Last week, the Husband and I invited out some visiting colleagues and local friends to enjoy happy hour at the Blue Martini at the Town Center. The Husband had been a few weeks earlier and had rave reviews so I was looking forward to seeing what this place was about. It’s generally located above the Yard House and our walk there impressed me with the many future places to check out!
Happy hour is open seating and we were there early enough to get a great spot. The weather was cooler (only high 90s) last week so we enjoyed being outside (see the misters at the top of the picture? for those of you not in LV, these are everywhere!).
There were only 3 of us at first with 7 in the long run, so we started out just perusing the menu. They lived up to their name and have a great selection of martinis to choose from. For those not interested in martinis, there were a handful of other drinks to choose from as well.
Truth be told, I like martinis (flavored ones that is) so I was overwhelmed by the choices available for my first drink! The Husband recalled from his last visit that our friends enjoyed the Pomegranate martini, and liking pomegranates, I was pretty sure I would like it. It included Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka (which I was concerned about as I don’t like grapefruits), Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, Citronge, a splash of Cranberry and Soda in a Pomegranate Sugar Rimmed Glass. It was delish! A great start to the happy hour. The Husband chose to go with the signature drink – the Blue Martini - Van Gogh Blue Vodka, Citronge, Blue Curacao, Sour Mix, Orange Juice, served in an oversized snifter with (no) glow stick (much to the Husband’s disappointment). Even sans glow stick, he really enjoyed his drink.
As we waited for more people to arrive, we decided to order one of the flatbreads to snack on. The Husband suggested the Beef Tenderloin & Portabella Flatbread – Seasoned Tenderloin, Marinated Portabella Mushroom, and Italian Cheeses. It was a great suggestion and a hit amongst all of us who tried it.
When it came time for another drink, Strawberry Bliss – Grey Goose Le Citron, Strawberry Puree, Sour Mix, and Cranberry Juice. Not as good as the first one but not bad. I liked how they gave us the shaker to go with our drinks 
Once everyone had arrived, it was time to order dinner! The menu isn’t large but is perfect for happy hour and all of the options looked great. My friend Michelle and I decided to each order a dish and share (I love sharing!). She ordered the Sliced Beef Tenderloin – Marinated hot beef tenderloin medallions accompanied by seasoned rice and vine ripened tomatoes with our creamy horseradish sauce. The horseradish sauce went perfectly with the tender meat. It was an excellent dish.
I ordered the Lobster Tacos – Grilled Maine Lobster with fresh sliced avocado, mango, and southwestern slaw drizzled with a mango habanero sauce in a soft flour tortilla. I’m not normally a lobster-girl as I often feel the taste doesn’t match the price. However, I was drawn to this dish for some reason and it was an explosion of flavors in my mouth (really silly sounding, I know). The lobster was flavorful, the avocado was creamy, and the mango was such an interesting contrast.
In addition to other entrees. some of the others ordered additional appetizers to share. We had the Spinach and Artichoke dip which was one of the best ones I’ve had in while. We also had a cheese plate – yum!
As the meal was winding down, Michelle ordered a Down and Dirty martini (she ordered it extra dirty) – Belvedere Vodka and Olive Juice served with Three olives. She loved it as a fan of dirty martinis (I thought it was gross as expected). When I ordered a third drink, the Palm Beacher – Three Olives Raspberry Vodka, Three Olives Berry Vodka, Citronge, Lime Juice, and Cranberry Juice. I was accidentally brought a dirty martini. Once I got the correct drink, it was a welcome taste in my mouth (especially after the dirty martini!). Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted the picture and the drink fell over and broke (wobbly table) so I only had a few sips. Oh well!
This was one of the most fun and flavorful happy hours we’ve been to in a long time. Everything tasted great, the atmosphere was fun, happy hour prices were awesome, and our waitress was wonderful. The Husband and I noticed that she was handling a large number of tables and she didn’t miss a beat. We were very impressed! I don’t doubt that we’ll be back for happy hour again once this weather cools off!
