Week 95 The Meatball Spot (Town Square Las Vegas)

Welcome back readers. We will have a few blogs coming out this week, so please stay tuned. We can't believe April is almost over, where is the time going? Remember, you can always follow us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants and we are also on the LV Informer, which an awesome Vegas online newspaper, so if you haven't already, definitely check it out, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/category/lv-local-interest/blog-connection/. 

What Teray Says...

So I used to go to Town Square, like every week-end to shop or go out to be exact. In 2013, I rarely frequent there unless it is to do my quick stops at MAC, Victoria's Secret or Patty's Closet of course. I noticed a few months ago that The Meatball Spot had opened and thought that it was an interesting concept. Once I saw that the NJ Housewives had visited there though I was sold. 

Brett and I did our typical date on Saturday night around 8:30-9:00. The place was crowded but not crowded to the point that we weren't seated right away. We were offered both inside and outside but with the wind that night chose outside. It took a little bit before our waiter greeted us. Being this was my first cheat meal of my Hot Pilates 30 Day Challenge (check my FB if you don't know what I am talking about, which is linked on the side under our favorite sites), I was sceptical what to order. 

Brett decided to get a beer but I stuck with water. There looked like there were a lot of great drinks on the menu, I just chose not to try them. For an appetizer we ordered classic meatballs in tomato sauce with no cheese. They came out rather quickly and while they were good, they were nothing to write home about. Maybe this is because I am so used to amazing, authentic Italian cooking where the meatballs are to die for. These were good, but not to die for. 

For dinner I ordered the garbage salad which to most people is also known as the antipasto. Brett ordered a meatball sandwich. My salad again was good, but nothing to rave over. I should have ordered something else, but I wanted to save room for dessert. 

Speaking of dessert, that was by far the best part. I got a sugar cookie ice-cream sandwich which was one of the highlights of my week. The milkshakes also looked good and if I ever went back it would be for that. 

Now onto service, our server was very friendly, he just wasn't the best. He forgot part of Brett's order and didn't really check on us. Brett didn't want to tell them that he forgot because he said we had to be authentic for the review. While, I really liked the atmosphere, I will most likely not return for a meal, but would to sit at the bar for drinks and dessert. That being said, I rate The Meatball Spot 2.5 out 5. 

What Brett Says...

This week we decided to head to Town Square, every once in a while it is nice to head out to a place that is crowded...lively and great for people watching.  One of the newer spots in Town Square is the "Meatball Spot."  It's in a spot that has not been kind to other restaurants, it is on the main level right below Coconuts.

I guess when you look at the Meatball Spot it looks like a cross between old school diner meets fast food restaurant with a bar.  They also have an outdoor patio, didn't really look that special.  I can tell you that it was Saturday evening and the place was packed.  There were couples, groups, and families.

One reason I can safely say I will most likely not return is the service.  The service was horrible, not wanting to unfairly judge I checked out Yelp just to see if it was a fluke...it was not a fluke.  We were sat immediately and then sat there, and sat some more.  It took the server a while before we were noticed and once we were noticed we were told it would be a little bit longer.  We asked for water...took forever.  I ordered a beer...took forever.  This is the kind of place where I should have actually timed everything.  We decided to start with an appetizer, asked to keep the menus so we could look them over.  While we were eating the appetizer the server tried to give us the bill.  At no point did he ask how it was, if we wanted more drinks, or if we wanted more food.  I had to let him know we wanted to eat more, we ordered our entrees.  The entrees took longer then expected for what they were, the server did ask how they were but we never got water refills and I never got a second beer.  Before we were done eating he once again tried to give us the bill, I asked him if we were even allowed dessert.  We ordered our dessert, only because we heard good things about dessert, ate it and ran.  Having been a server before I am usually a good tipper, this guy is lucky he even got 15%...I can't even remember the last time I didn't tip 20% or higher.

