Is the New Toilet Cafe in Indonesia Stomach Churning or Fun? Decide For Yourself

^{Photo credit: Jamban Cafe/Facebook}

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These days there is more to just going out to eat at a fancy restaurant, you can in fact turn it into an adventure which is exactly what a cafe in Indonesia is doing, with a bizarre yet fascinating theme.

Guests at the "Jamban Cafe" sit on the toilet seats around the table and can order "bakso" - a traditonal Indonesian meatballs floating in soup-filled latrines along with brightly coloured, alcohol-free cocktails. The cafe - whose name "Jamban" means toilet in Indonesian - has been open since April and currently only welcomes small groups who book ahead.

This is not a very new concept since other countries like Russia and Taiwan also have similiar toilet themed restaurants but what makes this Indonesian cafe different is the social message behind it. Owner Budi Laksono, a public health expert who used to work for the local government aims at educating people about sanitation and encourage the increased use of toilets. Millions of people in Indonesia still live below the poverty line and the country has one of the world's highest rates of open defecation - defecating outside and not using proper sanitation system which increases the risk of spreading diseases. The cafe was constructed and maintained with a joint fund from a wide range of donors including doctors and public companies that advocate for public sanitation.

Apparently the unique and educative approach has failed to create an impression on the clerics of the muslim populated country as they feel it is inappropriate and against islamic law. Other than that it has been assured that the food and everything in the cafe is carefullly sanitized and hygienic.