Week 80 Osaka

Welcome back everyone! We know that we have been a few weeks behind blogging but as I am sure most of you understand, during the holidays is a busy time, but we are ready to get caught up and let you know about our latest restaurant adventures. 

Remember you can always find our blog on the LV Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/category/lv-local-interest/blog-connection/ and we are also on Facebook so if you haven't already, you should like our page http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

I chose to go to Osaka this week because I have a lot of restaurant.com credit and I was craving hibachi. Osaka is located in Summerlin on W. Lake Mead so it is a bit of a drive for us. Was the drive worth it? Well, keep reading...

We entered Osaka which has beautiful decor and is a pretty big restaurant. We waited at the hostess station for a little over 5 minutes before anyone came over to ask if we had been seated although people kept looking at us. We are very friendly, I don't know why no one wanted to help. ;)

Anyway, we wanted hibachi and if we wanted to sit in the actual hibachi section then we would have had to wait over a half an hour. We decided we would sit at a regular table and order hibachi, big mistake. 

We sat down and just ordered water and I explained to Brett how to order hibachi. We chose dynamite as an appetizer, which was delicious by the way, not like the typical dynamite you get at most Japanese restaurants. 

I ordered chicken hibachi and Brett ordered shrimp hibachi. We both chose fried rice, which they should have noted was extra, because the waitress just said white or fried and we both picked fried. Fried was an extra $4 a person, not that it is a lot, but it would have been nice to know. The hibachi also came with miso soup and salad. 

Our food came out pretty quickly for hibachi and the portion sizes were great. I could obviously not finish mine and let Brett have the rest. Typical, I know. :) When it came time for dessert I was too full and said no. Brett must have wanted it because he stopped and got Sonic ice cream on the way home. 

Okay, now to the worst part of this review. Near our booth was a private party room, in the private party room was a drug rep. giving a conference to people about diabetes. He was so loud that I could not concentrate the whole meal because I was getting disgusted by the medical terms and such. Literally everyone who came over into our section complained and no one was doing anything about it. It was like listening to someone speaking on a megaphone for over an hour. Because of this yelling, we didn't even wait for the check, we went up to the front and asked them to bring it to us there. 

The food was great but everything else totally ruined the experience for me. I was trying to have a relaxing date after a very stressful week and stressing the upcoming weeks to come and that did not happen.

In conclusion, I rate Osaka 1.5 out of 5. If that drug conference was not there or they would have asked the guy to quiet down and I didn't have to be blinded by his power point presentation, the rating would have been a lot higher. I will not be returning. 

What Brett Says...

This week we wanted more of an experience, something different.  We decided to get some Japanese hibachi.  We went to "Osaka" at Lake Mead/Buffalo.  Teray has been growing up in Jersey, I on the other hand can't think of a single time I have had it.  The Detroit areas take on Asian cuisine is American Chinese.  I was pretty excited, I have seen it on TV and movies and just think it is cool.  Not to mention why wouldn't it be cool to see someone cool your food with some style.  Unfortunately there were no seats at the grill, we conceited and sat at a booth.  

I'll start with the service.  The service at the door was not great, they just didn't seem to care.  Luckily our server was awesome, she did more as a pregnant server then we have had others do.  She was on top of things throughout the whole meal.  We were constantly getting refills, she was happy to answer our questions.  She had some great suggestions and our table was kept pretty clear.  Now onto how the overall service was ridiculously horrible.  

What I am about to say in no way reflects upon our server, as stated she was awesome.  We were sat in the main room, after about 15min we noticed a group in the next room over.  The wall between us was a half wall and we were probably 20 feet away.  That's when it started (on a weekend night); a man started yelling and doing a PowerPoint for around twenty people.  He was a drug rep telling people about a new drug for diabetes.  Here we are trying to enjoy our meal and conversation, we heard him better then each other.  It got to the point where we just stopped talking because there was no point.  The manager could care less about our concerns, she just stood there and watched the presentation.  I could maybe understand letting this fly on a weekday, but the weekend should be preserved for couples and others trying to enjoy themselves.  This single-handed ruined the experience.  The fact that they would do it and then could care less shows what type of restaurant they are.  We were too far into our meal to move but everyone else in the dining room moved.  There was one couple that sat down for less then 5 minutes and just left; we shared a look and laugh at the situation.

