HAVANA
Visitors to South Jakarta's premier Pondok Indah Mall Street Gallery looking to enjoy a good bar can look for the private lift and be whisked into HAVANA, a polished, suave venue offering warm hospitality, good food and an enviable range of drinks. The towering ceiling lends itself to dramatic décor and a bar with high shelves filled with spirits, while the tiled floor, polished dark wood, curves and archways, plus the leather sofas and booths make for a distinctly old European feel. There is plenty of space at the bar to sit and discuss your drink choices with the bartenders, or pull up a chair at one of the tables or slide into a booth with friends to catch up and spend the evening over good food and good drinks. The height of the building allows for a mezzanine floor that provides a more secluded and slightly quieter venue upstairs with great views over the lively lower floor. The sound track is vibrant and there is live music most nights with different themes to appeal to different people.
The bartenders are passionate about drinks and are always happy to chat and suggest something to tickle your palate. Cocktails with special focus include, obviously, rumbased drinks such as mojitos, including the Falermary Mojito, an adventurous concoction of Jamaican white rum, falernum syrup, rosemary, lime, mint and soda water. There is also an excellent and extensive collection of whiskies, from The Macallan, to John Walker & Sons Odyssey and Japanese Hibiki, including a 30-year old vintage.