Week 104 Surang's Thai Kitchen

Hello readers and welcome back! We hope you are all enjoying your summer. Can you believe it is August already? The time has flown by so fast! Remember, you can always find our blog on our Facebook page, which we update frequently and if you haven't already please like our page, https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants . 

What Teray Says...

So this week that we to Surang's Thai Kitchen, I was beginning my second trimester and got my first of few cravings that I had so far. I really wanted Thai food and we didn't feel like driving anywhere far, so I type Thai food 89148 in Google and found that we had never been to Surang's Thai Kitchen. 

Surang's is located at Ft. Apache and Mesa Vista in the southwest. It isn't a fancy restaurant, more like somewhere you would go for lunch or to take out food. When we arrived we were the only people there, a big group came in about halfway through our meal, but like I said we basically had the whole place to ourselves. 

We both decided on chicken pad Thai, thinking it was the lunch special with soup and ragoon because the menu we were given had that on there. When we got our food, we were informed that is not on the week-ends. In my opinion, we should not have been given that menu then. Maybe it is because I am pregnant and pretty hungry the majority of the day, but I was disappointed. Other than that, the service was decent. 

Back to the chicken pad Thai, it was delicious and the portion size was good. I ate almost every bite except some of the chicken, because at that time I was still having a hard time getting down meat and poultry. Overall, I would visit there again if I were in a hurry for take out, but won't be rushing back anytime soon. I hate Surang's 3 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

One of the cool things about having a wife that's pregnant is the fact that she will always have cravings making it that much easier to pic where to eat.  This week we went for lunch, Thai food was the craving of the week.  We decided to go with "Surang's Thai Kitchen" on Ft, Apache in the southwest part of town.  

The inside of the restaurant is pretty standard as far as Asian strip mall restaurants go; very few tables and a large counter for to-go orders.  It did look pretty clean which can be a challenge with take out centered restaurants.  The service was very good, there was only one server since it was a Saturday lunch crowd...us and one other table.

We looked online and saw this amazing lunch special, we were instantly let down when we were told that it does not apply on the weekends.  I'm not sure what their week day crowd looks like but they might benefit from offering the special on the weekend.  Regardless the craving must be fulfilled.  I ordered chicken pad Thai, this is usually Teray's go to.  I ordered it because I always end up eating half of Teray's food and I always like her pad Thai more then my dish.  So this time I decided to smarten up and just follow her lead.  The dish was very good, I wasn't completely full (maybe if the special was available) but there was a decent amount of food.  The food had a little bit of a kick even though I ordered it on the milder side.  That being said the spice tasted right and I wouldn't have wanted it as mild as I was originally hoping for.

Overall I think this is a good place to go for a quick meal, the food was good.  I would say go during the week so you can get more bang for you buck.

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 this week. 

Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. In the summer one of my favorite things is to wear neon. The bright colors just put me in a great mood. This skirt is so colorful and because of that the options for tops are endless. I paired it with my favorite color pink, and some lace up sandals from Heart&Sole by PC. If you want this perfect summer look, head over to the Rainbow PC location.

If you haven't already, you can like the PC Facebook page which is linked above. They post pictures of all the new items at all of the stores each Tuesday and Friday. Also, no stores get the same items, so it is worth checking out more than one. Lastly, if you don't have a PC near you, you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com . 

Until next time, cheers to all of life's blessings xo 

Week 103 Blogging from NJ: Blue Moon Mexican Cafe

Hello readers. :) Welcome back! I am finally back in Vegas from almost a month straight of nonstop traveling. I think I was actually here a week combined within the past month, so it is time to get caught up on blogging. 

Yes, we have been busy traveling, but we also are happy to announce if you haven't heard already that we are expecting our first child on January 14, 2014 and could not be happier! 

