Cue the good times at Afterhour

Bill Blade, Contributor, Jakarta

Afterhour, Gedung Sarinah Lt 2, Jl. MH Thamrin No. 11, Central Jakarta. Tel: 39832047. Open from 12 midday to 2 a.m. every day

There was a time, not so many moons ago, when the beastly editor (whose name thou shalt not speaketh), was wont to insinuate that yours truly was losing touch with the younger generation.

Those days are now gone, only to have been horribly replaced by snide comments and aspersions about obesity and my somewhat ungainly physical appearance.

But what is a bar reviewer to do, I ask you? This is a profession that is notably unassociated with physical exertion, save for elbow-bending and certain, drink-induced nocturnal sports normally engaged in with members of the opposite sex.

But never fear, hope springs eternal and all that. For Jakarta is now home to a number of upmarket pool joints that will soon get you exercising those triceps and deltoids while you strut your funky stuff around the pool table.

Which brings me conveniently to the subject of this week's dissection: Afterhour (yes, that's how they spell it), located on the second floor of the Sarinah building (just go up the Chili's escalator).

Here's lookin' at you: Well, first things first. Afterhour has got to be one of the coolest pool joints I've ever put chalk to cue in. Forget all that drivel about the ability to hit 8-ball being the sign of a misspent youth. Not on your life, mate. You're as likely to meet a Cabinet minister or a general as you are a college dropout in this joint.

Walk through those impressive wooden and glass doors and you're in a pool shark's cloud nine of twinkling lights, flashing cues and blue baize. On the right there's a small, but comfortable, bar while laid out in front of you is an array of spanking, brand-new pool tables. There's even a virginal snooker table tucked away in a roomy niche way over to your right.

But that's only the beginning because up the solid timber staircase there's an even greater wonderland for all pool aficionados.

With about twice as many pool tables as the downstairs hall and a much more purposeful crew of shooters than the assorted trendy couples down below, this would appear to be where it all comes together in the pool, and the drinking, stakes.

With a long, dark and intimate bar, TVs all tuned to the sports channels and attentive staff (y'all ain't gonna run dry 'round these here parts, nosirree!), this joint is more than up to keeping even the most demanding of lounge-lizardly sports fans contented.

The atmosphere is zapped up a notch by the great beat music pumping out of the top-of-the-range Bose sound system (not too loud, mind you). And the super-cold air conditioning means that not a bead of sweat will cross your troubled brow as you get your ass whipped in the 9-ball competition (every Friday from 9 p.m. onwards), or that strange beast they call the 9-speed-ball competition (every Saturday from 9 p.m. onwards), which, I must confess, I'm still a bit baffled about despite copious explanations from the staff.

What's it got?: Well, if the bartender is anything to go by, it's got so much that you'll want to bring along a mini mainframe to work it all out. With 150 different types of drinks and 80 cocktails available, all prepared by professional bartenders, you're likely to spend as much time choosing as you will drinking the thing (tip: avoid all classes of indecisive partners).

Pricewise, a draft Bintang will hit you for Rp 20,000, while a bottle of imported beer will set you back Rp 32,000. As for the hard stuff, a J.W. Black or Jack Daniels is to be had for Rp 56,000, while a Red Label or Old Bushmills is going for Rp 35,000. Most cocktails are to be had for Rp 42,000 (all prices exclude tax and a steep 15.5 percent service charge).

Happy hour is a munificent buy-one-get-one-free (for beers, and gin and tonics) from 12 noon until 10 p.m. And let's not forget the all-day policy of buy-one-second-one-half-price for all drinks.

There's also a fairly extensive menu, mostly devoted to the altar of Tex-Mex and coronary-inducing sugary stuff. Didn't try anything, but from what I could see from the bar (where I was thirstily ensconced), the chow didn't look half bad.

And don't let us forget the theoretical main attraction, Pool, which will set you back Rp 30,000 per hour.

Verdict: Is it a bar, is it a pool hall or is it a restaurant? No, Afterhour is all three, in fact, a trendy hangout where you can ogle the beautiful people or while the night away watching a soccer match, whichever tickles your fancy. In other words, its got a bit of something for everybody. Well recommended on all fronts!