I will say the food was good.  We started with Dynamite which was delicious.  I then ordered the shrimp hibachi, there was a ton of food and it was great.  To be honest it was some of the better food we have had since starting the blog, but it wasn't good enough to make it a good experience.

I think my overall is pretty obvious.  I don't even want to discuss it anymore.  Great service by our server.  Great food.  I would never recommend this place to anyone.  I will never return.  

Rating: ZERO out of any number you want

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 girly dress, especially one with bold colors and patterns. This is a mullet style dress (shorter in the front and longer in the back). The chain print all over the dress make it a classic. You can wear this dress for many occasions. The fit is very flattering because it cinches at the waist. Oh and aren't my earrings cute? Love these little glasses, which are from Sparkle by Patty's Closet. You can find this look at the Patty's and Sparkle at Rainbow/Windmill. - Teray

If you haven't already you should obviously head over to a Patty's near you and check out their Facebook page for all the latest items in the shipments (Tuesdays and Fridays) and locations. In my description above both Sparkle and Patty's Facebook pages are linked. Also, if you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's near you, you can visit their online store at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time...here's to 2012 being amazing and 2013 being even better!

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 72 Origin India

Happy Halloween friends! I know we are very behind with blog and because we have been so busy, the next couple of reviews are just going to be posted by me. For this week I am about to review, we went to Origin India. Brett was there too, but because most of you know, or if you don't, he is on the east coast helping with the hurricane for emergency response, so as I mentioned above, I will be writing the review from one side. :) 

Remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. Also, we are on Facebook and love to hear from you guys so like our page and let's chat, http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So this week we headed for one of my favorite types of food, Indian food. Brett got a Groupon for a prefix meal that included one appetizer, two meals and one dessert for under  25 bucks, not bad at all if you ask me. Origin India is located right across from the Hard Rock on Paradise. There are many restaurants in that plaza so it is a pretty good place to head if you are looking for somewhere to eat. 

Origin India is beautiful inside; it is the type of place where you immediately want to host an upscale dinner party. We were seated right away and our waiter went over everything with us. I started with a red wine and Brett ordered an Indian beer. The red wine that I chose had to be some of the best that I have ever had. It was a Scarbolla, which now that I know I like, I will buy it in the store. I tasted Brett's Indian beer and it was pretty good too. I am not the biggest beer fan, so for me to like it, it must have been pretty good. 

For an appetizer we ordered homemade paneer cheese tikka, stuffed with apricots and raisins, marinated in coriander and basil glazed in Tandoor, pickled red cabbage. I had never had this before, but let me tell you, it was delicious and the best appetizer I had at an Indian restaurant ever. We also ordered sweet walnut and raisin bread, which was amazing and they should start selling it in stores. 

For dinner we ordered two family style meals that we could share along with white rice. We got the Southern Indian style diced lamb stir fry with curry leaves, black mustard seeds, whole Kashmiri chilli and coconut  and the Homestyle chicken curry scented with kaffir lime leaves, and smooth onion tomato sauce. Both of the meals had so much meat in them and the flavors were to die for. The lamb was cooked to perfection as well as the chicken curry. I would order both of those dishes again being the best that I have ever had and would probably drive there just to get them to go as well. My mouth is watering just typing this. 

For the dessert we ordered Gulab Jamun, which is Spongy mild balls made from cottage cheese and dry milk soaked in sweet syrup, served hot. The dessert was not only perfectly sweet, which is what I needed for the meal to be complete, but it was also light enough to not give you a major stomach ache after all of that food. 

Overall, the service was impeccable, the drinks were amazing and the food was some of the 

best I have had in my life. Without a doubt I rate Origin India 5 out of 5. Perfection. 

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thanks 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. There are so many things I love about this look that I don't even know where to start. My top is a is a sheer, rich red with a shiny textured collar. What is so aw

esome about this top is that it is shorter in the front and longer in the back which makes it perfect to wear with a form-fitting bottom. As you can notice, the back is pleated, love so many details in one top. The pants are a camel color and are pleather from the knees down and on the pocket area. My newest accessory from Sparkle by Patty's Closet is a pin that goes on your collar. You put one pin on each side to create the look of a necklace. Mine is gold with little bows, but there are other metals and designs available at Sparkle. This look can be found at the Rainbow 

locations of Patty's and Sparkle.

