Week 84 The Martini

Welcome back readers, happy to have you with us again. We have gotten so many suggestions within the past few weeks of where to go for the blog so we are excited to try out some of those places very soon. Remember, you can always find our blog under the Local Interest section of the LV Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ . We also have a Facebook page that we update frequently and will be adding a new component to it soon so make sure to like our page if you haven't already www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So now that Brett is on a new schedule and doesn't get home until later on Saturday nights I am normally starving by the time it is date time. I was especially excited that when we were heading to The Martini because we had a prix fixe Groupon and that meant a lot of food for my starving belly. 

The Martini is located in Summerlin on Charleston and Ft. Apache. It is not too far from where we live now, which we love in a restaurant, so that is an added bonus. Entering The Martini was I immediately impressed by the vibe of the place. There was a big bar in the center that looked very upscale, not like your local bar that we sometimes all frequent. Surrounding the bar were leather chairs like we having in our family room that would surround little tables. It definitely seems like a fun place to kick back with your friends and enjoy some drinks. 

We were seated right away in the back where there is all tables for dining, flat screen tvs and fire places. What is cool is that where we sat you can check out the action of the bar too  but be away from the noise. Our waitress was very friendly and we ordered our drinks. Brett got a Side Car and I got a drink called the Hummingbird. In my Hummingbird there was Elderflower, soda water, and champagne. Let me tell you, it was delicious and I plan on making this at home! The coolest part about it was that you pour the drink into a beaker. 

I guess I should back up. The prix fixe menu included 2 drinks, 2 salads (house or Cesar), 1 appetizer, 2 meals and 1 dessert. For our appetizer we got truffle mac and cheese balls. They were absolutely to die for. Although I know they probably had enough calories for a day's worth, they were so worth it. We both chose Cesar salad too, which also was great. 

For dinner we both got the drunken Kobe burger with sweet potato fries. The burger was served on pretzel bun. I love when burgers are served that way. It was a huge burger, so I ate half and took half home to eat for lunch the next day. I would definitely order that again if I went there. 

For dessert we ordered the fried Oreo Sunday. I have never had fried oreos. We know I am not the biggest fried food fan. Let me tell you though, that dessert was one of the best that I have had in the 85 weeks we have been doing this blog. When I go back I will for sure be ordering that again. 

As for the service, our waitress was awesome. We never wanted for anything and she had good suggestions. It was so wonderful to have a pleasant experience at The Martini. I will definitely be back there. Without a doubt I rate The Martini a 5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

This week we went to "The Martini."  We have seen it multiple times since I used to live in the area, then a Groupon came along for a prix fixe menu.  The prix fixe Groupons are the best, this one included two drinks, an appetizer, two side salads, two entrees, and one dessert.  

When you walk in you just get a good vibe, the place looks like the cool place to go.  You would expect them to be the staple of a NY/Chicago nightlife.  Being they are in Vegas they are just one of the thousands of local bars.  They stand out though, they don't have a run of the mill look.  It doesn't look like a former chain bar converted.  They have a relaxing bar area, they have lounge chairs to relax as a group, and off to the side there is a nice modern dining room.  The look would go with "Herbs and Rye" and "Triple George Grill" which is a good thing.

The service here was stellar.  We walked into the dining room and were immediately sat, not that they were busy but they noticed us and made us feel welcome.  Our waitress was friendly and didn't ignore us after we told her we had the Groupon...sometimes we have found that servers blow you off once they know you have a deal/coupon.  She walked us through the deal and the menu, she had suggestions and made things flow well.  She did everything you want a server to do and wasn't overbearing, she was talkative but never lingered.  

