VegasRy Restaurant Review: Social House

I am by no means a sushi expert. I grew up in Iowa, where the yuppie sushi craze hadn’t really penetrated. That said, I have come to gradually enjoy sushi lately, to the point where I would consider myself a novice when it comes to sushi. However, I have developed a full-blown love of wasabi.

Going beyond wasabi though, we have determined that sushi is the perfect Vegas food. When you simply must take a break from drinking or gambling or any of the other things one does in Las Vegas, sushi is great because it doesn’t slow you down like some other types of food. Plus, saki bombs are fun.

In my limited experience, I have come to regard Social House at Treasure Island as the best sushi I’ve ever had.

Located a floor up from the casino, I believe where the Buccaneer Bay Club used to be, and operated by the Pure group, Social House is a pretty hip place. The stairwell up to the 2^nd floor resembles a safe-deposit vault. The dining area is a series of smaller rooms and semi-private alcoves, which is cool in an aesthetic way, but once in these rooms you can seem a bit cramped, practically sharing the table with the party next to you. There is also a decent-sized patio, where you can watch the godawful Sirens of TI show if you so desire.

Everything we have ordered at Social House has been terrific. The Gyoza and Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura have been great, and last time we were there, was had some sort of Lobster Tempura special that was fantastic as well. A quick note on the drink selection, my fiancé had a blueberry mojito that she still craves to this day, highly recommended.

As far as sushi goes, (Here would be a good time to mention that I use the word sushi very liberally, as I always stick to the rolls, some of which I know are cooked and some contain zero raw fish…but hey, the heading on the menu says ‘Sushi’, so I’m going to go with it.) the old standbys California and Spicy Tuna rolls didn’t disappoint. But my favorites have been their signature Social House rolls, the Adobo Chicken and Kalbi beef in particular have been out of this world.

The service at Social House hasn’t always been the best. We have had to ask for dishes that we’ve ordered and not received multiple times. But due to the nature of sushi, we have always been in and out in record time. For example, last trip we went to Social House right after Love let out, which I believe is around 9 PM. The time on our receipt is 9:51. So we walked through Mirage, took the world’s slowest and most useless tram to TI, walked through that casino, and had dinner in 52 minutes. So whether you want to take your time and enjoy your meal, or get a quick bite and then get back to everything else Vegas has to offer, you’re in luck.

Another feature of Social House is that is affiliated with the nightclub Tangerine, which is located right below the restaurant, connected by stairway. After dinner last trip, we simply talked to the manager, and got stamped to enter Tangerine, no cover. This is nice if you plan on hitting up Tangerine as your club for the night. Social House is also open late, with a decent late-night menu. Social House is also one of the flavor of the month hotspots in Las Vegas, with many celebrity sightings…if you’re into that sort of thing.

One of these days we’ll write a negative restaurant review…until that time though, check out Social House.

Sushi, Sake, Socialize. The Social House Now Open at TI.

Score:
4 Cheques (Out of 5)

VegasRy Restaurant Review: Mon Ami Gabi

Mon Ami is, hands down, our favorite place to eat in Las Vegas. While we must have dined here over 10 times, the place never disappoints. For those of you unfamiliar, Mon Ami Gabi is located in the Paris Casino, located in front with a patio right along the strip.

Location is one of the many great things about this restaurant, if you sit in the bar area, or on the patio, you have a great view of the Bellagio Fountains across the street. The inside part of the restaurant is nice as well, with an intimate feel to it without being crowded. Our past trip in March, we had the opportunity to sit on the patio and enjoy the great Vegas weather. I would say that it’s worth the wait for the patio; they give you a pager so you are free to grab a drink or wander the casino (not terribly far though).

As for the menu, I can’t really comment on most of it, as I always order the Filet Mignon with merlot butter and red wine reduction. This is, without hyperbole, the best steak I have ever had, and perhaps the best thing about it is that I’ve had it ten times, and it has been consistently fantastic. The steak is always a great cut of meat, and the sauce is tasty without overpowering the steak itself. All entrees are served with frites, fries to us English speakers, which are unbelievable in their own right.

As for drinks, we suggest a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, as it is a perfect compliment to any steak. And the Espresso Martini is and excellent after dinner drink, with that little shot of caffeine to prepare you for your night in Vegas.

