FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS
LasVegasMagazine.com
@lasvegasmagazine
• Libation •
Foynes Original Irish Coffee It doesn’t get more Irish than this traditional specialty cocktail, the Foynes Original Irish Coffee. First, the glass is heated, after which a tablespoon of brown sugar is added, followed by some fresh-brewed coffee. Then a shot of Powers Irish whiskey is added; it’s then topped with a made-in-house whipped heavy cream. Don’t use a straw, says Hillen: The best way to get the full flavor experience is to drink the hot coffee and whiskey straight through the thick, cold cream. (This writer couldn’t put the drink down—it was that good!) –KM
Benefit
You can learn how to do a perfect pour of Guinness when you take a class at the nearby Guinness Store.
20
4.24.22
LAS VEGAS MAGAZINE
Susan Hillen
Bartender is the real deal Rí Rá Irish Pub at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place is the real deal, and lead bartender Susan Hillen is the real deal, too. The authentic Irish pub employs many people from Ireland, and Hillen is one such person. Born and raised in a small town in Ireland called Dundalk, Hillen, who has dual citizenship, moved to the U.S. when she turned 21. She landed in Florida working a short while for Ritz-Carlton, where she did everything from housekeeping to bartending. She moved back home briefly but then returned to the states and was hired at Rí Rá in Atlanta. She spent almost three years bartending there before she was approached to help open the Las Vegas location. “And here I am, 11 years later,” Hillen says. “I love it. Every day is different. You meet new people from all over the world and people from different cultures. I even have my regulars that have been coming since day one. I love getting to know people.”
As Hillen says this, her boss shouts from the bar, “We don’t have that long a day, to tell you how much she likes meeting new people!” While he was just poking fun, this tells you a lot about the type of person and bartender Hillen is—she’s friendly, makes her guests feel welcome, and genuinely wants to get to know them. “You have to be warm and welcoming,” Hillen says. “I love getting everyone interacting together at my bar. I love giving them an experience of Ireland.” Besides the authentic décor, a lot of which was shipped directly from Ireland, another authentic experience Hillen provides is the “perfect pour of Guinness.” She’s a certified perfect-pour Guinness ambassador. “I’ve had a better pint here than I’ve had at some bars in Ireland,” she says. “You can be the judge about our Guinness. We do the perfect pour. A real good, creamy, pint.” In other words, the real deal. Just like her. –Kiko Miyasato
Photos by Christopher DeVargas
