Chocolate & Spice is a diabetic’s worst nightmare and a wet dream for any food porn addict. The displays are full of items you’ll lust after — from desserts to pastries to ice cream and a few savory items to boot. Since opening in May of this year, this westside bakery has become popular with the Summerlin crowd and beyond. It’s received considerable buzz because it’s the brainchild of Megan Romano, the former executive pastry chef at Charlie Palmer’s Aureole. Despite the economic downturn in recent years, Romano’s new venture continues the recent trend of talented chefs leaving The Strip in favor of the Vegas ‘burbs. And for that, all the locals thank you.
She’s done a wonderful job of creating a beautiful, warm, and inviting space. The interior is like a modern rendition of a local coffee house. There’s plenty of seating for lounging and socializing and several tables to eat lunch or snack. The refined look of the place (not to mention the creation of the Chocolate & Spice brand) shows how detail oriented nature of Chef Romano.
Regarding the food, the pastries I’ve tried, like the apricot croissant ($2.75) and caramel brioche sticky bun ($3), were average, as was the sausage and pepper frittata ($4.75). But, there’s plenty that makes up for their shortcomings.
Sandwiches are delicious and perfect to grab and go if you need lunch on the run since they’re pre-made. The roast turkey ($7.25) with gruyere cheese, apricot mustard aioli, bibb lettuce on a cranberry multigrain roll, in particular, is excellent and a good value for what amounts to a 7 or 8 inch sandwich.
Where this shop excels is with desserts like the chocolate hazelnut tart ($3.75). The strong hazelnut flavor and varying textures from the nuts, caramel, and chocolate make it a winner. The mint chocolate tart ($3.75) is equally delicious with it’s subtle mint flavor and sweetness. Not to be outdone, the citrus cheesecake ($3.75) is a beautifully constructed, creamy and balanced dessert.
Most items have an understated elegance in both appearance and flavor. Bolder flavor doesn’t always translate into better taste. The food here is subtle and refined. While the desserts are sweet, they’re not sickenly sweet. Most are similar to European desserts in that sense. They don’t hit you over the head with sugar but, instead tease you with their sweetness, leaving you wanting more, and making you not regret the indulgence. Their sweets are addictive and for Strip quality desserts, this place is tough to pass up.
Pricing for some items has changed since it opened, so the prices mentioned above may not be accurate.
4 Stars
7293 W Sahara Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 527-7772