Now onto the food.  We started with an order of meatballs; 3 classic meatballs in classic sauce.  For a place called the Meatball Spot I would assume they would have the secret to the greatest meatball ever, well they don't.  They have the secret to a very normal nothing special meatball.  We decided to continue on with what was already a pretty horrible experience, I ordered the Large Hero (3 meatballs on a french baguette with sauce).  I chose to go with turkey meatballs and Parmesan cream sauce.  The sandwich was pretty good; the bread was good, the meatballs were once again average, but the sauce was amazing.  They would do better just selling sauce.  Unfortunately you do not get anything with your sandwich, they literally just put a six inch meatball sandwich on a plate.  I am curious as to why the large hero is $1 cheaper then the meatball appetizer, same amount of meatballs but you get it on bread.  I would assume the bread would make it more expensive.  Teray decided to get their garbage salad, this however was correctly described.  $14 (five bucks more then my sandwich) for a glorified side salad.  For an entree salad this thing was small, aside from being small it was pretty plain.  I'm not even sure if they put flavor in their salad dressing.  Trying to salvage the meal we decided to get dessert.  We each decided on one of their ice cream sandwiches, I got the peanut butter cup sandwich and Teray ordered the strawberry rainbow sandwich.  I think we figured out what the Meatball Spots focus should be.  I got to eat mine and half of Teray's and I have to say that these things are absolutely amazing.  

I think it is clear what my opinion is.  If you happen to be at Town Square and are in the mood for a ice cream sandwich go here, if you are in the mood for a meatball sub go to Subway.  The only reason I ever go here again is to get a to go order of the Parmesan cream sauce or for their dessert.

Rating: 2 out of 5 (the ice cream sandwich accounts for one and the fact that they did in fact have meatballs account for the other one)

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thank you to Patty and Juan from Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Take a look at my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. Sometimes I just want a casual but hip look, especially when we decide to go somewhere that doesn't require you to dress up. I love this tee because it has such a unique design. A skeleton with leopard Mickey ears, who would have thought? It is cut deep on the sides so you can pair it with something girly underneath. I loved the look on the mannequin so much when I was there I got this fedora too, to wear with my outfit. You can find this 
look at the Rainbow PC location.

Remember, if you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. Also, make sure to like their Facebook page which is linked above. You will be able to find out about newest store openings, events and of course see pictures of the new shipment items from all the stores on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

Until next time...cheers to positivity. xo 

Week 94 Archi's

Hi again! Thanks for visiting our blog. If this is your first time visiting our blog, well then, welcome and thank you too! I cannot believe it is already the middle of April. Where is the time going? I don't mind it too much though because that just means it is closer to summer vacation for me. 

Remember you can always find our blog in the LV Informer under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/category/lv-local-interest/blog-connection/.  We also have a Facebook page which we update frequently with reviews, outfits of the week and tidbits so please like it if  you get a chance, https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants. 


What Teray Says...

This week we were so busy, Brett wasn't even in town half the week and he was mandated to work days he normally doesn't so we didn't have time to go to a sit down date. Not everyone always has time though to go to a restaurant so we decided to something popular, take out. I really was craving Thai food so we went with Archi's. 

Archi's is located and 215 and South Rainbow in a plaza with many other restaurants. I called up and ordered and the food was ready in less than 20 minutes. For an appetizer I chose Thai toast which was amazing. Thai toast if you don't know what it is are little pieces of bread or as I called them baby breads which you put cucumber salad on, a perfect starter!

For dinner I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai which came with extra peanuts for the sauce...amazing! The portion size was huge. I had some, Brett had some, and then I had some two days later. It was so delicious that I could have probably ate the whole thing in one sitting, but by not being able to, I was able to enjoy it over a few days. 

Brett ordered yellow curry. I really love curry, so much so that I probably would put it in my top 10 favorite foods depending on the day that you asked me. He chose yellow curry and at the medium spicy level, but it was still pretty spicy, just how I love it! It came with a huge portion of rice as well. So, you can see the portions at Archi's are humongous, but that is not a bad thing. 

