Review: Burapha Beer Hall

[Chris Pattaya]

'Right, I've got a great idea.

You know how these micro-breweries are making loads of dosh?

So, what we do is: we build a brewery-bar complete with barrel frontage, we get a good band, nice food and......um, sell beer Chang as it's cheaper and easier than making our own'

So must have gone the conversation between the owners of the Burapha Beer Hall which has just opened opposite the Nova Park (Jamesons).

I love micro-breweries such as Tawandaeng in Bangkok and when I first spotted this 'beer-sot' pub I was delighted. At last somewhere to drink great beer in Pattaya which wasn't the uber-pretentious Hopf on beach road.

It was a let down.

Ok, the beer is just within the reasonably priced bracket at 150 a litre for Chang and 199 for the umbiquitous Heineken and the band is better than average for a standard Thai pub and, yes, I was thrilled with the fusion attempt on the menu which offered a chinese spring roll stuffed with ham, cheese and asparagus but, come on, if you are a beer pub then make some decent beer. will you?

Oh, and stick another one of your stickers on my bloody car and I'll show you what else we use a beer glass for in Wales.

Large, clean, chillingly air-conditioned and with the sort of attentive service that makes you want to reach for your can of mace, Burapha is trying hard to get itself a niche in the notoriously fickle world of Thai-aimed entertainment.

Decently priced with professional entertainment and a pianist out on the veranda I still don't give it 6 months before it becomes a disco, despite the fact that they have some terrific deals on whisky at present.

Too empty, too samey, too......bland.

 

Food: ***

Drinks **

Atmosphere *

Service ****

Value ***

Cleanliness ****

Might keep a Thai happy when your 'companion' has got restless and you can't afford Cammpan.