Sentiment analysis: In short: Hands-down, most satisfying fine dine experience I've had in a long time. Best combination of food and service from start to finish. Surpasses my previous favorites (all in SF) of Gary Danko, Dining Room @ Ritz Carlton, and Michael Mina's. In detail: I had been looking for an upscale, fine dine establishment in Vegas for a special occasion. I looked at Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, and Alex. I decided upon Alex simply because it seemed to present the best value out of all the choices. Two star Michelin Restaurant, consistently positive reviews on Yelp, and a manageable price range (relatively-speaking). My gf and I chose the three-course menu for 125 I believe per person. It doesn't sound like a lot for the price, but with the complimentary dishes, I was more than full after dinner =). Food: (I wanted to apologize in advance for a lack of detail on the chef's complimentary dishes b/c they are not listed on the menu, and my descriptions of those will be based strictly on memory and fair quality photos) 1. Complimentary dish #1 - Chilled english pea soup with tomatoes, bits of bacon, and creme fraiche. Light, refreshing, yet very flavorful. The creme fraiche mixed with the pea puree perfectly. What a perfect way to jump start my taste buds and have me literally salivating for what's next to come! 2. Complimentary dish #2 - Sampler platter of multiple items, including a savory beet soup, deep fried lobster puff on a stick, baked cheese puff and my personal favorite - a savory panna cotta on a spoon with pomegranate seed. It was a beautiful plate setup with four or five different things presented. Our ordered items haven't even been brought out to us yet and we have already consumed two complimentary dishes! - simply wonderful =). 3. Appetizer - Charred Japanese Octopus with Squid Ink Risotto, Periwinkles and Crispy Sea Weed. I love Japanese grilled octopus so I decided to give this unique risotto a try. Tender, perfectly charred octopus with a surprisingly light, yet flavorful risotto. I have heard so much about squid ink in the culinary world so I wanted to know what the hype was about. Yes, the risotto was black/charcoal colored, but did it taste good. The waiter told me that the ink really doesn't add that much of a flavor profile and has more of an aesthetic effect (not sure how this is more aesthetically-appealing but hey i still think it's cool) and most of the risotto's flavor comes from the mix of seafood and chicken broth that used to make the risotto. Yum! 4. Entree - Snake River Farms Wagyu Beef with Crispy Potatoes, Spigarillo and Porcini Mushrooms. Easily my favorite dish of the night. Sure, I am a food snob and was initially disappointed that Alex did not offer Japanese Wagyu on the 3-course selection menu, but that disappointment sure went away as I sunk my teeth into the first bite of this unbelievably delicious beef. The meat was tender, cooked to perfection (medium rare), marbled with the right amount of fat, and paired perfectly with the potatoes and porcini mushrooms. I am sometimes overwhelmed with the hefty weight of beef tenderloins and the accompanying red wine reductions, but I felt just fine and perfectly satisfied after this dish. You have to try it =). 5. Complimentary Dish #3 - Sweet panna cotta refresher to cleanse our palate (though I probably would've preferred some light fruit to better cleanse the palate). Nonetheless, it was delicious and transitioned our meal well to the next stage: dessert! 6. Dessert - Hazelnut Crisp with Frangelico Caramel and Cajeta Ice cream. I admit I am no expert or true fan of many desserts, so I won't have too much to say except it was delicious, beautifully plated, and was a much larger amount of food than I usually expect from a final dessert. 7. Complimentary dish #4 - Dessert - A plate of assorted mini desserts including, but not limited to, a cute basket of warm, freshly-baked almond madeleines, creme fraiche rolled in a sheet of berry fruit, etc. Service: Service was on the dot. I had high expectations going in since this was a two-star michelin establishment. Even with my high expectations, the service at Alex was wonderful. Our waiter was polite, formal, informative, quick to serve, and best of all, adapted to the way we eat. We are relatively quick diners and would prefer to shorten the time between dishes. Our waiter could tell that we did not chit chat all that much b/w dishes and quickened the pace as necessary. Overall, if you don't already get what i'm trying to convey, it is this: GO TO ALEX. If you are seeking a truly fine dine establishment, you must come here. It is truly worthy of its two-star michelin rating and I would go back in a heartbeat (once i have more money). Beautiful place, beautiful, great-tasting food, and unbelievable service. FIVE STARS

OPTIONS:
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positive

Sentiment analysis: This was the first sushi restaurant I have visited in years, and the very first one I've visited in Arizona. The friend I went with said it was the best sushi restaurant in the east valley (some poll or other said so), thus we decided to take a stab at it. And, to be honest, I mainly wanted to taste miso soup again (one of my favorite soups on the planet). We walked in and it looked like any typical asian restaurant. To one side was a long bar, where you can sit and eat, or sit and drink saki or beer. To the other side was a long row of booths. We decided to booth it up. We sat down and shrugged... seemed fine so far. The decor looked a little cheap, but the more hole-in-the-wall a place is, the more likely I will like it. So, we both order a Japanese beer, take out the sushi list, and just go to town. We order just about one of everything, including bowls of miso soup. I was surprised that the sushi came out one at a time. We'd dig into one, and once we were almost done and forming our opinions about it, another one would come out. That was kinda fun. Every kind we decided to get was exquisite, and reminded me of my favorite sushi joint in Minneapolis, Kikugawa (and believe you me - I've tried EVERY sushi restaurant in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metro area). Not only was the sushi tasty but it was *beautiful*. They must have really talented sushi chefs working for them, because it was wonderful. This was also the first time I got "deep fried" sushi. If you haven't tried it... DO IT! We got a deep fried roll that had crab, avocado, cream cheese, cucumber, and rice... wow. Mind blown (can you tell I really love certain things??). If I can find other friends who would like to go out to a sushi restaurant in the east valley, this restaurant will definitely be revisited by me! (Plus, surprise, they gave us free dessert! Yay watermelon!)

OPTIONS:
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positive