Overall, for the taste of the food (can't rate on the service) and the price I would give Archi's a 5 out of 5 and it will now be not only one of my go to Thai restaurants in town, but one of my go to take out restaurants when I am on cheat meal days. 

What Brett Says...

This week was a busy week.  I was working crazy hours and was right in the middle of 10 shifts in a row, I didn't really have time to actually sit down at a restaurant.  So, takeout it was.  Teray chose and she felt like Thai food; "Archi's" to be specific.  They are on Rainbow by Sunset.  

Not really much to say about atmosphere and service on takeout, but I'll give you what I have.  They are in a strip mall, when you walk in it looks like every other Thai restaurant you have ever been to.  Teray called the order in for a 7:15 pick up time and it was ready when I got there.  The people I dealt with seemed friendly.  That's all I've got for you.

Onto the food.  I asked Teray to order an appetizer and some yellow curry for me, she ordered the pad Thai for herself.  The appetizer she ordered was Thai toast, which I have never had, but it is small toasted bread with chicken and shrimp on it.  These little things were amazing, they will definitely be on my go to list next time we get Thai.  The yellow curry was different then other places, it wasn't as sweet as it usually is.  It wasn't bad it was just different.  Teray's pad Thai was was amazing, I wish I would have gotten it too.

Overall Archi's served it's purpose; we needed a quick take out meal and this hit the spot.  I'm not sure what eating in house would be like but based off the food you won't be disappointed.

Rating 5 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 a spring dress, especially one that has so many colors, which equals tons of accessories options. This dress can be worn casually during the day like I wore it or lose the tank underneath and you can make it dressier for the night time. I paired it with some gorgeous gold sandals from Heart&Sole by PC and the finishing touch of this look was my starfish hair clip from Sparkle by Patty's Closet from the Retro Love line. You can find this look at the Rainbow locations trifecta of stores. Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Xo

If you aren't lucky enough to have a PC near you, you can always shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. Also, their Facebook page is linked above and I suggest you like it because they always post new store openings, events, and of course the latest shipment items at each store on Tuesdays and Fridays. I know personally I cannot wait to go to the NJ store when I head home in two months. 

Until next time, cheers to sunshine days. <3 xo 

Week 89 Montana Meat Company

Hello again followers, thanks for taking the time to read our blog. Speaking of followers just a quick thanks to our new followers on Facebook, we appreciate your support. I cannot believe it is March already, where is the time going? At least the weather has been amazing and spring is in the air. There are so many great things we have to look forward to coming up that I know I don't mind that the time is going fast. 

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 as I mentioned above, so feel free to follow for the latest updates and outfits, http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants.

What Teray Says...

This week for the blog, it was Brett's choice to pick where we were going. He has been mentioning Montana Meat Company for awhile, so we decided to finally go there. Montana Meat Company is not too far from our house on Durango, so the drive was quick. 

Montana Meat Company is a pretty cool set up. There is a restaurant section and a bar section, which I think is cool because if you wanted to just hit the bar for a drink you could do that or you could go in the restaurant area for a nice meal. I personally like when the two are separated. 

Brett and I were seated in a cozy booth and greeted by our server not too long after that. I ordered a red wine and Brett ordered a drink as well. Brett was disappointed that he ordered a tall and got a small, but he didn't complain to the waitress. For an appetizer we ordered the spinach and artichoke dip, I was craving artichoke for some reason. The portion size was pretty good, same as any standard bar food portion you would order somewhere. 

