Those who know Kemang only in passing would think that the area is just a potpourri of fancy restaurants, dodgy nightclubs and lavish residential area belonged to expatriates. Well, whoever thinks of this surely lacks the imagination and desire to travel, because the best of Kemang is, in fact, wouldn’t be found unless one takes a detour from the packed Kemang Raya Street and travels deep into its byways.
Even though Kemang has witnessed a lot of openings and closings of establishments over the years, the neighbourhood seems to have adjusted itself, where it now caters to a broad spectrum of visitors. To begin with, it’s quite apparent how the area branches out to two major clientele: youngsters and families.
For starters, if we direct our view to the east of Kemang — where it boasts a variety of cosy establishments — it’s fairly easy to spot stylish young adults or even your favourite musician at a random coffee shop. Over at the north side of Kemang, the rather sleepy area has slowly opened itself to a community of cyclists and skaters, who station themselves at 7 Speed Coffee.
However, that doesn’t mean that the whole neighbourhood is not family-friendly. On the contrary, family-friendly enterprises are proud to call Kemang home over the years. Come weekend, the typical morning view is of parents and their little troops fuelling up at their favourite brunch establishments. Meanwhile, other families usually opt to lodge themselves at the pet-friendly COMO Park, which comes with a dog park, with the company of their canines.
In other words, Kemang definitely has a unique blend of clientele. Nevertheless, it further highlights that there is, as a matter of fact, something for everyone in this neighbourhood.