Remember, you can always find our blog through our Facebook page and if you haven't already, check it out at: https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So this week for the blog I am reviewing a restaurant in Englewood, New Jersey. Why Englewood, NJ? Well, two reasons, one I am from NJ and two that is where the NJ Patty's Closet is located. As you guys know my Patty's Closet outfit of the week is a huge part of this blog, so I figured if you are going to be visiting the NJ store and live in the tri-state area, why not give you a fabulous place to eat while doing so. 

We chose Blue Moon because it was recommended by the girls working at Patty's, plus I was craving Mexican food that week of my pregnancy, so this was perfect. Blue Moon is a restaurant and bar that reminds me of a place you could do anything from hang with friends to go on a date. If I lived there, it would definitely be somewhere I would frequent, just because of the of the vibe there. 

At Blue Moon we sat outside because the weather was beautiful. Our waitress greeted us right away and brought us chips and salsa, which were delicious. For our meals I ordered the burrito lunch special. My sister ordered a salad and so did my mom. Speaking for my lunch special it came with rice and beans as well and was absolutely wonderful. It was some of the best Mexican food that I had in a long time. 

The prices were amazing too. The three of us had lunch for under $30, pretty good deal. Our waitress was friendly and helpful and the food came quickly. There were so many choices on the menu, so there is something for everyone. Also, the sangria is supposed to be amazing but being I was preggo, my mom doesn't drink, and my sister is gluten free, we didn't have any alcohol. 

Overall, I loved Blue Moon. I would recommend it to anyone in the NJ or NY area being the drive is not far for either. I definitely rate Blue Moon 5 out of 5 because it was top notch. 

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.  This week my outfit is from the Englewood, NJ store. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique.  Don't you love this maxi? Not only is animal print a Jersey staple, but maxi dresses are the perfect thing to wear in the heat and humidity. I love the material because it is so comfortable I feel like I am wearing pajamas.

If you haven't been to Patty's you can check out items from all of their stores on their Facebook page which is linked above. They post pictures of all of the new shipment items on Tuesdays and Fridays and each store has different items. If you aren't lucky enough to have a PC near you, you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. 

Until next time, cheers to our expanding family! xoxo 

Week 102 Roberto's Taco Shop

Hi Everyone, yes, we are back. With a few weeks of traveling around the USA, Brett switching shifts, and exciting life events, we have been go, go, go. We have reviews to write because we have been going on blog dates, but we haven't gotten to post until now. Thanks for sticking with us.

Just a reminder, I always post my outfits of the week provided by Patty's Closet in the same week we do our date. This is so that you guys can get the outfit in the store from the same week's shipment. You can find those on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

When it comes to a busy week there is nothing like take out which will allow us to enjoy the weekend together away from the busy places and just relax. This particular week was one of those and the scorching temps were the icing on the cake, I just didn't feel like going out. On all the tv shows I had watched that day everyone was eating Mexican for some reason. When I think of amazing Mexican and take out, I think Roberto's Taco Shop.

Luckily, we live by a Roberto's and it is only a couple of streets up. I decided to order the two tacos combination with rice and beans. I personally feel like anything you get there is always pretty good. When we do Roberto's take out, I normally eat half and then save half, this time wasn't an exception. I did the same. 

I know some people think and just by seeing the picture that this is messy slop. Yes, it is messy, but it is truly perfect if you are in the mood for a cheat meal and something so crappy for you. I wish these meals had no calories because I would eat them more often. Next time we go back there, I will definitely order the same thing though because it was delicious, broken into two meals and under $7.00, you just can't go wrong. On that note, I still prefer a Chipotle, Qdoba, or Baja Fresh over here. You have to be in the mood for junk. 

Overall, this review is short and sweet, but we did do take out. I rate Roberto's 3.5 out of 5 for take out Mexican food. 

What Brett Says...

Once again Teray and I are super busy and it doesn't even seem as though we have time to sit down at a restaurant and eat a meal.  It's times like these we resort to take out, usually a hit or miss.  This week we decided to let you all know what we thought of "Roberto's."  We have gotten a few small things here in the past, we have even stopped by late night.  But this was our first time getting in completely sober and during normal hours.