For dinner we ordered the Grill for Two option. For $34.95 you get shrimp, chicken, a huge steak, veggies, potatoes and mushrooms. This is such a perfect option because you get to try everything and the price is excellent for the portions that you get. The potatoes and the steak were to die for, absolutely fabulous. I wasn't the biggest fan of the chicken, but I am not a fan when chicken is blackened so I think that is why. The steamed veggies and mushrooms were excellent as well. The best of the best of that meal though was the shrimp. I love shrimp, so I think by default it was my favorite. For dessert we ordered the caramel cake, which was to die for. If you go to Montana Meat, you have to try that cake! 

As for the service, it was mediocre, nothing to write home about. We didn't get checked on that much, which was surprising because it was Saturday night and it wasn't that busy. Oh well. 

My review was short and sweet because it was a pretty black and white experience. The food was good and our meal was quick. I would rate Montana Meat Company 3 out 5. Maybe one day I will  go back during happy hour and try the bar options. 

What Brett Says...

For some reason we see restaurants that we want to go to and for some reason we never actually go.  When we bought our house last year we kept driving by "Montana Meat Company" on Durango near Blue Diamond.  Over a year later and we had not yet been there; so it worked out that we were both in the mood for steak and we didn't feel like traveling too far.

Surprisingly Montana Meat is a stand alone building and it is a pretty big place.  It has the wilderness lodge/brewery/Vegas bar feel, I'm not really sure what that means either.  What I liked was that the inside felt like there was more to it then making money off of video poker, the restaurant part actually looked and felt like a restaurant.

The biggest problem I had with Montana Meat was the service.  The servers, especially ours, seemed like immature girls who just started.  Our server knew what was required of her to keep her job and did the bare minimum.  I am big on getting things right and not having to order things multiple times.  We ordered two waters, twice because she apparently did not feel it was necessary to bring it when we actually wanted it.  I also ordered a "Tall house whiskey and coke."  From my experience in the industry that means I want a single shot of cheap whiskey mixed with coke in a large glass and not a rocks glass.  What I got was a whiskey and coke in a rocks glass, not the end of the world but is shows she could care less what we wanted.  Luckily we ordered simple things and what I assume to be a fairly popular dinner.  I will say that the hostess was very nice and seemed to like her job and not just blow it off.

Going to a steak house is usually something that leads to getting great food.  Going to a steak house that also doubles as a local Vegas bar is concerning.  They offer a bunch of specials on line, they even had one at the table that we didn't know about going in.  We started things off simple with a spinach artichoke dip.  I would say that this is one of the safest appetizers to get anywhere, it is pretty hard to screw up.  They did not screw it up, it wasn't outstanding and they are skimpy with the chips but it served it's purpose.  For dinner we decided to get the special advertised at the table, it is perfect for 2-3 people (two if you are hungry).  It includes ribeye, chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, veggies, and mashed potatoes.  It turned out to be quite a bit of food and it is only $35.  I can honestly say that every bit of this meal was amazing.  The steak was cooked perfectly and the sauce was paired very well with it, the chicken was moist, and the shrimp was huge.  The mushrooms were awesome, the mashed potatoes were great.  Next time I want a quick hungry mans meal I am going to go back here and get this deal.

Overall I would say it is worth it to go here, don't expect much from the wait staff...not sure about the bar staff.  The atmosphere and the food more then make up for the service.  What really makes it worth while is the specials on legitimately great food.  

Rating: 4 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thank you to Patty and Juan 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. Being from Jersey, I love anything animal print or with jungle animals on it. As soon I saw this skirt, I knew it was what I was going to wear this week. What a statement piece! The great thing about a maxi is you can dress it up or down, plus it is comfy. I paired it with a teal tank from Patty's and because it was cold last night, tied a boyfriend at the waist over it. Because of all the colors in this skirt, you can wear anything with it! You can find this look at the Rainbow PC 
location.

If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can always shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. Also, make sure to like their Facebook page which is linked above to keep up on all the latest events, store openings, and to see pictures of the newest items on shipment days which are Tuesdays and Fridays. Stop by one of the stores near you for a spring fashion shopping spree and be sure to tell them Teray sent you! 