Make sure if you haven't already you like the Patty's Facebook page which is linked above as well as the Sparkle page. If you aren't lucky enough to have either of those stores by you, check out shop.ilovepattyscloset.com to order online. 

Until next time, cheers to what's important in life, family and friends who are just like it. <3 

Week 71 Firkin

Welcome back everyone! We hope are having a wonderful October. Although it is mentioned every week, we are thankful for all the new views, comments, likes, followers, etc. To hear that you guys now look forward to your date nights as much as we do is pretty awesome. Remember you can find our blog on the Las Vegas Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ under the Local Interest Section. We also have a Facebook page which we update frequently, so be sure to check it out, http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So for the past few weeks driving home from my office I have noticed Firkin, even from the outside it looked like a fun place, and I love to try anything that is fairly new. I have only had English food one other time and it was not a pleasant experience, so I was honestly looking forward more to the drinks and atmosphere than the food when I purchased the Groupon. 

Firkin is located on Paradise right over by the Hard Rock. When you walk in there is an area with booths, then tables and the bar, a pool table area and another room where you can sit and eat. At first we sat in the booth area, but quickly I felt out of the loop and wanted to move over to a table by the bar; the hostess was extremely easy going and didn't seem to mind. 

Our waiter was very nice with a great sense of humor and went over the drink specials. I decided to order a Washington Apple made into a mixed drink because it was on special and Brett got a beer. I was nervous because I didn't know if this apple drink would be strong but Brett assured me that it was basically a shot size of liquor and made into a bigger drink. I had to have two because it was so good. 

We took a little bit to decide what we wanted for our appetizers and ended up going with the calamari. I love calamari, and although it wasn't my favorite type from an Italian restaurant, it was very good. Of course like I mention in many reviews, it didn't taste too fried, which is the main reason that I liked it. 

For our meals I ordered a fried fish sandwich asking Brett if this was an English choice and he got bangers and mash. My sandwich was pretty good, but I would have probably been better off if I ordered a pizza like I wanted to. LOL. I must not be a fan of English food, because I have not enjoyed it either time I ordered it. 

For dessert we ordered the bread pudding, which besides the drinks was the best part of the meal. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the vibe of Firkin, I probably would go back just to hang and not approach it like an English bar, but just a regular bar. I rate it 4 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

Another week where we decided to let Groupon decide, very thankful to deals.  We have to save some cash when we are averaging $3100/yr on just eating out for the blog.  So given the opportunity to save some cash we jump on it.  This week Groupon was offering 50% deal for "Firkin."  Haven't heard of it, no worries I didn't either.  Firkin is an English restaurant/pub across from the Hard Rock.  They are fairly new, I think they are in the right spot.

drinking crowd.  I since heard that the bar crowd is a pretty good time.  

Not thinking too highly of the area, except for the Hard Rock itself, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  When we parked I was already excited...there was a silver Delorean parked in front.  Being a true child of the 80's I am required to get giddy and hyped by the greatest movie car of all time.  So the restaurant itself is pretty large, a lot bigger then what I thought could have gone in at that location.  They have a large bar area, a good amount of table seats, a bar game area, and a self serve beer wall.  I didn't try the beer wall out but apparently you pay for a number of drinks and have a token type thing that allows you to pour a set number of beers.  The inside had an awesome atmosphere, if I was going out drinking this would be my spot.  It reminded me of an awesome English Pub in Minneapolis...except they didn't have the second floor yard for playing yard bowling.  It is just set up really well, it has a good flow for a food crowd or a 

Our server was a pretty chill guy, he looked like he belonged in an English pub as well.  He had good suggestions and made things flow.  He interacted with us and made sure everything was working out.  He also made sure to take care of Treat with her drinks, she isn't big on shots so he set her up right with some shots converted into mixed drinks.  He would do a good.job getting her drunk for me if I ever needed to see that.  A big plus is that when asked for suggestions he didn't automatically go with pricker items.  He was a key element to us having a great time.