This will be fairly quick since it was take out.  Before I get into what I ordered you should all known that they have a salsa and kind of a salad bar; spicy carrots, onions, and peppers.  This is one aspect of Roberto's that I really like, I filled  couple bags, I personally love the carrots.  I ordered the beef burrito and beef enchilada plate.  Having worked at a Mexican restaurant I am pretty tough on Mexican food.  I personally don't like the rice and beans, they are pretty bland and aren't even warm.  Considering we live 2 minutes from Roberto's I know it isn't that we waited to long to eat.  The enchilada was awesome but the burrito was decent.  I'm not a fan of burritos loaded with sauce, plus it was difficult to cut and eat.  I ended up just turning it into a burrito salad type thing.  

Overall I think I am going to stick to Roberto's when I am drunk, sober I might go for their quesadilla or nachos.  I just can't imagine eating this sober again.

Rating (sober): 2.5 out of 5

Rating (drunk): 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 literally go bananas over palazzo pants. I love them because not only are they comfortable, but they can be dressed up or down. I always feel pulled together when I wear them, and they can be worn through all of the seasons. This pair has such a bold pattern with tons of colors that the combo of tops you can pair them with is endless. To get this look head over to the Rainbow PC location.

Remember, you can find out about all the new shipment items by checking the PC Facebook page which I linked above. Each store has different looks and there are always new items being posted. If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's near you, you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com 

Until next time, cheers to little miracles. xo 

Week 101 The Mad Greek Cafe

I cannot believe this is post 101. I know, I know, we have been a little bit behind on this blog, but I promise we will pump them out soon and get back on track now that Brett has a new schedule and I am on summer break, thank goodness. 

Remember, we have a blog Facebook page, which we update frequently, so if you haven't already be sure to check it out: https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...

So for some reason, I think it is because I saw someone eating it on tv, I was really craving Greek food. Brett and I have been to a lot of the Greek restaurants in the area, but on my way to tutoring, I always drive past The Mad Greek Cafe and decided that is where we would go. 

Mad Greek Cafe is totally up my ally. It is exaggerated Greek themed with lights and fake garden outside. I loved the atmosphere immediately. We sat outside because it was a gorgeous night. I am glad we did because although the people inside looked like they were having so much fun, the music was a little loud for me. 

We were seated right away and our service got off to the right track, but kind of went down hill from there. We started with hummus and pita as well as grape leaves. Both of them were some of the best that I have ever had. If you are a follower of this blog, you know that Khoury's is my favorite Greek restaurant, and these were on par with their food. If you go there, definitely get these as appetizers. 

We got our appetizers in a fair amount of time. We ordered our dinner shortly after, but then it went down hill from there. Brett and I both got a gyro. I ordered mine as the meal with rice and salad and Brett asked for the sandwich version so he could get some spinach pie type thing with his as well. Well, not only did he not end up getting the right thing, it took over an hour to get our dinner. This is why the appetizers were so important, because if they weren't somewhat filling,  I would have passed out from hunger. 

Once the food did arrive, it was delicious, and the portion was huge, enough that I brought some home and ate it the next day for lunch. I think I would have enjoyed it more though if it didn't take so long; I was kind of irritated by then. We thought we should order our dessert as soon as the food came out so we wouldn't have to wait forever for that too. We both picked baklava, which of course was absolutely delightful and a good way to close out this crazy meal. We were at the restaurant for hours; not that we cared, but we went later as it was so we were both exhausted by the end. 

Overall, I enjoyed Mad Greek Cafe, but was not happy the service took so long. The food was delicious though. If you want to make a night of it, this place is for you. I rate Mad Greek Cafe 3 out 5. 

What Brett Says...

The entire week Teray was talking about getting some Greek food, so by the time the weekend came around I was craving it too.  We decided to check out "Mad Greek Cafe" on Durango near Sahara.  OPA!