Reservations are accepted, but I’m not sure if they are required, as I have never had a problem making a reservation for any time necessary, even the day of. There is a separate maitre d’ stand for patio dining, as it is first come, first serve, even with a reservation.

One of our favorite memories here took place over a Thanksgiving. MAG had a special menu for the occasion, as most restaurants do, and the waiter made quite a production of describing the multiple courses (everything was ‘phenomenal’), he must have gone on for 15 minutes. I almost felt bad when everybody at the table ordered a filet.

Mon Ami Gabi might not be ranked among the top steakhouses in town such as Prime at Bellagio, SW at Wynn, and Delmonico at Venetian, but dollar for dollar, (especially in Las Vegas dollars) we believe it is the best in town.

Mon Ami Gabi Home Page

Score:
5 Cheques (Out of 5)

VegasRy Tip: Use the Concierge

In Las Vegas, entry to the hottest nightclubs and restaurants is all about who you know. Since we don’t know anyone, we sometimes need to rely on someone that does.

That’s where the concierge comes in. For those who might not know, most (if not all) of the hotels have a concierge desk manned with people whose job it is to answer questions, arrange show tickets, tee times, etc. It’s their job to take care of any planning or problems, so you don’t have to. Some hotels even have concierge floors, dedicated to providing a higher level of service, albeit for a price. There are also 3rd party companies in town that provide the same services.

Simply approach any concierge desk and ask them to make dinner reservations or to be put on the list at a club. It doesn’t necessarily need to be at the hotel you are staying at, although obviously it helps. Also, be prepared to tip them, the size of the tip relative to the difficulty of the service. Most of the time we have reservations set up ahead of time, so there’s no need, but on certain occasions we have made use of the concierge, to mostly positive results.

For instance, one afternoon we decided that we wanted to eat at a restaurant on the strip and we didn’t have reservations. I asked the concierge at Paris (along with a $10 tip) to call and make them for me (we weren’t staying there). When we got to the restaurant we were led down a corridor to a semi-private room, very nice and there’s no way we would have been afforded that if we had simply called the reservation line ourselves, well worth the ten bucks.

However, during the last trip, the party we were with tipped the concierge very generously, and asked to be put on the list for Mix. When we got there, we weren’t on the list. Luckily the club was pretty dead, so entry was not a problem, still it was the principal. Turns out the associate was transferred to another position at Bellagio (see service review here), and had not alerted anyone prior to leaving. This is simply unacceptable.

Despite the odd bad experience, we would definitely recommend using the concierge in Las Vegas, especially if you are requesting reservations at the property you are staying at (such as Tryst, if you are staying at Wynn). Just be prepared to tip for the convenience.

VegasRy Restaurant Review: Fix

Fix is the first restaurant opened by the Light Group, which is known for operating nightclubs such as Light at Bellagio and Jet at the Mirage. Located next to Light, it serves what I would describe as upscale casual food, simple steaks, chicken and fish, but with a bit of a flair. I had eaten at Stack at the Mirage, (Fix’s sister restaurant) and while it was good, I was slightly disappointed.

The dining room is very open, with an interesting ceiling made of contoured wood, the same look at the wall at Stack. In fact, the dining room looks as though someone turned the room at Stack on its side. Very open and a bit cramped, it can be somewhat loud.

Fix has a nice array of specialty drinks, but we had the Acacia Pinot Noir, which is always a good choice. For appetizers, we had the Shrimp Louie, Chili Cheese Fries, and Calamari, which were all tremendous, especially the Shrimp. I had the Surf and Turf, one of their signature entrees, which consists of Boneless Short Ribs, and Lobster Croquette. Both were excellent. Others at the table had the Sea Bass, and the Chicken, and all received high marks as well.

For those looking for good food, without being too exotic or pretentious, Fix provides a solid alternative to all the ultra high-end restaurants in town.

An additional thought: There are 2 stand-alone restrooms in the restaurant, with a bathroom attendant that stands outside dressed in a tuxedo. When it is your turn, he rushes inside, gives it a quick once-over, and then announces "Welcome to the bathroom!". I wish I was making that up...pretty odd and very unnerving.

Score:
4 Cheques (Out of 5)