The food was also pretty good.  I was surprised that the menu wasn't overwhelmingly English.  They had some key items but it was a well rounded menu.  We started off with some calamari...it is a safe bet anywhere.  It was really good, the sauce was money.  For dinner I went with a standard of English food, hangers and mashed.  When I go to English restaurants I either get that or the chicken pot pie.  Theirs was really good and filling.  They also bring some English spicy mustard that finishes the taste off perfectly.  I also had a couple Crown and Cokes thanks to their drink specials.

Overall it was a nothing over the top experience.  I don't say that in a bad way, it was amazing.  They just don't try to get crazy with things.  They keep everything simple and everything they do they do it well.  I would like to check out the bar scene the next time I've got some guys in town.

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 anything in in the darker shades and the embellishment and metallics in this look make it really stand out. The top is a tunic that flairs out which makes i

t perfect to pair with leggings. Around the neck is so much embellishment is takes the place of wearing a necklace, which is really big for fall. My leggings are also from the Rainbow location, and as we all know with cooler weather now here, fun leggings are on your must have list. My earrings are from Sparkle by Patty's Closet (the Rainbow location) and my fringe booties (available in camel and black) are from Heart&Sole by PC. You can find this whole look at the trifecta of stores located on Rainbow and Windmill. ♥

Make sure you check out the Patty's Closet, Sparkle, and Heart and Soul Facebook pages that are linked above and if you don't have one near you check out shop.ilovepattyscloset.com .

Until next time, cheers to having it all <3 

Week 69 Blue Fin Sushi

So I am the first to admit that we have been behind on the blog. Between Brett finishing up his internship and me working extra hours, life has been a little hectic. We can't complain though, we both are on this amazing life journey that is getting better and better everyday. 

Remember you can always find our blog on the LV Informer in the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/. Also, we have a Facebook page for the blog and you can click the link and like it right here: http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants 

What Teray Says...

So about two weeks ago Brett and I were both craving sushi. It was his turn to pick and I didn't mention I was craving it because I did not want to influence his decision. When he told me we were heading to Blue Fin Sushi, the first question I asked was if they had all you can eat, and the answer was yes. Of course, the all you can eat component made me a happy girl. 

For the sake of this review and rather than talking about all the sushi rolls one by one, I am going to just do a brief summary and talk about everything as a whole. The food was delicious. The sushi rolls had the biggest pieces that I have ever had at an all your can eat. I had to break them apart to eat them in one bite, which is nothing really to complain about. 

The following is a list of items that we ordered: edamame, salmon skin salad, blue fin lasagna, egg rolls, Hawaiian roll, Rainbow roll, Spider roll, Sunset roll, Arizona roll, octopus, mackerel and strawberry, green tea and mango mochi. 

If you are a dedicated follower of our reviews you will notice that we ordered a lot less then we normally do at all you can eat, again that is due to the portion sizes, which made us full a lot faster. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Blue Fin Sushi. It is not a place I would think of going back to right away just because it is over in Henderson and we live in the southwest. The service was good though and the food was delicious so I rate it 4 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...


We normally try to stick closer to home, at least to the south or the west.  This week we decided to travel over to the east side of the valley.  You all know how it is here, everything you need is in your section of town and you stay there unless you have to.  We figured we needed to expand our geographical horizons.  So we went to "Blue Fin Sushi" at East Sunset and Sandhill.  Sometimes I wish this blot was a sushi blog...I just can't get enough of the stuff.  Blue Fin offers all you can eat, which is a major factor in our decision of where to go.  For $26 you get one hour of all you can eat, an employee assured us not to worry about the time limit.

Blue Fin resembles most sushi restaurants in Vegas.  It is small, few tables, and a large sushi bar.  There really isn't much else to say about the physical aspect.  It served it's purpose.  The service was pretty good.  At one point it felt like we were the only customers in the place; I think part of that was because they saw us taking pictures of the food...they busted us.  Regardless we were able to order food frequently and for the most part it came pretty quickly.  And once they caught on we couldn't get water refilled fast enough.
With all you can eat sushi you either win or lose on quality.  I'll start by saying I would consider Blue Fin a win.  The fish tasted fresh and the roll selection was pretty large.  Some of the rolls we ordered we giant, like ridiculous sized.  They also don't overload the rolls with rice to fill you up quick.  I can't think of anything I didn't like with the actual food. 

