Menteng

Menteng , the “ Beverly Hills ” of Indonesia , is known as a neighborhood for bureaucrats, diplomats and crème de la crème of Jakarta . Supported by easy access to service centers and nearby to the central business district, Menteng is one of the most exclusive areas for residential real estate in Jakarta .

Most of the boulevards are lined with shadowy old trees that earn the label for Menteng as the first park town in Indonesia (Adolf Heuken SJ and Grace Pamungkas, 2001). Designed by the Dutch Colonial Government in 1920s, Menteng still retains its graceful existence with its beautiful parks, cozy street cafés and luxurious housing complexes.

One of the parks is Situ Lembang, a shady green park area with a vast lake in the middle. In the afternoon, you will find many cars parked by Situ Lembang, as office workers enjoy their lunch in the quiet retreat by the lake. There are a myriad food and juice vendors from which you can order. Do not miss the famous Nasi Gila (Crazy Rice), a combination of fried rice, slices of chicken, sausages and eggs served with tasty condiments. Quite a culinary experience!

Many roads leading to central Jakarta pass through and/or by Menteng, resulting in congestion by private and public transportation in peak hours. Traffic has increased dramatically since 20 years ago, coupled with the lack of serious road infrastructure development, driving can be a nightmare during rush hours. Despite these negatives, it is still one of the premiere residential areas of Jakarta 's elite.