Well they are definitely different then most restaurants when it came to the environment of the place.  The have a decent size patio that is completely surrounded with plant life, the city is completely cut off from intruding on your dining experience. They have speakers so you can enjoy the indoor entertainment (the speakers sound horrible most of the time).  As for seating, you either luck out and get a table that will allow you to be comfortable or you end up at something that has a flat surface and be uncomfortable.  The inside is a pretty simple set up; chairs and tables.  They also had a stage with live music and belly dancers.  I'm not sure how great the music was because of the speakers.  I will say indoors and out everyone seemed to be really into the experience of the restaurant.  If you do sit outside just know that everyone around you will be a smoker and depending on the breeze you may end up in the cross hairs.

Onto the service.  Everyone we encountered was very friendly and seemed to not hate being there.  The level of respect given to the customers was out of this world.  Unfortunately as far as the service it was shaky.  While our drinks seemed to be well taken care of getting food was a different story.  I didn't get what I ordered (two weeks in a row now) and it took close to an hour to get our entree. We did get told repeatedly that it was almost done, neither of us ordered anything that should take more then 5 minutes.  There also seemed to be an issue with staff dropping glass in the patio, it happened multiple times throughout out meal.

I'll start this section by saying the food we ate was delicious.  We started off with hummus and pita, every Greek restaurant should have this down pretty good.  We also had an order of grape leaves that was small but the flavor was good.  I ordered the gyro sandwich and got the gyro plate.  I just wanted to eat a wrap and make my life easy, unfortunately I got a plate that was much larger, required me to work, and cost a couple dollars more...no biggie but it still wasn't what I ordered.  The plate was very good though.  I also ordered their spinach pies, every place has their own version.  Theirs are several smaller pieces but it was amazing.  For dessert we ordered baklava...thankfully it was awesome and we were able to end the meal on a high note.

Overall I'm not entirely sure how to feel about Mad Greek Cafe.  Every aspect except the food had its weak points and high points.  I think we need to go again to see if all this is normal.  Unfortunately I only have this experience to go off of.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

PS: We ended up next to two very annoying people who kept trying to sound intellectual to each other but failed miserably.  At one point they were making fun of pretentious people while they themselves were being pretentious.

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 nautical looks; they are classic and never go out of style. This tee is so cute not only because of the front design but look at the back. I put it with a bandeau top from Patty's underneath and some denim pinstriped shorts from Lucky. You can find this adorable top that is perfect for many summer occassions at the Rainbow PC. 

If you haven't already, make sure you check out the Patty's Closet Facebook page, because they update it with all the new shipment items each Tuesday and Friday. They also have an online store if you don't have a PC near you, shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. 

Until next time, cheers to summer break. xo

Week 100 Bon Chef

Hey Everyone; welcome back. I cannot believe summer break starts this week. Where has the time gone? We are almost two years into this blog, talk about amazing. None of it could be possible without the support from the readers. 

Remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ under the Local Interest section. We also have a Facebook page, so do yourself a favor and like it to stay updated on what's going on with our blog, plus it's the easiest way to find our new posts, https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants. 

What Teray Says...

This week I was craving brunch and I found a Groupon for Bon Chef. I have heard great things about Bon Chef for dinner, which is if I ever go back it will be for that. Bon Chef is located in Henderson on Eastern and Horizon Ridge Pkwy. It is tucked away, so you have to look for it to see it, you won't see it from the street. 

We were seated right away and both the breakfast and lunch menus were brought over. We both decided on breakfast. I ordered the pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon. Yes, I know it sounds like a lot but I was really craving brunch as I mentioned above.  Brett ordered the eggs benedict and a side of fruit. Brett never got the side of fruit. Whenever one of us doesn't get something we ordered we don't say anything because we want it to be reflected within the blog.

Our food came out fairly quickly but our service was lack luster. The food was good, but nothing to write home about. I have had much better brunch food and was disappointed after eating my meal. The atmosphere was cute and again, I would probably go there for dinner, but not back for breakfast, too far of a drive and not worth it. 

