Eddy Sugiri is the owner of The Peak Resort Dining, a modern country style eatery. Situated on the hilltop, the restaurant offers a twinkling panorama of Bandung city. He also owns The Peak Connoisseurs, a high-end wine shop which currently has five stores in the city.
WHY DO YOU LIKE TO LIVE IN BANDUNG?
This is where I was born and I would never consider moving out of Bandung due to the city’s quality of life. Bandung’s friendly atmosphere and nice weather, to me, can be interpreted as the refugee of having a luxury time, especially after coming back from doing business and all day working. In addition, Bandung is a humanized city in a way that the people’s kind attitude has contributed to the safety of the city. You can walk here at any time without putting yourself in peril.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATION OF BANDUNG LIFE?
The demolition of heritage buildings in Bandung has really concerned me. There have been myriad of buildings being torn down for the city’s infrastructure reasons. The recent demolition of an old building on Braga Street is a sad phenomenon as the building is part of the character of the famous Braga. I always want to see Bandung as the city that maintains the aesthetic value, but unfortunately large-scale developers have different way of thinking.
HAVE YOU LIVED IN OTHER CITIES BEFORE?
I lived in Aachen, Germany for ten years; from 1972 ‘till 1982 during which I was taking five years of undergraduate study in architecture at RWTH Aachen University. While I was spending my five years of working in the field of architecture upon my graduate, I had the opportunity to have a short-stay in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Holland; Tuscany, Italy and Paris and Nice, France. I especially like Tuscany, Italy for its warm-hearted people.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BUILDING IN BANDUNG?
I always admire the old heritage complex of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). The buildings in the complex have the breath of Dutch East Indian architecture style. I also like Old residences situated along Dago.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE EATERY?
As Bandung is a paradise for food, it is hard for me to say what my most favourite eatery is. I like the homemade food cooked by my wife best. But I also enjoy having the taste of various street hawkers’ foods such as bakmi, batagor and bakso tahu. Bakmi Linggarjati and Bakmi Naripan are among the street hawkers where I treasure the most for spoiling my palate.
WHAT LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS CAN YOU SHARE?
I would say if you like the landscape, there is a spectacular area of the tea plantation in south of Bandung. The Old Dutch colonial tea house in Malabar is worth a visit. Still in the south area, you can go to the tea plantation in Pengalengan where visitors can take a walk or bike while enjoying the beautiful view of Cicoledas lake and morning panorama at wayang windu mountain.
WHERE DO YOU SHOP?
There are so many outlets, malls and even boutiques where you can shop here. Generally, I can shop at anywhere so long as the stores offer good quality of clothes. I like going to Paris Van Java to browse for the latest fashion trends. It’s also a great place for socialization. As for the household appliances and branded apparel, Bandung Super Mall is where I mostly go.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE WEEKEND LIKE?
Spending an evening relaxed time drinking wine while chatting with friends of mine at my restaurant.
By Aulia Rachmat, published in The Peak Magazine, July-August 2009.