You Love Japanese Baseball. You Just Don't Know It.

In this week's post, we'll discuss Japanese baseball, some truth about proper pints of Guinness, and a review of McMullan's Irish Pub in Las Vegas.

Japanese Baseball – Add it to your List.  Thing 2 (kids are Thing 1 and 2) fled the nest and did a semester abroad in Japan.  Just outside Osaka.  When I visited, I insisted that we go to a baseball game.  So we made a pilgrimage to see the Hansin Tigers play at home. 

When I entered the stadium, I felt like an Amish kid at Best Buy.  It was a Sunday afternoon and the stadium was absolutely packed.  The stands were filled with flags and signs everywhere. 

Yes.  It was hat giveaway day.  The Red pilfered mine when I got back.  She looks better in it anyway.

To say the fans were into the game would be a gross understatement.  Like me saying I kinda married out of league.  Each home player had their own song that the fans knew!  When he came up to the plate, thousands of fans would sing to him!

When the Tigers were on defense you’d kinda expect it to quiet down, right?  Wrong.  The other team’s crazy fans and band (yes – a band) would fire up.

And the people all around us were friendly and wildly happy.  I’m 6’2” 230 lbs.  They see me navigating my way back to my seats with two beers in my hands and think I must be some sort of deranged gaijin Godzilla.  You’d think they might be a little taken aback. 

But, you’d be wrong.  They couldn’t have been friendlier.  Many didn’t speak English, but it didn’t matter.  It’s baseball.  Check out Thing 2 at the game.  Suffice it to say they were fascinated with the ginger.

Maybe the best part of the game – there are vendors walking the stands that will pour you an ice-cold Asahi draft and send it down the aisle to you.  And this lovely nectar on a warm day cost about $5!  You know what you get an MLB game for $5?   Nothing.  Check it:

An absolutely incredible experience.  Can’t wait to go to another game.

Side note – Japan is not expensive to visit.  You can make it expensive, but you don’t have to. The $5 beers at a professional sporting event are just one example. 

Can you get a Proper Guinness Outside of the Holy Land (Irish version)?  There are people like me who have been to Ireland and enjoyed Guinness from the source (literally).  There is a smaller segment of those people that will swear that you can only get a proper Guinness in Ireland. 

That, as an Irishman might say, is fooking shite.  And it sounds boujee as hell!  No.  The irony of that statement is not lost on me. 

I will grant you that the majority of bars and pubs in the U.S. don’t take the time to serve Guinness correctly.  It comes out very black with odd looking foam on top (if any), and it tastes bitter and gross. Dirty beer lines and sheer laziness.

It is also true that Guinness is great at virtually any pub in Ireland.  No bartender there would dare mail it in like they do here.  I think it might be illegal to do so.  It’s…. beautiful. 

But there are places near you that are doing the Lord’s work and serving Guinness properly, and one of those is McMullan's.  

McMullan’s Irish Pub, Las Vegas.   McMullan’s is about 2 miles west of the Strip just off of Tropicana.  The outside is very nondescript.  Like “Am I at the right place?!” nondescript. 

But feast your eyes on the inside.  The entire inside is warm wood with accumulated knick knacks everywhere.  There are also these semiprivate nooks and crannies where you can sit.  No snug in this place, but they do have separate little rooms you can go into. The ambience sluts should flock to this place!  I know two that already have.

Yes.  I see the TV’s.  It’s America.  We Americans have the attention span of Dori in Finding Nemo.  We must be allowed to look at our phones, watch TV, drink a beer, and attempt to have a conversation.  All at once.

Plus, there are other rooms and spaces where you don’t see the TV’s.

Most importantly, the Guinness is wonderful.  In my ever so humble opinion, this might be the best Guinness I’ve had outside of Ireland.  Check out the beer porn.

Those are homemade crisps (chips) with curry dipping sauce.  You don’t know you love those, but you do.  Wait.  That last line sounded like Anthony Bourdain.  I’ll take it.

Normally, I would do a food review because I usually love the food at McMullan’s.  But, the last time I went, it simply was not up to par.  I love this place, so I’ll chock it up to a bad day.  I’ll report back.

One more for ambience sluts.  Check out the hostess station.   Looks like a church pew. 

Next time you’re in Vegas, go to McMullan’s.  It’s a welcome respite from the craziness of the Strip and a place to enjoy the nectar of the gods as it’s supposed to be served.    

Happy cooking.

WF