This review is short, because I don't have much to say about it...I really wasn't a fan. My rating 2.5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

Women love brunch, I don't really know what is so special considering most restaurants allow you to order off the breakfast and lunch menus.  I love brunch because it allows me to sleep a few extra hours without disrupting breakfast.  That being said Teray wanted some brunch so I slept in and then we went to "Bon Chef Cafe" at Eastern and Horizon Ridge in Henderson.

The restaurant itself was nothing special, it severed it's purpose.  It is much more of a cafe then a restaurant, very simple.  If you are looking for a place that serves a purpose beyond tables and chairs then this is the wrong place.  I don't know why you would need more for a breakfast/brunch/lunch place.  What really matters is the service; I once again have to report that things here aren't great.  Our server was very friendly and personable.  Unfortunately you don't get what you ordered.  I ordered my entree and a side of fruit, I am not able to tell you how fresh the fruit was because it never came.  It is one thing to be slow when you provide refills...although that bothers me too.  But your main job is to relay a message to the kitchen and apparently that was too much to ask on this particular day.  I might as well just do it myself and save the cash.

I guess all that's really left to talk about is the food.  I don't really understand the idea of brunch...I have never seen anyone get anything but breakfast food.  I decided to go with something different then I normally would, I ordered the eggs benedict and a side of fruit.  Like I said the fruit never came but the eggs benedict was pretty good.  It wasn't the best I have ever had and it was small but I would eat it again.  I wish I would have went with something a bit more filling, or gotten the fruit.

Overall I would have to say "Bon Chef Cafe" was a pretty lackluster experience.  It isn't somewhere I would go out of my way to get to but if someone suggested it I wouldn't turn them down.  There are much better places to go and if I wasn't reviewing them I would have asked for the fruit instead of hoping it would eventually come.  

Rating: 2.5 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 knew this week I was looking for a casual, classic staple and this shirt just happened to come in the newest shipment. If you are an avid fashion magazine reader like I am, you know that light denim is huge for summer. This shirt hits that trend but also another trend with the ebellishment and the fact that you can tie it at the stomach area. I love that I can already think of many other ways to wear this shirt. I paired it with a leopard skirt and some nude flip flops from Heart&Sole by PC. You can get this shirt from the Rainbow PC location.

If you haven't already make sure to like the Patty's Closet Facebook page which is linked above. You can see all the newest items on shipment days, which are Tuesdays and Fridays. Also, if you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's near you, check out the website and you can shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com

Until next time, cheers to summer break!

Week 98 The Lodge on Ft. Apache

We're back. We may have been gone for a few weeks but that doesn't mean we don't have restaurants to blog about. Blame it on the never ending days that we both have. We are just happy to be back blogging with you guys.

Remember, you can always find our blog on the LV Informer under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/category/lv-local-interest/. We also have a FB page which we update frequently, so if you haven't already please like our page, https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants. 

What Teray Says...

So this week I continued my journey on the Paleo diet, which I am still doing I must add, so I was craving bar food so bad. Brett and I decided we might as well just drive a few minutes and head to The Lodge on Ft. Apache. Inferno Pilates is in that plaza so I always drive by it every day.

We sat in the table section to be away from the smoke. Our waitress greeted us right away and was very friendly. I was craving a flavored vodka drink with club soda so she suggested Fruit Loop vodka. That drink was amazing, I only had and needed one to be giggly. Brett got beer. 

For an appetizer we chose cheese chicken quesadillas. The portion size was big and they were bar food greasy amazingness. Yes, I know that is not a real word, but I don't care. For our dinner I ordered a pastrami burger and Brett ordered a burger that had egg on it. Both were huge and delicious. I was so excited about the fries because I hadn't had them in over a month, that I ate everything on the plate. 