First we started with our drinks, I ordered a Sidecar and Teray ordered a Hummingbird.  I used to work at a martini bar so the Sidecar used to be a staple and this one was just as good as I remember.  I had never heard of a Hummingbird, it was good but I would say it is more of a girl drink.  It isn't fruity or girly it is just cut with champagne and not strong, maybe save it for breakfast/brunch.  For our appetizer we decided to get the truffled mac n cheese balls.  I have never thought about deep frying mac n cheese...it is a pretty amazing idea.  I would consider getting two orders next time as an entree, they are awesome.  Side salads are not usually a point to talk about, I mean who cares about a small portion of lettuce with some dressing?  We both got the side Caesar and these were the exception.  They deserve to be mentioned.  I'm not sure but I would assume the dressing is homemade, if not I want to know the brand.  Even the lettuce was fresh and crisp.  Teray and I both decided to get the Drunken Kobe Burger.  I'm not sure why but I was craving a burger for a while, not a fast food burger, but a real juicing hot off the grill burger.  This burger is made with quality beef, prosciutto blue cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms, on top of a pretzel bun.  This filled my need and then some; I rarely get full on these dates but I couldn't even finish it.  Plus I had to save some room for dessert.  Which brings me to our finale.  We gave our server a couple options and told her to surprise us.  She decided to bring us the fried oreos and ice cream.  I saddened to say that this was the first time I have ever done the fried oreo thing...it won't be the last.  I am now planning on trying other fried items (twinkie, snickers bar, etc).

Overall I was very impressed.  I would recommend this place for pretty much everything from needing a drink to couples to groups.  If it was closer I would probably frequent here quite a bit.

Rating 5 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. As of this week-end the weather is warming up and I can't wait for the spring fashion season. This top is a sneak peek of what is to come. I love a crop top; it is one of my favorite pieces this year. This one of lime green and white is perfect to transition over to the spring. I paired it with high waisted black harem pants which are also from Patty's for a peek-a-boo look. It is nice to show a little skin once in awhile but we all know it is a fashion no no to put it all out there, that is why this top is perfect! You can find this look at the Rainbow location.

So if you haven't already make sure you like the Patty's Closet Facebook page which is linked above to check out all the latest details on store openings, events, and of course their biweekly shipment items. Patty's website also go a make over, so head over there and check it out. If you aren't lucky enough to have a PC near you, you can shop online by visiting the link as well at ilovepattyscloset.com .

Until next time, cheers to love, it's all you need. xo 

Week 83 Triple George Grill

Thanks for reading everyone. Hope you all are having a wonderful 2013 so far. I know that we definitely are. I can't believe January is almost over. Where did the time go? I guess time flies when you are having fun, and fun is definitely what we are having. 

Remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer under the "Local Interest" section http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. We also have a Facebook page which we update frequently so make sure to like it if you have Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants . 

After many requests from you guys (we love suggestions), I made a Keek which we will start making Keeks soon. In these Keeks we will post things from our dates and of course how I pick my outfits of the week provided by Patty's Closet. Once I get that up and running, I will let everyone know. For everyone that doesn't know what Keek is; it's where you make little video clips. 

What Teray Says...

This week Brett had some friends in town. I was excited because I had met them when we got engaged a few years back in Michigan during Brett's home coming. They were staying downtown so we decided on a downtown restaurant. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not really a fan of downtown. Well, let me rephrase that, I am not the biggest fan of walking around there where the casinos are because I always feel like there are some crazies down there. I do love First Friday, the art district, and the restaurant scene, so I guess I should have just started with I am not a fan of the crazies downtown. :)

We got to Triple George Grill and I immediately like the vibe of the place. A huge bar was in the middle with rooms to the back and to the left. We had a seat at the bar for a drink while we waited for our friends. Brett chose a Blue Moon and I had a pear martini rimmed with cinnamon. My drink was fantastic. By the end I couldn't drink the last few sips because it was pretty strong (I kept this drink throughout the whole dinner). 

Once our friends arrived we were seated in the back at a long table with a dimly lit atmosphere which I love when I am out to dinner; I feel like it makes a restaurant really swanky. Everyone ordered drinks and appetizers. Brett and I chose the Ahi tuna. The Ahi tuna came with veggies which were amazing and the tuna was even better, probably one of the best appetizers I have ever had at a restaurant. 

