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 74 Miller's Ale House

Hi Everyone! Welcome back to the blog. This week and the next two weeks I will be having guest bloggers join me on the weekly outings which is pretty exciting. It is always fun to have different perspectives. Thanks to all the new followers this week, I love that you guys are enjoying this blog.

Remember, you can always find us on the LV Informer under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ and like our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants we update it daily and love to hear feedback from the readers and followers. 

What Teray Says...

This week my family joined me as guest bloggers. Every Friday night they always go to Miller's and because I have never reviewed it, I figured it would be the perfect place to go. Brett and I normally also go out on Saturdays, so it was cool to see what  Friday night was like out and about. :)

My family was already seated at a high top table when I arrived and I joined them in the back. They had a pitcher of beer on special. I ordered a water and an MG 64. I don't care what anyone says, I love MG 64, not only because it is a light beer in taste, but because the calorie amount is so low. 

Our server was friendly, I am not one though that likes to make a lot of conversation with strangers at times, so some people may have found him too chatty and that the stories he was telling were too personal, maybe not though. 

I took the longest to decide what to order. I ended up going with a pepperoni pizza. I figured it would be something that I could eat at dinner but then eat left overs the next day to save myself from cooking.  My aunt ordered fish tacos, my cousin ordered the Zinger club, which is not on the menu but they make it anyway, and my uncle ordered the Zingers. I have had the fish tacos before so I know they are great. I have also had the Zingers and can say they are amazing!!! If you have a sensitive stomach though, they are spicy so beware.

Speaking for just my pizza alone it was amazing. It tasted more like the pizza I am used to having back home then most of the speciality pizza places out here. I think I know what I will get from now on when I come here, especially because there are so many times to choose from.

I love the atmosphere of Miller's, anything in Town Square is always fun no matter when you go. On Friday of last week it was the UNLV Homecoming parade, so it was packed. I love to people watch and this was the perfect opportunity!

Overall, I love the atmosphere, prices, food, drinks and company of Miller's and I rate it 5 out 5. 

What Teray's Family Says... (Janet, Jim and Pat Lazarus, written by Janet Lazarus)

So I was the guest blogger for the Newlyweds Blog last week while Brett was out of town.  Teray came to dinner with us at Miller's and she asked if I would write a few lines.  First of all, we go to Miller's every Friday night, so to say we like it is a understatement.  What we love most about the place is that it reminds us of back home (of course being Teray's family that is Jersey).  We mostly sit at the bar each Friday (we kind of celebrate the ending of the work week) and we have become "REGULARS" which we love. The bartenders know us and they automatically get us our beer (which is always ice cold) and ask us how we are doing this week, just like the hometown feel because living in Vegas you kind of get lost in the shuffle.  

We mostly get the same food too, I always get the fish tacos which I love because the are good and kind of on the lighter side but you do get 3 which is plenty.  My husband usually gets the Zingers which they are known for and again are plentiful and a basket of fries which we share.  I have to say of all the places in Vegas I love their fries; they are always hot and fresh.  Teray's cousin also came to dinner this week and yes he always orders the Zinger Club which he swears by.  So they are definitely consistent with there food because we all  keep on ordering the same thing, so it must be good.  Teray ordered the pizza which I was glad because that recently came onto the menu but I never want to switch, but that did look really good.   I wanted to try the peanut butter pie on the menu since we were blogging but after all the talking and fun we had forgotten about dessert.   Oh well its not like I won't be back, perhaps this Friday lol. :) 5 out 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 top in a neutral color that also has standout details and this one fits the criteria. :) How cool is it that there are spikes on the shoulders of this shirt

? It also opens up in the back which allows you to wear it many different ways. I paired it with a pair of basic black leggings and some combat boots from Heart&Sole by PC. You can find this look at the Rainbow location.

If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can always order from their online store shop.ilovepattyscloset.com . I have linked the Facebook to Patty's Closet and Heart and Sole above if you click on the names of the stores. Each week you can see the new items that they receive and keep updated on the latest events! Remember there are stores all across the valley and each one has different items!

Until next time, cheers to 30 days of thanks!! <3 xo

Week 62 Ranch House Kitchen (Town Square)

Hey Everyone <3 Welcome back! I cannot believe that next week summer as I know it is basically over. It was an amazing one though and don't worry, we still have many exciting things on the way, restaurants to review, and fabulous outfits of the week provided by Patty's Closet. 

So some exciting news, we were approached with an opportunity to work with Love Thy Lens Photography. http://www.facebook.com/lovethylens Lisa offered to do a shoot for our blog to give it a make-over with some updated shots. I cannot wait for you guys to see how it turns out because we really brainstormed a cool concept. I suggest you like you Facebook page above and the pictures will be posted soon.

As always, remember you can find our blog on the Las Vegas Informer under the local interest section: http://lasvegas.informermg.com/

Also, we are on Facebook and update our page frequently so please like out page right here: http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants?bookmark_t=page or you can follow me on Twitter @TerayDragun https://twitter.com/TerayDragun.

What Teray Says...

So this week after our date we knew that we were going to meet some of our friends at a Spy on Vegas event at Blue Martini. Being it was my turn to pick the restaurant, I figured why not pick somewhere in Town Square. We had never been to Ranch House and it is right next door to Blue Martini, easy decision.

