The Two Irish Bars

两个爱尔兰酒吧

Written, Photos by ( 作者,图片来源 ): Vincent R. Vinci 魏文深

Shamrock

O’Reilly’s

Of all the bars here in Ningbo, both Shamrock in Lao Waitan and O’Reilly’s in Portman stand out not only because they’re Irishstyle pubs, but because they’re both great places to frequent and meet people from around the city, all in a homely and comfortable environment. Now, I don’t know if they’re both an exact copy of a bona fide Irish pub, but each one bears a striking resemblance to all the Irish bars I frequented when back home in the States. They serve Guinness on tap, they have an allday English breakfast, they serve up mince pie and other goodies, and both have an ungodly amount of Guinness memorabilia. Perhaps the biggest thing that sets these two Ningbo mainstays apart is that they both feel like home. Shamrock was the first bar I ever went to in Ningbo and Laowaitan. I have many fond memories there and still go often. It was the first place where I was introduced to the equally confusing and adrenaline laden sport that is Gaelic football by my former Irish coworkers, and the only place in town where, for the first few months of my stay, I could go to get a quality pint of Guinness to enjoy on the weekends. I had heard about O’Reilly’s but only went for the first time sometime around last Christmas. Each has it’s own sensibilities and distinct feel, but they both hold a special place in my heart. To learn more about Ningbo’s two Irish bars, I sat down with O’Reilly’s owner Vivian Hong over a pint of the black stuff.

Hong told me that the main draw of the two pubs is their homely feel, and that people should feel welcome in the bars.

She was soon joined by Herbert, the owner of Shamrock. Shamrock came to Ningbo 9 years ago, while O’Reilly’s opened 8 years ago, but both bars have been going strong to this day. Besides the Guinness and other great beers on tap, O’Reilly’s has started serving up some quality cocktails that are actually spot on and good. Take their whiskey sour for instance. While most other places just do whiskey and some orange juice and call it a whiskey sour, this was the whole shebang: ample whiskey with lemon juice and ice, topped with egg yolk, a slice of lemon and cherry. Soothing on a cold

A Look at Ningbo Favorites O’Reilly’s and Shamrock

欧莱丽和三叶草

winters day and goes down smooth.

Both bars are certainly Irish bars, but they both couldn’t be more different. O’Reilly’s is located in the Portman area, right across the street from the Sheraton Hotel. Entering through the bright red exterior with a shamrock adorning the keystone over the entrance, it’s like being transported to a different world. To the left is the bar, long with a case for liquor and taps for beer. There are tall tables near the bar and a separation affixed with porthole windows behind which there are more tables. Walls are covered not only with Guinness memorabilia but, oddly enough, reprints of advertisements and details of the RMS Titanic, something Vivian never fully explains. O’Reilly’s is a definitive bar, darkened spaces, pool table near the back, smoke filling the room. Shamrock, on the other hand, is much different. It is lighter on the inside, with a similar bar space to O’Reilly’s but more open. The tables near the bar aren’t high, and the back of the bar is occupied by red-padded bench seating, more tables and the ever important pool table. It is situated on Zhongma Road, one of Laowaitan's busiest lanes. The white walls bring in light, and a wooden statue of the Guinness Toucan welcomes guests inside.

If it’s food you’re looking for at the pubs, look no further than the All-Day Breakfast. The All-Day Breakfast is a traditional English breakfast featuring two fried eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, garlic bread and a fried tomato with beans. It’s the best way to start your day (or end, for that matter) and fills you right up. Washed down with a nice coffee and/or orange juice is the way to go. They do serve Irish Coffee at both establishments, but its not so much a breakfast thing as a nice afternoon or evening pick-me-up.

What really makes Shamrock and O’Reilly’s great is their charm. While new places keep popping up all the time, I am always drawn back to these two Ningbo classics.

在宁波的酒吧当中，老外 滩的三叶草和波特曼的 O’Reilly’s都很受欢迎。这 不仅因为它们是爱尔兰风格 的酒吧，还因为它们提供了 一种自在舒适的环境，适合 经常和朋友小聚。好吧，其实 我不确定它们是不是那种很 正宗的爱尔兰酒吧，但它们 和我以前在美国常去的那些 爱尔兰酒吧差不多。它们供 应桶装健力士黑啤、全日英 式早餐、肉馅饼和其他好吃 的。两家店里都随处可见健 力士纪念物。但我想它们最 出彩的地方还是给人一种宾 至如归的感觉。

老外滩的三叶草是我在 宁波去的第一家酒吧，留有 我的很多美好回忆，直到现 在也还经常出入。在这里，我 的前爱尔兰同事第一次向我 介绍了爱尔兰式足球，那是 一种激动人心的运动。这里 也是我到宁波最初的几个月 里唯一一个可以在周末去喝 一杯健力士黑啤的地方。对 于O’Reilly’s我早有耳闻， 但直到去年圣诞节左右才第 一次造访。两个酒吧各有特 色，但在我心里的分量都弥 足轻重。为了更深入地了解 这两家爱尔兰酒吧，我坐下 来，和吧主Vivian Hong一边喝着黑啤一边畅 谈。她告诉我两家酒吧最大的吸引力还是那种 舒适的氛围，让人们感到自在随心。

她很快有了新的生意伙伴Herbert，来打 理三叶草的生意。三叶草在宁波开张已有9年 之久，O’Reilly’s也已经有8年，两家都发展 得很好。除了健力士和其他啤酒，它们都开始 提供优质正点的鸡尾酒。就拿威士忌酸酒来 说，很多其他地方只是把威士忌和橙汁随便一 调了事，而这两家都是在足量威士忌中加入柠 檬汁和冰块，最上面放上蛋黄、柠檬片和樱 桃，很适合在寒冷的冬天饮用。

两家店虽然都是爱尔兰酒吧，却有很多不 同之处。O’Reilly’s在东港喜来登酒店对面 的波特曼大街上，走进拱顶上装饰了三叶草图 案的亮红色大门，就好像来到了另一个世界。 左边是吧台，有一个酒箱和很多啤酒龙头。吧 台旁边有一些高桌，用舷窗隔开的区域放置了 更多的桌椅。奇怪的是，墙上除了健力士纪念 物之外，还有很多泰坦尼克号的宣传和介 绍，Vivian从来没有解释过其中原因。

O’Reilly’s是个典型的酒吧，环境幽暗， 尽头放置了台球桌，满屋子的烟味。三叶草则 完全不同，里面的灯光比较亮，面积和 O’Reilly’s差不多，但更为开放，吧台边的桌 子不高，后面是红色长条座椅、更多的桌椅和 至关重要的台球桌。它坐落于老外滩最繁忙的 街道中马路上，白色外墙较为明亮，健力士巨 嘴鸟木雕像在欢迎宾客的到来。

如果你想在酒吧吃点东西的话，就来试试 全日英式早餐吧。这是传统的英国早餐，由两 个煎蛋、火腿、培根、香肠、蒜蓉面包和西红柿 炒豆子组成。这是开始（或者结束，都一样）一 天最棒的方式，给你注入满满能力，配以咖啡 或者橙汁最好了。它们还提供爱尔兰式咖啡， 但还是在下午或者傍晚用来提神更好。

三叶草和O’Reilly’s的魅力让它们独树一 帜，新的店在不断地出现，我还是经常光顾这 两家经典老店。