My biggest problems I have is that you only get one hour, you are constantly ordering so you don't run out of time.  It makes it tough to enjoy yourself and your company.  I don't usually eat more in two hours, if anything I eat less because the "you are full...stop eating" trigger kicks in.  I know they said don't worry about the time limit but they always have the option to cut you off at one hour.  My other issue is alcohol not being included; other places offer it.  I'm not saying it has to be top shelf but even some lower end saki would be nice.  Overall I was pleased though and I would return.  I would suggest your party size be no larger then 4 people just for the size of the restaurant.
Rating 4 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 for this date. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. Sometimes the simplest looks make such a statement. I love this top, which is longer in the back and shorter in the front. The light-weight sheer material is my favorite type, and the best part is the leopard detailing on the sleeves by the wrists and at the collar. Leopard and ivory are both classic, so this top will take you through the seasons. I paired it with a solid brown mini and simple tank, but once it gets colder it will look awesome with some 

leggings and boots. You can find this fabulous top at the Rainbow location.

If you haven't already you should like Patty's Closet Facebook page which is linked above. You can see all the latest items from the new shipments and store events. If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can order from the online store. shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Make sure you like the Facebook pages for the newest stores Sparkle by Patty's Closet and Heart and Soul by Patty's Closet. If you love accessories and shoes, these stores are for you. 
http://www.facebook.com/SparklebyPattysCloset 
http://www.facebook.com/HeartSoleByPc

Until next time, cheers to breathing in fresher air...xo

Week 68 Marbella

Hi friends! Can you believe it is October already? Wow, is this year flying! I can speak for both Brett and I that we love this time of year when the weather cools down. I love it for the fall fashions, but that is a given. :) 

Thanks to all the new followers this week on Facebook page and speaking of Facebook, remember you can like our page at: http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants and you can find our blog on the LV Informer in the Local Interest section: http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ .

What Teray Says...

So this week Brett and I had cliche Vegas date of dinner and a show. We hardly ever go to shows because they can be pretty pricey, but I was lucky enough that the people at my amazing new jobs gave us Garth Brooks tickets for free! Garth Brook is Brett's favorite singer, so you can imagine my excitement to tell him we received these tickets.

I picked Marbella this week because I had a bunch of Groupon credit and ended up getting $40 for only $5. What a steal right?! Marbella is located right by the Palms on W. Flamingo. It is a tapas place that has small plates, medium plates, and large plates (which are typical dinner sized meals). 

A word to the wise, Marbella suggests that you make reservations on the week-end. I was a bit puzzled though because when I called earlier in the day the earliest they had was 8:15 and hardly any of the tables were full when we got there at 8:00. Oh well, better safe than sorry. 

I personally did not mind waiting a few minutes to be seated, but Brett was not very pleased with something that happened in the beginning of our date, I didn't even notice it so I couldn't even tell you what it was (I am sure he will explain below).  We started off by ordering carafe of Sangria. The Sangria at Marbella is nothing like the Sangria at Firefly, but it is amazing. To me it tastes more like Italians make Sangria, and I really enjoyed it being that is how it tasted to me back home in Jersey. 

The first two appetizers we ordered were the brussel sprouts (suggestion from two different staff members) and the empanadas. The brussel sprouts are the number one thing you need to try if you go to Marbella because they literally taste like chips; they are amazing. The empanadas (you get four of them) are fantastic as well. We tried our best to order items that we don't get when we go to other popular tapas places and our choices were great so far. 

For our second round of tapas we ordered the lamb sliders which came with sweet potatoe fries and the peppers stuffed with crab meat. Again, both of these were amazing. If they made a lamb burger there I would 100% order it for a meal if I went back. 

For dessert we ordered the torta de chocolate. I was really craving chocolate cake last week and this hit the spot. It is warm chocolate lava cake served with vanilla ice cream. It is quite amazing if you ask me and definitely hit the spot. 

Overall, I would rate Marbella a 4.5 out of 5 and would definitely go back. I liked the vibe of the restaurant (the people, the service, the ear pleasing music being played on the piano). There are so many great choices on the menu I would order totally different things if we go back. 

