Escape from Douchebaggery, Part 28: Firkin on Paradise

The British Pub is not a particularly novel concept when it comes to bar themeing, either in Las Vegas or anywhere else. But when done well, a good British Pub is like the comfort food of bars, especially since the good ones literally serve comfort food. And beer of course, which is basically the perfect comfort beverage.
Firkin on Paradise, the new family-run British pub located in the strip-mall on Harmon Avenue and Paradise Road, offers everything you'd want and a little more in a British Pub. The place doesn't break any sort of new ground in terms of decor and design, and you can probably find similar places like it in every town across the country where people like to drink... but that's sort of the point. It's got a nice homey, neighborhood vibe and it executes everything its set out to do in a warm and inviting setting.

The main reason the place is so warm and inviting is probably because the owners are husband and wife duo Tony and Mariel Sharron, who told The Las Vegas Weekly that "we put our heart and souls into this place. It's our fourth child." The personal touch really makes the Pub special as the owners set out to open a place that would appeal to Beer lovers as well as a family friendly restaurant (if you find places that emphasize their Beer selection and often host rowdy patrons screaming at Football games while knocking back more than a few adult beverages to be friendly towards families, that is).

Thus the place features large booths, Shuffleboard and Pool tables, and Dart Boards, as well as flat-screen TVs for enjoying the big game. The menu is chock-full of Pub foods of a higher quality than most similar places, with the standout option being the Wednesday night all-you-eat Wings deal, a pretty dangerous though fun in the moment option that I took full advantage of on my last trek out to Vegas. The entire menu is impressive, and nothing costs all that much (or in Yelp parlance, this is a place that rates a mere $$).

But any Pub is only as good as their Beer selection, and Firkin has a fine list of Beers on tap indeed. With over 42 Brews available, there is a great selection of interesting Crafts as well as more popular options for those with a less adventurous palette. I've been on a giant Stone kick since I visited their awesome Bistro and Gardens outside of San Diego on the Sunday after Comic-Con weekend, and I enjoyed a few pints of their famous Arrogant Bastard Ale to cool down from the piles of extra-spicy Wings I consumed. They've also got a few Ballast Point beers on tap (another wonderful San Diego Brewery), including the incredible Sculpin IPA, which might well my second favorite IPA right now. (It ranks behind Russian River's legendary and a slightly scarce Pliny the Elder. I'm of course not counting the same brewery's legendary Pliny the Younger Triple IPA because it's only available once a year, but  that amazing beer justifiably earned its crown as the greatest in the world.) People looking for a little sweetness along with their Beer may enjoy their Bee Sting, Lager & Lime, Shantygraff, or Radler, in which Honey, Sprite, Ginger Ale, or Lemonade are added to a Brew of your choice, but I personally don't see the point in diluting the balance of a well brewed Ber. Another cool feature is the bar's Draft Wall, where you can pour your own drinks (though if you think that would make it easy to sneak a free drink or two, think again... they've got that system on lock-down).

There's no new ground being broken at Firkin on Paradise... it's just a solid and warmly inviting British Pub run by a husband wife duo serving delicious and affordable comfort food and pouring a terrific selection of cold Beer. It may not be revolutionary, but it's close to perfect.

Escape from Douchery, Part 13: Public House at The Venetian

With the arrival of Public House at The Venetian, craft beer culture has truly arrived in Las Vegas... and at one of the most popular resorts in the middle of The Strip, no less.

Gastropubs serving upscale bar food and rotating craft beer selections have become all the rage in LA. What started as a trend for Eastsiders looking for something more flavorful than Budweiser to pair with their burgers has become a hot trend all over the city. Now even a square patch of the greater LA area like Studio City boasts Boneyard Bistro, a funky yet upscale joint that serves Kobe Beef Chili-filled Donuts, taps kegs of Russian River Brewery's legendary Pliny the Younger (a beer-geek obsession released just once a year that's so perfect it's worth murdering everyone you've ever loved to score a pint), and plays obscure indie bands like Woods in the background.

And now Vegas is getting in on the act, in the most mainstream of venues. While microbreweries are not a new trend in Vegas, Public House at The Venetian is one of the first high profile Gastropubs on The Strip. And it stacks up nicely against the many similar joints in Los Angeles.

Public House Venetian has an upscale yet loose and relaxed vibe, with low tables in the bar area and plush leather booths in the main dining room. Rich brown woods line the walls and flooring, while funky art hangs all over the space. The Pub-House can get pretty loud at night, with crowds of excited patrons drowning out the chilled-out background music. The food is awesome; I shared a few small plates, including Roasted Bone Marrow (a delicious taste adventure if you're willing to take the journey) and tried their Pub Burger, which compared favorably to the legendary offerings from LA's Father's Office and The Lazy Ox Canteen.

But the beer is the main attraction of a good Gastropbub, and Public House at The Venetian has no shortage of great suds on tap at a place with the motto "united we stand, pint in hand" (which is incredibly stupid but I secretly love rhymes, so I'll allow it). The restaurant offers hundreds of Beers, served out of taps, bottles, and casks, sourced from some of the best breweries in the country. I'm a big fan of Dogfish Head Beers (as is anyone who is "into beer" in a real way), so I started with their famous 90-Minute IPA. But then I found out that Public House had puled out the big guns by employing the first Cicerone (a fancy-pants job that is basically the Beer-version of a Sommelier) in the state of Nevada. I flagged the guy down to pick his brain/ prove what I knew (because I'm horribly insecure and was seeking validation of any kind). He clearly knew his stuff and I ended up getting talked into a delicious Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, which has also become somewhat legendary in Beer Advocate reading circles.  Like any great Gastropub, the owners of Public House are always swapping out what they have on Tap and in their Casks.

Public House at The Venetian is just a part of a trend that's spreading quickly through Las Vegas. Todd English P.U.B. at Aria has already tapped into the craze, while The Luxor is opening their own restaurant called Public House that's totally unrelated to the gem in The Venetian. The Cosmopolitan has Holstein's, while The Pub at Monte Carlo has a pretty decent selection of beers on tap. But The Venetian's Public House is your best bet if you want to experience an LA-style gastropub, with a menu of delicious upscale bar food, a funky-cool atmosphere, and a brew selection that will make even the most pretentious beer geeks swoon.