For our meals I ordered spicy shrimp and scallop pasta and Brett got more Ahi tuna. He must have really liked the appetizer. The food didn't take too long to come out, but gave us enough time to relax and enjoy ourselves at dinner. My food was beyond delicious, probably one of the best pasta dishes I have had in the city. The portion size was really big though so of course I gave over half of it to Brett. 

By the time dessert came I was so full I didn't even look at the menu. I bet they had amazing desserts though. I think I would go back just to find out. I have to say this was one of the best restaurant experiences I have had in a long time; the service was great, the atmosphere was fabulous, the company was fun, and the food was amazing. For Brett and I with tip it costs about 100 bucks, not too bad for such a great experience. I definitely rate Triple George Grill 5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

This week we did more then our usual date night, a fraternity brother of mine and his wife were in town for the CES convention and we decided to get together.  They were in the mood for seafood and we thought maybe going downtown might be a good time.  They brought along a couple coworkers so we got to see what the restaurant offered to a table of six.  After looking online I stumbled onto "Triple George Grill" downtown.  They offered a little of everything including seafood.  We made reservations since it was a Friday night at a place that tends to be busy.

Teray and I got to the restaurant a little early not knowing what parking would be like.  We decided to make our lives easy and just valet it, it made it much easier at the end of the night.  Not having ever seen Triple George Grill before I was not really sure what we were going to get, downtown can be a little iffy as far as establishments go.  Lucky for us this place instantly sold us.  We walked into a very cool and classy establishment.  There was a large center bar that ran the entire length of the space.  There were large booths around the bar and a large dining room off to the side, there may have been more that we didn't get a chance to see.  The feel of the place was old Vegas, I would expect to see the Rat Pack hanging out having a drink and a nice dinner.  They didn't try to over due the Vegas thing, they shot for a look and a feel and they did a good job pulling it off.

Since we were early we decided to have a seat at the bar and have a drink while we were waiting for the rest of the group.  The bartender was a very lively personality; in the 15 minutes we sat at the bar he made it awesome.  He was interactive with us and even though the bar was pretty full he made quite a bit of time for us.  When it was time to be sat we were moved to the dining room, our server was very good.  It has been rare that we get quality service and this is a place we definitely got it.  All of our needs were met and then some.  We were taken care of very well and I can't think of a single thing I would complain about.  Service was at it's top from the minute we walked in till the minute we walked out.  Service alone is a reason to go here.

So the restaurant itself is very cool and the service was awesome.  The only thing that could ruin a good thing is the food.  Fortunately for Triple George they delivered and kept themselves is the plus column.  For appetizers we had some ahi tuna and caprese salad, the tuna was amazing..so much so that I got ahi tuna as my entree.  The caprese was a little different then normal but still very good.  Like I said I got the tuna as my entree as well, I decided to get it blackened.  I'm usually not big on getting fish at restaurants because I prefer how I cook it.  They did not disappoint, one of my brother's coworkers got it as well and she said hers was good as well.  I also had the opportunity to try Teray's spicy shrimp and scallop pasta; it was really good but also really spicy.  I can usually do spicy but this tested me.  I enjoyed it but I couldn't eat it all because of the level of spice.

Rating 5 out of 5...go here for every occasion from dates to groups to drinks.

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. I love this outfit, so much so that I can't wait to wear it again. This sweater is such a statement piece but classic at the same time. I love that you can wear it so many different ways and for all seasons. It is longer on the sides then in the front. I paired it with some distressed jeans, brown boots, and a big brown floppy hat with a gold chain, also from the Rainbow 
location. You can find this fantastic look at the Rainbow Patty's!

If you haven't already you should like the Patty's Closet Facebook page which is linked if you click on the name above. Also an amazing crew just redid the Patty's Closet website, you need to check it out and you can also online shop from there http://ilovepattyscloset.com/. Patty's gets shipments a few times a week, mainly Tuesdays and Fridays, so make sure to check out a store near you for the latest fashions.

