Week 88 Streets of New York Pizza

Welcome back food and fashion lovers. I hope your February was great. Can you believe tomorrow is March 1st? Crazy how fast this year is going! Anyway, for all of the new likes on the Facebook page, just wanted to give you a quick thanks. 

Remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ and as mentioned above, we do have a Facebook page, so check it out and hit like if you have a chance, http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants.

What Teray Says...

This week Brett and I wanted something quick and easy to eat being we were going to be heading off the next day for a staycation. I had gotten a Groupon about two weeks back for Streets of New York, and it was perfect for a quick meal. 

Streets of New York is located on Ft. Apache and Tropicana, which is less than 10 minutes from our house. We went at around 8:30 on a Saturday night, and the place wasn't too crowded, which is fine with me, because I was able to hear Brett talk and relax. Sometimes when we are out I get so overwhelmed with the noise and people watching, I don't get to enjoy the company of Brett to the fullest with all of the distractions. 

We were seated right away by a very friendly hostess. He was a young guy with a nice demeanor and he got our drinks right away and brought us some menus. We decided to go for the beer battered combo for our appetizer which consisted of zucchini sticks, mozzarella sticks and onion rings. The portion size was very good and plenty for the two of us. For dinner we ordered the Classic # 7 pizza. You can only get this if you dine in the restaurant. On the Classic #7 was salami, capacola, swiss cheese and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onion and Italian dressing. It was like a pizza and sandwich combination and it was fabulous! I would definitely recommend that if you go there. To drink we got a pitcher of Bud Light and for dessert we got the Passion cookie which is like a pizookie, a huge chocolate chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream, which was my favorite part of the meal. Yum. My mouth is watering thinking about it. Overall, the food was delicious. 

Now, I know Brett is going to compare this to real New York. He has only been there twice, so I am not sure it is fair that he compares it. He didn't grow up less than an hour away like I did and spend most of his life visiting there. Here's the thing, nothing in Vegas will ever compare to New York, it s not even fair to compare. It is totally different and both have delicious food. People wonder why it is not the same and I was always told growing up it is the water which leads the bread to tasting better leading to things such as pizza and bagels tasting better. I will stick by that idea for my whole life. For Vegas NY food, this was delicious. 

As for the service, the staff was very friendly, but our waitress was nothing to write home about. There was only one other table besides us and she didn't really check on us or anything. We didn't need anything, but if we did then we probably would not have gotten it during dinner. As for the atmosphere, I really liked it and the concept and think it would be a fun place to go with a group. 

Overall, I rate Streets of New York 4 out of 5 and would like to go back for the lunch special. 

What Brett Says...

Like Las Vegas New York City is a epicenter for good food.  The best of the best can be found in both cities.  One thing I have learned in my years living in Las Vegas is that Sin City has the worst pizza of anywhere I have been.  NYC on the other hand has proved it's pies are the best, time and time again.  I was there for three weeks in 2012 and every chance I got I was grabbing a slice.  So this week we ventured out to solve the problem with Vegas, finding a place that makes great pizza.  What better place to start then "Streets of New York."  They make pizza, sandwiches, and pasta.

I was expecting a small pizza joint with a couple tables and counter service, I mean that is NY pizza.  Well they opted to go with more of a corporate restaurant feel.  There was a good amount of tables, a bar area, and a see through kitchen area.  We grabbed a booth, they were pretty dead so we had choices.  The place had a good layout and it looked good, more importantly it looked clean.  This is a place where the cleanliness actually stood out.  It also had more of an East coast feel to it, more wood and less modern.  It isn't a bad thing, sometimes you have to get back to basics and give people comfort.  They also have a television that streams their deals and advertisements, I bring this up because they have a slide that offers Military, Police, and Fire a discount...I think 10-15% off.  That's great, they serve and help people and protect us.  Now the part that frustrates me, on a small soap box, why is it that business refuse to recognize EMS?  The military fights for our country, police enforce laws and protect us, fire protects property and saves lives...EMS specifically saves lives yet we never get a discount.  I don't advertise being a paramedic when we go out but it would be nice to just be included in the category as important.  I am use to it, literally no where offers EMS a discount like military, police, or fire.  Whatever, I don't do it for discounts.  Off my soapbox.