Until next time, cheers to longer, sunny days. xo

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 79 Hash House A Go Go

Welcome back friends. This introduction is going to be short and sweet because I wrote this blog once and because of an error with Blogger it got deleted. I hope everyone is getting as excited for the holidays as we are. There are lots more fun things to come in 2012 and we will continue to blog for us and for you!

Remember, you can always find us in the LV Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/category/lv-local-interest/blog-connection/ and we have a Facebook page which we update frequently so check it out http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

This week we went out during the week because we had a restaurant.com certificate for Hash House A Go Go and didn't feel like cooking because or kitchen was a mess from having our floors done that day. There are a few Hash Houses  in Vegas and we went to the one on W. Sahara. 

HHAGG wasn't very crowded when we went and we were seated immediately. I really liked how the place was decorated in Christmas decor, but I would have loved to have seen more people there and not felt like I was the only person in the restaurant.

For drinks I chose a Bloody Mary because they are famous for those and Brett chose a mojito. My Bloody Mary was pretty fabulous, and I did have two but I have to say the best Bloody Mary is definitely still DW Bistro. Okay, back on topic...

For an appetizer we chose the fried tiger prawns which were delicious. You got five big pieces of shrimp and the sauce that they were dipped in was pretty amazing too. I ate two pieces and Brett ate three pieces. While waiting for our appetizer to come out we got these huge biscuits, which were my favorite part of the whole meal, but they were so big I think it filled me up for my dinner.

For dinner Brett ordered some breakfast item which I am sure he will go into more detail on and I ordered a Reuben. The sandwich I got was delicious; it came with a salad too. I can see why they are known for their big portions, because they are not just big, they are huge. I was so full by the time the food came out though that I struggled to finish half of the sandwich, but did because I felt bad not eating if Brett was paying. On the bright side, I ate the other half about four hours later when we got home. 

The service was good and we never were waiting too long without something that we wanted. I wish that next time we go back it will be for breakfast and hopefully more crowded so I can see what it typically looks like. I rate Hash House a 3.5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

This week decided to go to another place I drive by on a daily basis.  We found a Restaurant.com to save some cash and went to "Hash House" on Sahara@Rainbow.  I'm not really sure why it is taking us so long to get to the places I thought of when we first started the blog.  Hash House is "farm food gone crazy."

The restaurant itself is pretty nice, it has a comfortable atmosphere.  One thing that I like is that the tables don't seem to be on top of each other.  We went on a Thursday night and it was dead; I was actually surprised at how slow they were.  I think they draw a much larger breakfast crowd.  They sat us a two top that actually allowed us to have plates on the table, we were next to their Christmas Tree.  It was pretty cool because the lighting was a little different then the rest of the restaurant.

The service was kind of  a win lose for me.  Our server was friendly and helpful with the menu.  On the other hand we had to request a second round of drinks instead of being offered.  This is surprising since the tip is added to the bill with a Restaurant.com, therefore the more you increase the tab through selling the more money you make.  On a side note I hate when servers tell me what to tip; I refuse to tip more then the amount.  You weren't interested in my idea for a tip so you usually miss out on extra money.  Back on topic the support staff was helpful; they were constantly clearing plates and refilling water.  The service was good but not worth going out of your way to experience.

On to the food.  Like I said they are primarily known for their breakfast, so I wasn't sure about dinner.  We decided to start with "Crispy Cornmeal Fried Tiger Prawns" which were amazing.  They had a chili mayo sauce which added even more flavor.  The prawns themselves were fairly large and the presentation was great.  About the only thing that had any presentation to it was the shrimp.  I decided to have a couple drinks, I chose the mojito.  It was a really good mojito and was actually hand made instead of just using cheap mixers.  For dinner I went with a breakfast twist, didn't want to risk the dinner.  I ordered the Boston Hash, I'm torn on this.  The crab cake was up there as one of the best crab cakes I have had.  The eggs were good but not special.  The potatoes ruined it; they took over the entire meal and were either soggy or burnt.  There were some sauteed veggies which were decent.  My problem with the potatoes is that they took the cheapest ingredient and over use it to make the dish seem larger and they screwed them up at that.