As for dessert, we had our waitress surprise us and she brought us a huge sundae, which again we ate all of it. Brett tried to tell the waitress that I ate all of it, which was just not true. Oh, and to say that we left their full was an understatement. We were stuffed! The Lodge definitely satisfied the bar food craving I was having for my cheat meal, because of service and food I rate them a 5 out of 5. 

What Brett Says...

This may come as a surprise to all of you but Teray likes to dress up and look her best, I know quite the shocker.  I however am the complete opposite, I could lead a very happy life (and try to) in basketball shorts and a tshirt.  I am all about comfort and relaxation, so when the opportunity arises to go out to eat somewhere that it would be acceptable to wear sweats and a tshirt I am all for it.  I have to sneak these places in when Teray is both starving and exhausted...this week I did it, we went to "The Lodge" at Fort Apache and Russell.  

There are a couple of them throughout town and from what I have seen having drinks at a few of them they all share the same theme, kind of a hunter's cabin meets Las Vegas.  They have the split dining room and bar set up with the glass divider and video poker at the bar.  The atmosphere is outdoorsy and looks like you are in the greatest bachelor pad cabin out there.  There is a fully stocked bar, big screen televisions, and beers on tap.  It is a pretty comfortable local spot that gives you a different feel then most cookie cutter Vegas bars.  The service was also good, it wasn't amazing but then again we were at a local bar.  All of our needs were met; I never had to wait for another beer and our food came out quick.  Nothing was screwed up...that's what really matters in the end.  It also helps that we were one of maybe two tables.

Dinner for me started with a large draft beer, decided on a Fat Tire because they were out of their advertised beer.  After a long work week it was great, something about starting your weekend with an ice cold draft.  Once the beer was flowing we decided to get the food rolling with a quesadilla, considering it is hard to screw up tortilla and cheese it was good.  Being at a bar I decided to go big with an amazing burger.  Let me tell you, it worked.  Sometimes you need a burger and when you really need a burger it can be scary because there is always a chance that burger sucks.  This burger did not suck at all, I kind of want to go get one right now.  To round it all out we got an ice cream sundae, turns out it was made for a group party because it was huge.  They did not skimp on any aspect of the meal.

Overall I think "The Lodge" is a great place to go and relax while having some drinks and food.  I would be quite happy going here for a drink or ten, not sure how they would actually feel about me getting that much booze in me but I can promise you I would enjoy it.  Another nice thing is that it wasn't very busy, I am over going to bars on a random night and having it be packed.  Probably not the greatest place for a first date or an anniversary but every other reason would work out well.

Rating 5 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. So shirts with sayings might be one of my favorite fashion must haves; anything that is witty or cool is right up my ally. What is awesome about this shirt is not only the cool color, phrase, and material but isn't the back fabulous?! I put a bandeau underneath which made it more modest. I also paired it with some dressy track pants (which are huge this season) from the 
Town Square PC location. You can find this fabulous top at the Rainbow PC location!

Remember, if you don't have a PC near you, you can always shop online at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. All of the locations have different items and you can see those items on their FB page, which is linked above. 

Until next time, cheers to summer approaching ! xo

Week 97 Chinita

Hello blog readers! Welcome back. I cannot believe this is week 97.  We never would have imagined that this blog would be as successful as it is and have such a following. Thank you to everyone who reads it, even if you have only read it once. 

Remember, you can find our blog in the LV Informer under the Local Interest section, http://lasvegas.informermg.com/category/lv-local-interest/blog-connection/ . Also, we have a Facebook page, so if you haven't already, it would be awesome if you liked it, https://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants. 

What Teray Says...

I have had the Groupon to Chinita for awhile and being I was, and still am on the Paleo way of eating at this time, I wanted a cheat meal where I could really eat! Chinita is located in Village Square on Sahara and Ft. Apache. This isn't too far from where we live, so we were pleased with the drive. Chinita has both outside seating with fire pit tables and inside seating, because of the wind, we chose to sit inside. 

We were seated right away in a big booth. Chinita is a pretty large place. There are booths, tables, a stage, a full bar and a back room. From what I gathered it actually turns into a "go out" spot at night with a DJ, drink specials, and so on. 

