This Kemang’s wine boutique and lounge just got a revamp with different concept, making the place more spacious and livelier.
First opened its doors in August 2008, The Chateau & TOBACCOS (also known as C&T), had been a wine and tobacco store that accommodated 30-seat lounge for customers to enjoy their wines and cigars.
After having a 3-month renovation, C&T reopened on January 19 this year with different setting and interior. I realize the differences when visiting the place. There are no partitions that separate the store and lounge, both of which are now connected in one space. However, the lounge takes up more space and C&T has evolved more into a bar rather than a store, even though I could see the bottles displayed for customers who make the purchase to go.
“We have 50 seats now, including the space to seat ten customers along the bar’s wall,” Grace Saerang, one of the owners, says. Grace joined with three other owners before the revamp. “She contributed a lot of ideas in building up the new C&T,” Anto B Mulyanto, another owner, adds. Both Grace and Anto hand in hand manage C&T along with the other two owners who wish to remind anonymous.
Aside from maintaining the same lighting and classic European style, the new wooden oak barrel chairs in the table setting truly make the new venue look more French.
The other obvious changes in the revamp are the C&T’s restroom and new logo. The place didn’t have a restroom, so customers had to share public restroom equipped by X-Plus Fun Square, the commercial complex where C&T is nestled. “Designed with cozy interior, the presence of the new restroom undoubtedly facilitates the convenience for C&T’s customers,” says Anto, while Grace points at the small tobaccos room. “We don’t make any change to the room, which still displays high quality cigars from countries such as Cuba, Honduras and Indonesia.”
Despite keeping the tobaccos room attached with the C&T’s business core, the new logo no longer carries the words branding “wine and tobaccos”, but “wine and beer” instead.
In addition to offering a great selection of old and new world wines from various countries, the new C&T lists beers including the “rare to find” ones, from Belgium Pink Killer and Chapeau Kriek to French Blanche de Namur.
While tasting the Belgium Pink Killer, I notice the livelier atmosphere with the acoustic live band performance. It was Wednesday night when a local band Lovekoustik put the visitors in a jovial mood with classic rock songs.
C&T features acoustic live performance every Wednesday and Friday, starting up at 9 p.m. on both days.
“It’s a great venue to hang out, indeed. The new ambience gets the merrier crowd. I get the feel of C&T now more as a chilling out place rather than a store,” Andre, one of the regulars, says.
There is food on the menu such as nasi goreng and fish and chip. But people come here with colleagues or friends usually for a chat while sipping their favorite vintages or beers. And some people come in to grab their bottles to take home. Whatever the choice is, the new C&T should be included in ‘gotta-go-there’ list.
By Aulia R. Sungkar. Published in Kemang Buzz, April 2011.