COCONUTS HOT SPOTS — The straw-colored, hyper-carbonated Sapporo beer is one of the most well-known brews to come out of the Land of the Rising Sun, and now drinkers can enjoy a heady pint of the lager at a new hole-in-the wall joint in Thong Lor.
Sapporo Bar is a eponymous commercial venture by the Japanese brewery, so you won’t find any beers other than the namesake lager, but that’s not a bad thing. Sapporo’s lager has a signature Japanese crispness at a wallet-friendly 159THB a pint. That means you get a brewed-in-Japan, real Japanese alternative to the foul-tasting domestic brews widely available for your usual after office boozing session.
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An added bonus is the character behind the bar, Masashi Nishidate, who both runs the house and pours the booze. He’s a jovial fellow with a constant smile. Most nights he can be found conversing in super-fast Japanese with the businessmen on a nightly mission to get wrecked before heading home.
For those who don’t believe in the virtues of beer, there are three Japanese spirit varieties available: Nihonsyu, Syochu, and Umeshu. All can be incorporated into classic cocktail creations, served straight, or mixed with soda for a reasonable 159THB.
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According to Mr. Nishidate, nothing goes better with a glass of Sapporo than Japanese mozzarella cheese. Oddly, the Japanese take on the Italian creation is imported directly from Hokkaido’s Terada Farm. The handmade cheese comes served as sliced portions (220THB) or served as mozzarella caprese (240THB).
While the mozzarella may be unique, tried and true Japanese drinking fare is also available. Opt for the garlic pickled in soy sauce (100THB) or the salted cuttlefish (80THB) to really contrast the clean taste of Sapporo, or complement the crispness with some Mongolia mutton barbeque from Hokkaido(330THB).
To catch an even better price on the Sapporo draft come from Monday or Tuesday and snag the brews for 139THB.
Sapporo Bar
Thong Lor 15, meters away from Badmotel