What Brett Says...

This weeks review was inspired by another Grouping deal.  We like saving money as much as the next person.  We ended up going to "Marbella" which is a fairly new restaurant.  They are on Flamingo where the Ruth Chris steakhouse was.  They seem to do a little of everything; they have tapas, medium sized dishes, and larger entered...so you can decide what direction to take things.  If you decide to go check for a Grouping Now deal.

Real quick before I get into my usual format for the review I have to get my big complaint out there.  As someone that has pretty much had every job in a restaurant I am able to see things that others don't and I know when things aren't right.  The middle aged woman that was working; my guess either the owner or manager.  She is my biggest complaint.  
Customer service is huge for me and so is perception, perception is truth.  When we walked in she was talking to a group of employees, we stood at the hostess stand being ignored by her.  The minute a guest walks in they should be greeted, no ones back should remain turned to finish a conversation.  Ignoring me when you are a supervisor is strike one.  Strike two was watching her correct and discipline her staff while in view of the customers.  At no point should that happen, take it to the back of the house.  Your guests should not be exposed to your employees being managed, it should look like everything is a well oiled machine.  I attribute this to most likely her being new to being a supervisor.  
Now onto the review, starting with the service.  At first I was a little worried because our server seemed to not want to be there and she did not come off as friendly.  She eventually warmed up to us and even became pleasant.  She had some great suggestions and made sure we had everything we needed.  She sold us on a pitcher of sangria and helped convince use to order things we normally wouldn't.  I don't remember her having any help so she actually did a great job once she got rolling.

The restaurant itself was very nice.  It had a glassy feel to it but was still low key enough that jeans and a tshirt were ok.  There was however two girls next to us that were dressed similar to what I would assume off duty Hooker's would wear.  I was also happy that I could see a TV with the football game on.  The one downside to the physical stuff was the tables.  They went with white linen...covered with white paper.  I understand it keeps things clean and makes it easier to clean up.  I however feel it makes the place look a little cheap.  Spend the extra money and just wash the linens after each day.  Next thing you know they will have a paper towel roll on each table.  Other then that the decor was retro and everything created a comfortable atmosphere.

Now onto the part that matters most, the food.  We decided to go with more of the tapas type of meal then a big meal.  We had four different meals and dessert.  We started things off with one of the most unusual types of tapas I can think of.  We ordered their brussels sprouts; not exactly what you think.  Don't think of the brussel sprouts you were forced to eat as a child, think more baked chip style.  I'm not exactly sure how to describe them except to say they were delicious.  I wish they would sell these by the bag.  Our next item were the empanadas, good but nothing special.  Round three consisted of some pretty amazing stuffed peppers.  Round four to close out dinner were the lamb sliders.  After having Firefly's filet sliders I didn't think I would find better taps sliders, I was wrong.  These sliders were right on the money, topped with tzatziki sauce.  I think the one improvement would be to put these on fresh pita as opposed to dinner rolls.  What good meal could be complete without woke dessert.  What dessert is better then chocolate cake?  Well they did a great job with this too.

Overall I was impressed.  There were some obvious improvements that could be made to make them a standout restaurant in Vegas, just don't think they are ready yet.  It is worth going to and you will enjoy.  I honestly hope they see this review and take my advice.  I am so confident in their idea I welcome them to bring me in and tweak things...I'm no expert but I think my experience could help them out a little.  I think they will improve with time.  But they are good enough now to test the tale of time.
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. I love a bold pattern, especially on a jacket. The mix of colors on this jacket leaves you with endless possibilities of what to pair it with. Not only is it fashi

onable, but it is so comfortable I thought I was weary a sporty type jacket. I paired it with a pair of black shorts that I got at Patty's in the past and some wedges. You can find this jacket at the Rainbow location!

If you haven't already you need to like the Patty's Closet Facebook page to keep up on all the latest store openings, contests and shipment items. http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV

This week-end Heart and Soul by PC and Sparkle by PC are both opening next to the Rainbow location and I cannot wait. You can find the details right here: http://www.facebook.com/events/367294570017272/  Lastly, if you are not lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, you can shop online at: shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time, cheers to living the life you've always wanted. xo