Now onto the service; it definitely had it's goods and bads.  Everyone was polite and friendly.  We were sat quickly, felt very welcomed.  Unfortunately they only time we saw our server was to place our drink order, food order, and pay the bill.  Our drinks were brought by someone else, our food was brought by someone else, someone else checked on us throughout the meal.  Service was great, we just rarely saw our actual server.  We were never neglected, I would just expect that we would be paid attention to considering we were one of maybe 3-4 tables.  So, kudos to the staff as a hole.  It seems like they know they have a weak link and more then made up for it.  I hope she tips them out well, but I doubt it.

Onto the food, what we came here for.  Hoping and praying we have found genuine NYC pizza.  I decided it was Saturday night, I worked all week and I ordered a pitcher of beer.  Nothing makes pizza better like having a buzz.  We decided to start with the "beer battered combination" which had zucchini slices, mozz sticks, and fried onions.    Pretty standard appetizer but what they do is give you a decent amount and somehow made it in such a way that wasn't super oily.  It was all really good and you didn't really feel like it was deep fried.  Now onto the pie.  We decided to go with "The Classic #7," I mean keep it simple and go with what they call the classic.  They probably make hundreds a day.  It had salami, capicola ham, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and seasoning.  I'm not one to put lettuce and fresh tomatoes on a pizza but I'm open minded enough to try it.  I'll admit it was really good.  I would happily eat it again, it did take some skill to eat it like a slice but I pulled it off and enjoyed it.  I would have loved to try a white pizza, which is what NYC pizza is all about, but they didn't have one on the menu.  I was really surprised, I mean you could build your own but to not even have it on the menu?  Regardless I was impressed with everything I ate.

Overall...I am torn.  The place was dead but you aren't going for the crowd.  The feel of the restaurant is good and comfortable.  I think it is safe to say our issue with our server was a fluke based on the rest of the staff.  They do honor two out of three branches of public safety as well as the military so that is a good thing, with a little downside.  The food wasn't up to par with actual New York pizza but it was far better then Las Vegas pizza.  I think this place would be a hot spot if it was in a better location (Hacienda/Ft. Apache).  

Rating 3.75 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thank you 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 dress that you can dress up or dress down. You will see you I shared two ways that you can wear it. The one on the far right is just if you wanted to dress it up, the lace in the dress do the shining. The back is also open, I will post a picture of that on the blog. The second way, in the middle, is how I wore it last night. Brett and I decided to go to a more casual place for dinner so I through on a brown leather jacket and some combat boots. I love the tough girl chic look. I paired it with some girly, flower accessories from Sparkle by Patty's Closet to complete my look. This dress is one of those pieces that you can wear to many occasions, so I suggest you add it to your wardrobe. You can find this at the Rainbow location. 

If you aren't lucky enough to have a PC near you make sure that you check out their online store at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com.  You can also access their FB page which are linked above in the description to see pictures of new items on shipment days (Tuesdays and Fridays) and keep up to date on all of the newest store openings and events. Tell them Teray sent you!

Until next time, cheers to spring being in the air. <3 xo

Week 67 Khoury's

Hi fans and followers; welcome back! I can't believe it is the first day of fall! Fall is one of my favorite times of year because the weather just becomes perfection here in Vegas. Plus there are always so many fun things to do, which makes me love it even more!

Remeber, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer, our favorite online publication: http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ . We are under the Local Interest section. Also, as we always say, we have a Facebook page, which we update frequently, so if you haven't already, like that page, because we love to hear from you! http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

It has been a rare occasion lately that Brett or I really are craving something when it comes to the blog pick. This week I was seriously craving Mediterranean food though. Many people have suggested Khoury's to us, and it is only a few miles from our house, so I don't know why we hadn't tried it sooner. Khoury's is located on S. Ft. Apache and Patrick in the southwest. 

The crowd at Khoury's was pretty good for a Saturday night; we could sit either inside or outside, and of course I picked outside because the temperature is so perfect at night this time of year. We were greeted right away with water and menus by probably the nicest waitress we have ever come across. We decided to order the dinner for two people for $39.95; what a steal! The dinner for two comes with two soups or salads, an appetizer, two meals, and two desserts. Brett and I both started off with Greek salads and hummus and pita for our appetizer. 

I know I have said this at other restaurants we have been too, but I must have been lying, because this was by far the best hummus and pita I have ever had, in my life. I think I could have ate about two bowls at least, took a break and came back for more. :) The salad always was a great portion size and delicious (it was the dressing); it was so delicious that I forgot to take a picture! 