Overall I think I would save this place for breakfast, if you do chose it for dinner go when there is no occasion involved.  It was boring and didn't really stand out in any way.  I just have a feeling breakfast would be much more of a success.

Rating 3.5 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 this look for two main reasons, the first is because the color combination is so girly and the second is that I love a jacket, especially this season's trend

of the tuxedo jacket. The jacket is a blush colored pink with a black lapel. It is perfect for work or a night out. I paired it with this fabulous multi-colored scarf from Patty's. The scarf has a combination of skulls and trees as well as other little designs. You can find this look at the Rainbow location!

If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's by you, you can go to their online store at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com and if you are lucky enough to live in a location that has a Patty's make sure you like their Facebook page which is linked above to see pics of all the newest items. They get shipments on Tuesdays and Fridays and all stores have different items!

Until next time, here's to being kind. xoxo

Week 78 M & M Soul Food

Happy December friends! Are you getting excited for the holiday?! We definitely are with so many gatherings that we are hosting and going to and with so many things to celebrate (Christmas, my birthday, NYE, NYD), I can hardly contain myself. Now, onto the blog...

Remember, you can always find our reviews on the LV Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. We also have a Facebook page that we update daily, so check it out http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants .

What Teray Says...

So it was Brett's turn to pick and because we had something to do that night, we decided to go out for lunch during the day. Brett says he has been dying to go to M & M Soul Food since we started the blog because he drives by it while in the ambulance. I don't know why he didn't say anything sooner, because if I had known how amazing this place was, I would have been back many times by now if we had gone sooner!

M & M is located at W. Charleston and Valley View, a cross section I have never ventured into during my five years in Vegas. Before going in, I thought it was going to be a small place in which you ordered, got the food from the counter and sat at one of the few tables. I was very mistaken because this place is good in size with tons of tables and it is a typical sit down restaurant. 

We were greeted right away by friendly staff and I just loved every one's energy so much that I knew this was going to be a good experience. We studied the menu for a few minutes but knew exactly what we were getting almost right away.

 Brett ordered jambalaya and I ordered friend chicken. The fried chicken came with a choice of three sides; I picked macaroni and cheese and I let Brett pick the other two which were collared greens and sweet potatoes. 

While waiting for our orders we drank our sodas which were in mason jars (I am obsessed with this trend) and ate corn bread pancakes which they brought out two helpings. 

The food came out pretty fast, the menu said fried items would take at least 20 minutes but I feel like it was shorter than that, maybe it is because we were having such a nice time. My fried chicken was beyond amazing, without a doubt the best I have ever had. The whole portion, which I ordered so I could share it with Brett came with three pieces. I ate two and gave Brett one. The macaroni and cheese, collard greens and sweet potatoes also were the best of those foods that I have ever had. Seriously, this food was like a dream come true for food lovers. Speaking of loving food, Brett's jambalaya was also to die for, just look at the picture and you will see why. 

I was way too full for dessert but Brett ordered peach cobbler. I had one bite and that also was amazing. Next time I definitely will leave room for dessert. 

Overall, my experience at M & M was one of the best that I have had in Vegas. For service, atmosphere and most of all food I rate them 5 out 5. If my scale was higher it would be higher, but I have to stay with my tried and true rating system. M & M is definitely the best of the best. 

What Brett Says...

