Panda, Norwich

This former furniture store has been converted to create Norwich's answer to the craft beer bar. In a city renowned for excellent beer and pubs, there may not initially seem to be a need for such a venture, but the place was doing a good trade on my Saturday early evening visit, mostly from younger drinkers, suggesting that there is a point of difference here that makes it a worthwhile enterprise. The building is situated on a street corner, but the interior is long and shallow with the servery running along a short section of the back wall, close to the entrance. A tidy seating area is available in the front corner, with pews arranged under large lantern-style light shades and a TV screen on the wall, surrounded by salvers. Fridges dotted here and there display bottled beers and signs explain that the pub doubles up as a bottle shop, with the front windows incorporating a beer bottle display to illustrate the point to passers-by. The servery has a modern counter with a bare brick bar back and stands next to a long drinking ledge which runs to a cosier looking rear section with a bit of a lounge feel to it. Here, fairy lights, purple walls, plush banquettes and seats made from old casks combine to create the nicest spot in the pub - inevitably full on my visit. Stairs lead both up and down from this room, but I didn't feel inclined to establish where they lead. I counted twenty taps on the bar back - the in vogue method of dispense for this type of bar it seems - but there was no way of telling whether the beers they supplied were cask or keg, despite a large blackboard detailing all options. The beers on offer were an odd mix of well established mega brands like Guinness, Becks and Aspall's Cider alongside micro brewery products from the likes of Magic Rock, Summer Wine, Tiny Rebel and Wild Beer. I tried one of four Redwell beers on offer (IPA, 6%, £4.40 for a pint) which tasted like a keg beer but went down well enough. As well as the bottled beers mentioned earlier, take outs of all sorts are also promoted. The staff were prompt and friendly and crucially, seemed knowledgeable about the beers on offer. This was an interesting take on the craft beer bar, but not one that I was entirely sold on. I like the idea behind this place, but I'm not convinced it's been executed quite right. It's certainly worth a look if craft keg is your thing or if you want to pick up some exotic bottles, but as a pub it didn't quite do it for me.

Attractive, but inconspicuous, old building whose current usage is not immediately obvious. Once inside, the interior has a mixture of traditional and modern furniture / decor that seems to work quite well (apart from the benches in an alcove at the far end which are far from comfortable). Excellent range of craft (keg) beers from an impressive line of 20 taps, with my pint of London Fields Black Path Porter coming in at £3.75 and stronger brews priced by the half. Expensive, yes, but an interesting addition to the Norwich scene.

After visiting the Kings Head and enjoying proper pub banter and chatting away to other customers, I found this establishment a bit stuffy and prices well over the top. The bar is situated on the right-hand side as you enter. There was a line of twenty taps fixed into the back wall of the bar and a menu on the end of the bar displaying their extortionate prices for their ales. Not my cup of tea.