You get free chips and salsa, which are amazing I must add, right away while you look through your menu. There are so many great options I didn't even know where to begin. For an appetizer we picked avocado rolls. The avocado rolls were like open faced egg roles with tons of avocado. I personally have never had these and would rank them up there with some of the best appetizers I have ever had at a Mexican restaurant. 

For our drinks I ordered a skinny marg and Brett got a Mexican beer (I took one taste; it was pretty good). As for our food I ordered the carnitas. They were to die for. The portion size was huge and the rice and beans were amazing. I would order this every time I go back there it was so good. The dessert we had the churros which sweet and delicious and I am not even the biggest churro fan. 

Now onto service, our server was top notch. He told us it was his second day, you would never know that at all, because he was by far one of the best servers we had in the 97 weeks of this blog. We never wanted for anything and he had great suggestions and made great conversation.

Overall, Chinita was absolutely awesome; I cannot wait to go back with a group and sit outside around the fire pit tables. We will also request to sit in our previous server's section. I rate Chinita 5 out of 5 without a doubt. 

What Brett Says...

Once again we turned to Groupon to make our decision for us.  We stumbled onto a nice little deal for some Mexican food.  We were originally going to try somewhere else but the line was out the door and we were starving, "Chinita" was right around the corner so we decided to go with it.  They are a new restaurant in the shopping area on the northwest corner of Sahara and Ft. Apache.

Strip mall restaurants are usually a standard design with nothing special.  Chinita was able to mix things up and come up with something that actually separates them from the masses.  They have an outdoor patio with a fire table; it is actually pretty cool.  I'm not sure I would recommend getting too drunk next to the open flames...just speaking from experience.  The inside is relaxed and spread out, you aren't sitting on top of everyone else.  They also had a live acoustic singer, he was playing everything from Mexican songs to top 40 from the last 30yrs...and he was legit.

Overall I think we fair decent on getting good service; most of the time we get decent, we do get quite a bit of horrible, but once in a great while we get amazing.  This was  time when we got absolute amazing.  I forgot the server's name but we found out that it was only his second day on his own as a server there.  He was so on point, especially for being so new.  He had a great flow, amazing manners, and he related with us.  It was almost like our friend was taking care of us.  If he is any example of the overall service then you won't be disappointed.

Mexican food is tough to screw up, I use to cook at a Mexican restaurant and if I could do it while living the college life then it really isn't that tough.  To start things off we ordered some avocado spring rolls, they were different then I expected.  Other avocado spring rolls have the avocado in the actual roll; these had it sliced on top.  I was surprised at how good they were and how the fresh cool avocado complimented the spring roll.  For dinner I decided on special item recommended that night, that I cannot recall the name of, which isn't something I usually get at a Mexican restaurant.  The flavors all worked together and I was full at the end.  The rice and beans were nothing special but I don't recall being able to do much with those either.  The meal itself was pretty good, I would happily eat it again.

I can honestly say that this is a place I would like to go again, I'm thinking with a small group for appetizers and drinks out on the patio.  Between the live music, the drinks, and the flavors it works as a spot to chill.  

Rating 5 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. Check out my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. Not only do I love summer fashions, but I love neon and I love shorts season. As soon as I saw Patty post these peplum shorts on FB I new I had to get them. What a statement piece right? I love items that you can dress up or down. I paired it with a black jacket that I tucked in so that you could see the full effect of the shorts and took a picture from the side too so you can how they look from both angles. The shorts are a stretchy material, which is nice for different body types. You cannot go wrong with peplum or neon this season, so I suggest you head over to the Rainbow PC location and pick yourself up a pair.

If you aren't lucky enough to have a Patty's Closet near you, make sure you check out their online store at shop.ilovepattyscloset.com. Also, like their FB page which is linked above and you can see pictures of all the latest shipment items on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

Until next time, cheers to life <3 xo