For our meals I ordered meat stuffed grape leaves and Brett ordered some lamb dish. Both were delicious. I ate many bites of Brett's which we all know it is normally one bite. Mine I ate three of the grape leaves, gave one to Brett and still had two to bring home. I had never had meat grape leaves and they literally melted in my mouth, perfection. 

Sometimes dessert is my favorite part and at Greek restaurants it definitely is one of my favorite things. Brett ordered rice pudding and I ordered baklava. Both of these were so delicious that I would cater them from the catering menu if I ever have a party in need of fabulous desserts. Of course, we ate every bite! 

Overall, this place was amazing. The service was top notch. Our waitress was so nice and we never had to ask for anything. The food was out of this world and the atmosphere was super fun, especially the outside seating. I definitely rate Khoury's 5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...


This week we actually had enough time to go to a restaurant for a sit down meal.  We actually got to spend a little time with each other and relax.  Treat had heard about this Mediterranean restaurant close to our house and wanted to check it out.  So we went to "Khoury's" on Ft. Apache in the southwest part of town.  It is actually right by a couple of other restaurants we have reviewed.

I didn't even know this place existed, but when I saw it I assumed it was just another strip mall restaurant.  I was absolutely wrong.  When you walk in it looks like any other Mediterranean restaurant; that is until you ask to be seated on the patio.  The night just happened to be cool enough to allow that to happen.  When we walked out it was a complete surprise.  They had bushes completely enclosing the patio so you weren't staring at a street having to see and hear all the cars.  The plants did a good job of insulating against the noise, not sure how it would stand up to more traffic since we went on a Saturday night.  There were a bunch of tables and it had a nice intimate friendly set up.  

One thing I thought was pretty cool was that each table had a small mini rose plant on it; I think it was cool because everywhere else has flowers in a vase or a candle.  The lighting was nice and not overwhelming.  They also had a fountain which prevented noise for the outside world.  Now that the evenings are cooling down I can only imagine this patio gets more and more enjoyable.  From what I saw you also had the option of having a hookah at your table as well.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the service.  Generally when we go to an ethnic restaurant I can't understand the staff and they can't understand me.  I am also usually worried that I will not get what I actually ordered.  This place had servers that were attentive, polite, very friendly, spoke perfect English, and helpful.  I think there were only two servers and they were on top of things. Constantly checking on us, refilling water, and even opening the door for for us.  These two girls would get hired in a second at my restaurant.  If I had to come up with a single con to service it would be that they were a little slow to clean the tables after people left.  I think it was more of an issue with staffing and not the actual staff.

As for the food.  They have a $40 option which includes appetizer, entrees, and desserts for two people.  It was a pretty good set up for an amazing price.  The options to choose from were good as well, a few of the items required an up charge.  For our appetizer we went with the hummus, the hummus was good but the fresh pita was what made it amazing.  The pita is so fresh we had to deflate it because it was straight from the oven.  I decided to get the lamb shwarma; tons of lamb, veggies, and rice.  By the end of the meal I was ridiculously full...wasn't even sure dessert would happen, but dessert did happen; we ordered baklava and riec pudding.  Both were very good.  I think it is safe to say by the time we left it was the most full I have ever been.  The entire meal was amazing.
Overall I was impressed.  I will be going back, especially with the price.  The service was top notch and the patio was cool.  I recommend Khourys for every occasion.
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 this week. I love a dress that is a feminine color with a casual flair. The black pockets and skinny belt that it comes with are the perfect color combination. I wore this to 

a work event in the morning and of course to my dinner tonight; so it is true this look goes from day to night! Also, we know a dress that accentuates a tiny waist is my favorite and this one definitely does! This 

dress is available at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already, you need to like the Patty's Closet Facebook page for all the latest shipment items and store locations: http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV and if you don't live in one of the states that has a Patty's, check out their online store: shop.ilovepattys.closet.com

On the 6th of October Patty's is opening Heart and Soul, a shoe boutique and Sparkle, an accessory boutique right next to the Rainbow store. It is going to be an exciting event and you can find all the details on the Patty's Facebook page! I will be there with bells on, so I hope to see you guys there too!!

Until next time, cheers to the fabulous fall season! xo

Week 66 Mac Shack

Although I love September, I will be happy when this month is over because our schedules have been absolutely crazy! If you talk to Brett he probably will agree we wouldn't have it any other way. There were so many great things to celebrate in the past couple of weeks so between those events and both working a lot, we are a little late on this post. Once the month dies down, we will be back to normal (posting on time). 