Until next time, cheers to having it all. xo

Week 82 Le Provencal

Welcome back readers; we are happy you are back to our blog site. If this is the first time that you are visiting, we hope that you like it and will continue to read our reviews each week. We know we have been behind on reviewing, sometimes a busy life gets in the way, but we are going to try this year to be more on top of these and post them as soon as possible. Tonight was the soon as possible for this review. 

Remember you can always find us on the LV Informer under the Local Interest section http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. We also have a Facebook page, so like that to be updated on all the latest information http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants . 

What Teray Says...

So for me this review is going to be short and sweet because it was not a good experience. We had gotten a Groupon for Le Provencal and figured because it was in the Paris on the strip that the food would be wonderful; we were wrong. 

Upon arrival at the restaurant, we were seated right away but not offered to be seated in the front "patio" area which I would have really liked to people watch. Half the fun for me when going to the strip is to people watch; there are always interesting things going on. 

Our server came over to us but was not a friendly guy at all. He put oil and vinegar on a plate and I was pleased that bread would be coming because I was pretty hungry. We never got bread the entire meal. 

We started off with an appetizer of calamari which in my opinion was the best part of the meal and it wasn't even that good. I will end it at that because I have nothing else to rave about the appetizer. 

For dinner I ordered a flat bread pizza and a Caesar salad. The Caesar salad had way too much dressing that I had to give the majority of it to Brett and something about the cheese on the flat bread did not taste right to me, and I love cheese (if you read the blog regularly you know that I am obsessed). I gave a lot of the pizza to Brett too, which is good because the portion of what he ordered was extremely small. 

As for the service, no one checked on us throughout the meal besides the manager (I am assuming it was the manager). When it was time to pay with the Groupon, the waiter disappeared with Brett's phone for a good 10 minutes. Who does that? There is personal items on that phone, there was no need to leave with it for that long.

One can see this review is short because I have nothing positive to say. I rate it a .5 out 5, my lowest review yet. I did not enjoy the food, service, or atmosphere.

What Brett Says...

This week we didn't really have a choice where to go, I bought a Groupon and it was going to expire.  We went to "Le Provencal" at the Paris.  I have never heard of the place, only reason we went was because for $20 we got $40.  Can't really beat half off.  They claim to be a French restaurant but there was quite a bit of Italian on the menu.  

I'm going to wrap the restaurant and the service into once part this week; mostly because both were pretty lackluster and barely served a purpose.  The inside was cheesy and boring, I guess I get it since it is part of a themed hotel.  It felt more like a buffet then a sit down restaurant, it was also wide open and noisy (even though there were very few tables sat).  Now for the lackluster service.  I believe our server was Bart or Brent, either way he was pretty horrible.  He served the purpose of telling the kitchen what to make.  When we were sat he came over and poured a plate of olive oil and vinegar, for the bread.  Unfortunately we were selected as the only table to not get bread.  We did enjoy staring at a plate of oil and vinegar.  My next problem with him is the only time he spoke to us was to take our order and to deal with the check.  He didn't bring out food, he never asked us how our meal was, he never got us refills.  The service we did receive was provided by the ancillary staff.  He did manage to stand around quite a bit, apparently he needed a break.  Needless to say we felt more like a burden then a welcomed customer.

Now the food.  We decided to start with the calamari frito; the portion was pretty good and the taste was pretty good.  Most of the batter fell off the calamari but it was still enjoyable.  For dinner I decided to get the wild mushroom risotto; this was amazing.  I would have to say some of the richest and best risotto I have ever had.  Unfortunately the serving size was horrible.  I could probably finished it in seven bites, they did serve it in a giant bowl...just so you know you aren't getting any food.  Lucky for me Teray never finishes a meal.  She ordered the Caesar salad and theMargarita pizza, I got to eat about half of the salad and half of the pizza.  The salad was a head of romaine that you have to cut up, I get this is the new culinary thing but it is annoying.  There is no way to toss a Caesar salad to have the right mix when you have to do it on a plate.  The pizza itself was pretty good.  It wasn't the best I have had but it isn't horrible.  I would say it is better for an appetizer then an entree.