Sometimes we are have friends join us on our dates. This week our friend Adam came along with us at Ranch House, so I will talk about what all three of us ordered. Adam beat us there because as Brett might mention, it took me forever to do my hair and we were running late. We sat in the outside area, but there were misters so the heat didn't bother me as much as it normally does. Oh, for those of you that don't know, Ranch House took over Cadillac Ranch's spot. 

Our server was on the ball and we just all ordered water because we would be getting free drinks next door. They have a huge menu, so it took us a little bit to decide what to order. I wish I had branched out and tried something off the potato, grilled cheese, or breakfast menu, but I have been craving Cesar salad so much lately that I got a chicken Cesar salad wrap. I have no idea what the thing that Brett ordered was called, but it look really good, and Adam ordered a cobb salad. FYI, their menu is huge; it is definitely some place that all ages could go because there is something for everyone. 

It took a little while to get our food, but I think Brett's probably took really long to cook. Adam's salad looked fresh and delicious and I enjoyed my Cesar salad wrap immensely. You can order sides, but being I wasn't super hungry, I just went with the wrap. 

Brett and Adam both ordered dessert. Again, I wanted to save my calories for the free drinks so I skipped it. Brett got this huge cookie pie thing and Adam got a piece of pie. Both looked so delicious. Brett let me have a taste of his, and it was just the perfect amount of sweet without being sugar overload. If we ever go back, I will splurge.

Overall, I liked Ranch House Kitchen. I really would like to go back and try something different from what I usually order. Our service was good and so was the food so I would rate it 3 out 5. I heard it is a fun place to be at night time and that they serve a good brunch, so if I ever go back it will be on a Sunday for brunch.

What Brett Says...

This week we picked our restaurant based on what we were doing after dinner; we had plans to go to the Spy on Vegas event at Blue Martini.  Since we were going to Town Square we figured we might as well eat there, there are always places closing which means new restaurants opening.  We decided to go to "Ranch House Kitchen" which is where Cadillac Ranch use to be.  I'm pretty sure they just changed the name and tweaked the menu.  

The place is huge, I think this is part of the reason Cadillac Ranch didn't make it.  It is your standard Americana restaurant with wood everywhere and all that is American.  One part that is nice is their patio, they are on the second floor and the patio overlooks the open area outside of Rave theaters; good spot to people watch.  It was hot outside but the shade and their fans kept us pretty comfortable.  If you have been to Town Square it is a pretty standard restaurant, comparable to Miller's Ale House and Yard House just with their own twist, well not their twist...with a Cadillac Ranch twist.  The service was good, it was nothing special though.  He was there when we needed him and wasn't hovering over us.  I think the lack of things to say about the restaurant and the service sum it up well; it was there, it served and purpose, but they aren't anything to write home about.

I'm pretty sure the menu is the same as Cadillac Ranch's with different words and descriptions, it is a pretty standard American restaurant.  I decided to go with the Cheddar Brisket Grinder.  They describe it as "thick slices of brisket stacked with roasted red peppers, white cheddar cheese, crispy onions, mayo and steak sauce on a hoagie roll."  I can tell you that all of these flavors work well, the blend and they are delicious.  Unfortunately they make a horrible sandwich, specifically the thick slices of brisket.  I'm pretty sure it was just one large slab of brisket, which I'm not one to complain about.  That is until I am expected to chew through it.  I took one bite and pulled off all the brisket, which left me with a grilled cheese sandwich of sorts.  All of it was good I think they should just switch it to thinly sliced or chopped up brisket.  Maybe I'm the only one but I hate when a sandwich falls apart and/or you don't get to taste all the parts of said sandwich in each bite.  If I had to eat this again I would just cut it all up and make it into a mixed plate.  To follow up my sandwich I decided I would indeed get some dessert, I opted to get one of the greatest dessert items to find on a menu...a chocolate chip cookie skillet.  A large chocolate chip cookie on a metal skillet straight out of the oven with vanilla ice cream on top.  I would happily go back to a fat kid if I could just make these a large part of my diet.  I think it all goes back to childhood when my mom use to make chocolate chip cookie pie...a quick way to my heart (hint hint).  This was amazing, they did it very well.

Overall I wasn't impressed with Ranch House, there is no originality and it just wasn't all that great.  I wouldn't be surprised if the owners of Cadillac Ranch just closed and opened it with a different name hoping to boost business...which probably won't work.  I think the space is just too big, maybe when I get some cash I will buy it and turn it into something amazing.  However, you need to stop in for the chocolate chip cookie skillet.

Rating: 3 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. I am beyond obsessed and in love with this maxi dress. Not only is the fit so flattering, the colors make such a statement. It is classy in the fact that it is long and doesn't show everything, but also sassy that there are slits up the bottom of it. The material is light weight so it kept me cool on this 110 night. I received so many compliments on this 
dress that I felt like a princess. You can find this look at the Rainbow location.

You can find out all the latest information on store openings (Heart and Soul the shoe store is coming soon), new shipment items and special events at Patty's Closet Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV

Also, you should time a moment and like the Heart and Soul Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/HeartSoleByPc and the Sparkle Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SparklebyPattysCloset

Even if you don't live in Vegas, Portland or NJ where there are Patty's Closet locations, you can order online from their website: shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time, cheers to opportunities knocking <3 xo