Sometimes you just need some home cookin' southern style.  This was one of those days.  I drive by "M&M Soul Food Cafe" everyday, I've been driving by for over three years.  For the past three years I just never took the time to stop and actually check it out, it just looks like a place you can get real soul food.  Sometimes you just get that feeling.  We have been doing this blog for a year and a half...they have been on my list since the beginning, why it took me till now is beyond me.  Well, we finally went and they had a coupon in the Entertainment book (buy one get one free).  Not that it says it on the coupon but apparently they don't accept them on the weekend, luckily they made an exception.  They are located at Charleston and Valley View in a strip mall.  

If you happen to be like us; both white, Teray with her blonde hair, and dressed like stereotypical white folk expect to get a bunch of looks when you walk in the door...you know the "they must be lost" looks.  But fortunately that's where it ends, once you sit down it is business as usual and the atmosphere and service is very welcoming.  I don't usually start with the service, because it is usually horrible, but M&M has some awesome people on staff.  Everyone we dealt with was over the top friendly and helpful.  The staff couldn't do enough to make it an enjoyable experience, constatly getting us refills of our water and cornbread pancakes.  If you aren't from east of the Mississippi then you might not get it but this is how a Mom and Pop restaurant should feel.  People just making people feel welcome, it isn't an act they put on because they have to it is just their personalities.

The restaurant itself was nothing like what I was expecting.  You create this image in your head when you only see places from the outside.  I was expecting a small place where you order at a counter and sit down at a table if you want.  More of a takeout place.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  This is a full out restaurant, Mom and Pop style.  They have quite a few tables and even a counter you can eat at.  The tables and chairs are old school but it works for a place like this.  It reminds me of the 24hr diners back in Michigan.  They are confident in their product and don't need to change as the trends change.  They realize tables and chairs are just that, tables and chairs.  They are selling an atmosphere, service, and food.

When you talk about a soul food restaurant nothing really matters except the food.  Everything else is just extra, without good food there is no point in going.  Soul food is either really good or worthless, there is no in between.  M&M is definitely on the amazing end of the spectrum.  They have chicken and waffles, seafood gumbo, catfish, liver and onions, and the rest of the staples.  When you sit down they bring you cornbread pancakes, refills if you want.  The other major staple they have...Kool-Aid.  Starting with the cornbread, it can only be described as amazing.  I could have just sat there all day eating it, it was moist and had the right flavor.  Since we went on a Saturday I decided to get their seafood gumbo which is only available on the weekends.  Don't think of other gumbos you have had where there is rice and beans with some random seafood and sausage mixed in.  Think gumbo crab bake.  In my gumbo I had whole chicken wings, shrimp, sausage, crab legs, claws and a little rice.  You have to work for the food and it is worth the work.  I spent 20min just working through the bowl and not even caring about the mess I was making.  I couldn't get enough of it.  Luckily Teray never eats all of her food (not that there wasn't enough in my dish, the food was just too good to stop eating).  I had some of her fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, yams.  That was amazing too.  This was as close to grandma's home cooking as I could get, that is if my grandma was a southern black woman.  I honestly cannot imagine a person going here an not being satisfied and stuffed when they leave.  But in true fashion I couldn't leave it there.  I had to get dessert, I decided to get the peach cobbler, another success.

Overall I think it is pretty obvious that I recommend this place and plan on returning.  The service was amazing and the food was even better.  If you drive by it you know the place, it has a way of catching your eye.  Stop just driving by and get in there to enjoy it.  This is the kind of place that makes trying a new place every week worth it.

A very easy 5 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 sweaters because the weather is getting cooler and this one is fabulous because it adds a little glitz and glamour to an everyday outfit because it shimmers.

 The color combination is perfect for the holiday season. I paired it with a pair of combat boots fromHeart&Sole by PC and earrings by Sparkle by Patty's Closet. You can find this look at the trifecta of stores at Rainbow/Windmill.

If you haven't already you need to like the Patty's, Heart and Sole, and Sparkle Facebook pages that are linked within their names above. They get shipments every Tuesday and Friday and they post pics of the new items as well as store openings. Also, if you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's near you, you can order online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time cheers to making spirits bright <3