I think it is obvious, this place isn't worth going to.  The service was horrible and the portions were horrible.  

Rating 1.5 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. I love a cute mini dress that has lots of details. The bold blue of this dress alone could make it stand out but the spike details around the color and the sheer material give it a flirty edge. The back is also black sheer. I paired it with a pair of thick, footless tights from Patty's and some boots. This perfect little date dress is available at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already make sure to check out the Patty's Closet Facebook page and hit like to receive all the latest updates on shipments, the items, and new store openings. If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's near you, then you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time, cheers to staying warm xo

  

Week 81 Marche Bacchus

Welcome back. I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Year. Can you guys believe it is 2013 already? Time really flies. We are happy you are still here with us enjoying this blog and if you are a new reader, welcome. We love to hear from everyone so feel free to get in contact with us through email, Twitter, and our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants .

Also, remember you can always find our blog through the LV Informer, one of our favorite online newspapers out there. We are under the Local Interest section, check us out: http://lasvegas.informermg.com/

What Teray Says...

So this week wasn't a typical romantic date or double date which we normally go on for this blog. Brett's family as in town and his mom picked Marche Bacchus to go on Christmas Eve. Marche Bacchus is located over on Regatta Drive on the lake in Summerlin. They have other restaurants and a spa over in that complex, both of which we have been to, so if you haven't checked out that area, you definitely should. 

Marche Bacchus has a pretty cool vibe, when you enter you walk through a wine shop, and the wines looked pretty awesome, but we didn't buy any being we prefer to catch the latest sale at Lee's Discount Liquors. His family was already sitting so we walked back into the enclosed patio. When I heard that we were going to be sitting outside from Brett a few hours before I had to tweak my outfit because it had been freezing outside the past couple of days. I wasn't too thrilled with the idea, but what are you going to do, it was a holiday. It was nice to see that there were some space heaters there, but at the time we didn't have any. 

Our waiter was very accommodating and got us some heaters, which actually warmed it up. I was able to take my coat off for about 30 minutes of the meal. On a typical night I would have loved to gone there with Brett because it really has a romantic feel, it was just so cold that it was hard to concentrate on the meal, hence why I kept the red wine coming. 

Brett is going to go into more detail about the food because I honestly could not tell you what anyone besides myself had between being cold and people watching. I know that I ordered a Caesar salad for an appetizer and mussels for dinner. 

What threw me for a loop is that we were supposed to have a prix fixe meal and I was craving what was on that menu being I had researched it before. Considering I totally was in the mood for something else besides what I had ordered the food was really good. The wine was definitely the best though. HAHA. :) For dessert I ordered vanilla ice cream, which was great, just what I needed after this meal. 

Overall, our service was excellent. Joe was on top of everything and way over accommodating for all of the obstacles in the situation. I would rate service definitely a 5 out of 5. Atmosphere for a warmer day and a romantic date would have gotten a perfect rating too but because it was so cold and not as described between the food and the seating I rate it 2.5 out 5, so for my final rating I will rate it 3.5 out of 5. I will definitely be back though with Brett and maybe some of our friends on another date to try it when the weather is normal. 

What Brett Says...

This week we didn't choose where to go, my mom actually chose.  My family was in town for the holidays and wanted to do a nice Christmas Eve dinner.  I'm not really sure how she found it; but based on their website it seemed like a good choice.  They were also running a prix fixe menu for the night.  It was definitely our largest group for the blog, it gave us a different perspective.  My mom made a reservation for the "enclosed" outdoor patio.  They said they had heaters to keep things warm.  Based on our experience sitting outside at "Garfields" we decided it would be a good time.  We decided to celebrate Christmas Eve at " Marche Bacchus" which is a French restaurant.

