Another pesky road closure saw us turn onto Cliffe Road in Strood where I found the Bass Bar, although the branding had me thinking unlucky 13 at first.<\/p>\n
There were eight TV screens above the bar, with seven of them displaying an insignificant and entirely pointless sporting event \u2013 the most interesting screen was blank and presumably broken.<\/p>\n
No-one, including our hosts, cared one jot what was showing and when the remote was handed to the regular at the bar, even he couldn\u2019t muster enough interest to select anything other than Aussie Rules.<\/p>\n
Apart from the two regulars and me, there was a table of six diners who were belching so loudly I began to wonder if they were trying to drown out the music.<\/p>\n
The traditional old pub doorway has a sign over the top making it very clear what to expect – Bar & Indian Grill
There’s a good sized outdoor seating area at the front of the bar, part covered in the shade, part open to the elements<\/p>\n
The leading burper was on the draught Rekorderlig and rather rudely ordering a special vindaloo as a takeout.<\/p>\n
There was no ale on offer, so I\u2019d chosen a Madri \u2013 my glass read: \u2018The soul of Madrid\u2019 which apparently evokes the spirit and culture of Spain\u2019s capital despite being made in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire.<\/p>\n
It had a reasonable amount of fizz and the barman had just enough English for me to get him to understand what I wanted.<\/p>\n
No-one had the slightest clue about the sport of Aussie Rules but you\u2019d have to describe this as a sports bar, mixed in equal measure with an Indian restaurant.<\/p>\n
There is a big projector to the left-hand side of the bar and also a pool table with a far-too-large picture of Cristiano Ronaldo on the wall behind, though at least he was producing the only smile in the place!<\/p>\n
There were eight TV screens above the bar, seven were showing a game of Aussie Rules Football, one wasn’t working
Tastefully lit with cooling blue light, there is a large seating area in the main restaurant on the right-hand side of the bar<\/p>\n
There was no sign of a dartboard, any fruit machines or a jukebox, although the soundtrack, played fairly loudly on the speakers, included Backbone by Devender Ahlawat, Roti by Kulbir Jhinjer and Talashi by Mankirt Aulakh.<\/p>\n
Once the rowdy table had cleared out, the clear-up operation around it could begin and the barman, the couple at the bar and even the chef visibly relaxed a little.<\/p>\n
I joked with the regulars about the spilled food and debris, and they told me this was nothing. They\u2019d been occasions when hoards of revellers had descended, and the clear-up was carried out with a shovel!<\/p>\n
But, as they pointed out, it brings in the money, so how can the management complain?<\/p>\n
Now it was quieter, and although I wasn\u2019t eating, I decided to switch to an Indian restaurant staple, a pint of Cobra and to spend some time getting my head around the Bas Bar.<\/p>\n
Our host stepped in quickly to clear up once the noisy diners departed
No-one showed the slightest interest in playing a frame during my visit but there is a pool table positioned under the projector
When in Rome! I wasn’t in to eat but I still felt it wouldn’t be right not to sample a pint of Cobra<\/p>\n
The furniture is all in good condition and the place, once the diners had departed, was cleaned and looked very tidy.<\/p>\n
There is a huge dining area and, apart from the massive \u2018Man v Bas Bar\u2019 artwork plastered across the walls, it is fairly tastefully decorated.<\/p>\n
The kitchen looked extremely well organised and very well maintained, the toilets may be a little on the tatty side, but they were certainly clean and fresh.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a large seating area at the front of the pub with a decent number of benches covered by a roof to protect against the elements.<\/p>\n
What is obvious to me is that there\u2019s no denying the Bas Bar knows its customers and is proud to supply them with what they want.<\/p>\n
I understand why the couple sat at the bar still keenly feel the loss of their beloved Cecil Arms, which closed up more than a decade ago, but it was never going to survive in its original form and has sadly gone the way of so many backstreet pubs.<\/p>\n
The artwork in the bar to the left featured a number of world famous sports stars
The Bas Bar menu is extensive and judging by the reaction of the one table of diners in during my visit represents good value for money<\/p>\n
What has replaced may not attract the most upmarket clientele at times but it appears to have hit on a winning commercial strategy.<\/p>\n
What is perhaps more puzzling is why these two regulars have continued to come here rather than find a more \u2018traditional\u2019 new boozer to frequent?<\/p>\n
Puzzling that is until I question them about the diners who\u2019ve just left and they tell me that\u2019s nothing: \u201cYou should see the oiks who frequent some of the other pubs around here\u201d \u2013 now, I was beginning to see the light at the Bas Bar, despite the neat and tidy slatted blinds positioned across every window.<\/p>\n
There is a fairly large outdoor seating area at the front of the pub and this section is covered to keep out the rain
I’m not sure what the Man v Bas Bar challenge involves but you certainly won\u2019t miss the sign
Whether you believe this lager captures the soul of Madrid or not it is certainly a refreshing pint<\/p>\n
BAS BAR, 14 CLIFFE ROAD, ROCHESTER ME2 3DS<\/p>\n
D\u00e9cor: Neat and tidy with smart, well-maintained furniture. It doesn\u2019t feel pub-like at all but care and attention has been lavished on this cross-breed Indian restaurant and faux sports bar. ****<\/p>\n
Drink: To judge by my usual rules would be unfair, there was never going to be ale here. It has all the staples you would expect, including the curry lovers\u2019 Cobra, and one of us at least appreciated the Rekorderlig on tap. ***<\/p>\n
Price: A pint of the spirit of Madrid was \u00a36 and that Indian curry house favourite, Cobra, was exactly the same price. I don\u2019t know for sure, but it may be that all pints cost the same six quid. ***<\/p>\n
Food: I wish I\u2019d been hungrier and could have sampled the food as it smelt and looked, very good but sadly I couldn\u2019t and therefore can\u2019t mark it.<\/p>\n
Staff: Again, it\u2019s not fair to apply my usual criteria here, there was no welcome, no smiles and a considerable language barrier but given what the barman faced, he stayed calm and performed admirably. ***<\/p>\n
The tables were all set ready for a rush of diners later
I didn’t need it but there looked to be a few select parking spaces at the front of this sports bar\/Indian restaurant
The gents looked a little on the tatty side but they looked and smelt fresh enough
I’m not sure why it was felt necessary to have two, or even three, mats in each of the urinals.<\/p>\n
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