In the meantime, remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer, which is one of our favorite online newspapers under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. 

Also, if you want a quick way to stay updated with everything that is going on with our blog, my outfits of the week provided by Patty's Closet, or just are awesome :), we are on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So this week's review is going to be short and sweet on my end and most likely for Brett too. If you are Italian like me, sometimes you just crave macaroni. I could eat macaroni everyday, but unfortunately if I did, the scale would be creeping up. Mac Shack is located about a half a mile (if that) from our house at the Durango and Warms Spring intersection. Back home in NJ, we had this place called Salad Works where you would create your own salad (Vegas needs this right now, or if there is somewhere like this someone please email me). Mac Shack is just like that but with macaroni. You can either choose from some options they have already created on the menu or you can make your own by choosing your own macaroni, your own sauce and your own toppings. 

Brett and I chose items already on the menu. I chose the brocolli pesto which was brocolli pesto, garlic and chicken over penne. Brett chose the a bacon macaroni and cheese. Speaking for mine, it was fantastic. The ingridients were fresh and it had the perfect amount of garlic, which I am in love with. I had a taste of Brett's too, and it was pretty amazing. I never thought about having bacon in macaroni, but something about how it was mixed in with the cheese was delicious.

To top it off, the service was quick, the place was clean and we had a coupon for buy one get one free so we got out of there with two meals and two drinks for under 13 bucks. If you are looking for a quick meal, but don't want fast food, I would highly recommend Mac Shack and give them a 4 out of 5. 

What Bretty Says...

This was yet another week when our lives ave taken over and will not allow us to just sit down and relax.  It is nice to know there are places out there that you can grab a quick bite to eat...besides fast food chains.  This week we went right up the road to "Mac Shack," Warm Springs and Durango.  The whole premise behind Mac Shack is quality pasta dishes done fast, they actually have a pretty extensive menu.  Another reason we chose here was the Entertainment Book buy one entree get one entree free coupon.

The whole set up is off the wall for a pasta place.  You order your food at the counter, like any fast food place, and then you go grab a seat.  The dining room is more of a restaurant style but with the touch of fast food.  The set up of the restaurant reminds me of a Fazzolis if you have ever been there.  The beverages are self serve but there is an employee that brings your food to whatever table you have chosen.  Not really too much to comment on as far as service, they were nice.  They got our order right and they did check in on us at the table.  What is confusing is the tip factor; you order at a counter, but someone brings you your food, you get your own drink, but someone checks in on your throughout your meal.  Are you expected to tip?  I didn't.  Neither the physical set up or the service are reasons to go here unless you are in the area...it is a wash.

As for food, you can create your own dish or you can order one of their menu options; I chose to go with one of theirs.  I went with a mac and cheese with cheddar/bacon, I also added chicken.  I completely forgot the name of the actual dish and of course they don't have it on their online menu.  I have to say I was impressed, the pasta was amazing.  The flavors worked well and it was memorable.  I had to add the chicken and I do not see how this works without it, I think it would be too small and just too much overbearing taste without chicken.  If you get it, pay for the upgrade.  Pricing is a bit more the most quick restaurants but it matches the quality of the food, you definitely get what you pay for in this instance...especially if you have a buy one get one free coupon.

Overall I am torn on Mac Shack.  The food was amazing but the place itself was pretty blah.  I think this is another case of a new perfect carry out place.  Find yourself a deal and go check it out.

Overall 3.75 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. I love this look because it can be worn for either a night on the town or to the office. The flowered print shirt is my favorite sheer material, and has neutral, fall colors which can be worn with a lot of options. The high-waisted black pants fit perfectly and are defintely a staple every girl needs in her wardrobe (they are comfy too). The wedges are something that I purchased a few weeks back but I am beyond obsessed with them. Everyone I run into thinks they are designer shoes and you can't go wrong with a patent leather wedge! This whole entire look (shirt, pants and shoes) can be found at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already you should check out Patty's Closet Facebook page (click the link in the outfit description)  for all the latest shipment items and details about new store openings. Lucky for us fashion lovers they are opening a Sparkle and Heart and Soul right by the Rainbow store on October 6th! Also, if you are not lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can order online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time, cheers to the cooler weather approaching. xoxo