Starting with the restaurant itself.  When you walk in you go through a little store filled with different types of wines, it was a cool little store.  We didn't buy anything but it seemed like a good place to go if you need to find wine that might not be available elsewhere.  They have a nice indoor dining room that has a very finished look.  The patio where we ate was pretty cool; there was plant life throughout the patio.  It had a really cool feel.  They had a fountain and it just had a different look then the rest of the patios in Vegas.  That's where the good part ends.  The enclosed patio was not that enclosed, there were no seals and they sat use five feet away from a wide open panel.  Every time there was a light breeze we all felt it and it was cold.  As for the heaters...our table obviously drew the short straw.  You would think a reservation for six made a week in advance would give them time to plan but that wasn't the case.  Our table, the one next to the wide open panel, was the only one that didn't get a heater.  In fact there were some tables that had two.  We had to ask the staff to fix the situation; it took about 20 minutes to actually get a heater and then another 10 minutes to get a second heater that they weren't sure would work.  Once we got the heaters eating in our jackets seemed more bearable.  Since our server was the one running around trying to find us a heater that also meant that we weren't allowed table service till that was done. but I don't blame him for the delay.  That honor goes to the poor planning management.

Service.  Our server's name was Joe.  He was an awesome server; he helped us with the heat situation while taking care of his other tables.  When he finally got to us he did an incredible job taking care of us.  My family can be a little demanding at restaurants and he kept up and never showed any frustration.  He was very accommodating; constantly answering questions and getting us what we needed.  He was getting us drinks as we needed them and overall made our experience better.  He is the type of server that I would chose to have at all of our meals.

Now onto the food end of the experience.  This was also a problem.  One of the reasons my mom chose Marche Bacchus was because of the prix fixe menu.  Based on my experience in the restaurant industry you shouldn't advertise something if you can't follow through.  Our reservation was at 7pm, when we were sat we were given the prix fixe menu as well as regular menus.  We had plenty of time to look over the menus and decide what to get.  I would say four out of the six of us decided to get the prix fixe menu, unfortunately when it was time to order Joe informed us that we shouldn't have been given the prix fixe menu because they were out of the entree (prime rib).  I find it pathetic that by 7pm on a holiday that they didn't have enough of their promoted meal.  What makes it worse is that they didn't appear to be that busy.  We had to look over the menu again to decide.  Is started with the escargot appetizer, it is something that I like and don't get to eat that often.  Not too many places offer it.  They did a good job with the snails; they serve them traditionally in garlic butter with bread on the side.  For dinner I opted to stick with red meat, I was looking forward to the prime rib.  I ordered the steak frites; steak and fries.  The portion wasn't that great but it all tasted good.  The steak was steak but the fries were pretty amazing.  On the side I also ordered the truffle mac and cheese...simply put this is awesome.  For dessert I had the Chocolate Mousse Trio, I was also impressed with this.  The presentation was professional and the taste was rich.  I enjoyed the trio flavoring.

Overall I am torn.  I enjoyed the food that I was allowed to have and the service was awesome.  Joe as a server gets an easy 5 out of 5.  The food gets 3.5 out of 5.  The restaurant itself and it's practices get a 1 out of 5.  I can't give an overall rating because they were too many differences between the categories.  If you do actually choose to try them out do yourself a favor and sit in Joe's section, that way if all else disappoints then you at least have good service.

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. I love this dress; it is ballerina glam as I like to call it. The top portion is a pleather corset which can be adjusted to your shape because it has ties in the front. It is a blush color. The bottom is a light tan ballerina type skirt. This dress is very flattering not only for the colors but for the fit. Because it was so cold when we went to dinner Christmas Eve, I paired it with a pair of rose colored tights and nude patent pumps. You can find this fabulous dress for the 
holiday week at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already you need to like the Patty's Closet Facebook page which is linked at the top of this description. Each week they update the page with the latest shipment items and new store opening details. If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's near you, you can check out their website at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com .

In the meantime, cheers to resolutions, goals, keeping them and meeting them. <3 xo