

Laden with beautiful antiques from his family's collection, Pak Anhar's latest contribution to Jakarta 's dining scene is Dapur Babah's sister-restaurant, Lara Djonggrang. Described as Imperial Indonesian cuisine, this amazing establishment serves a wide range of Indonesian dishes in an impossibly breathtaking setting.

had the pleasure of attending the Grand Opening of Lara Djonggrang, which was graced with the presence of Governor Sutioso. My colleague who accompanied me had dined with Pak Anhar the week previous and gave me a sort of abridged tour and brief snippets about Pak Anhar and his mission to bring refined tasted back to Indonesia .