Chocolate and Spice, a wonderful new bakery and cafe, opened this past Friday near Summerlin and this is going to be a destination spot for those who enjoy wonderful sweets and something more.  This beautiful bakery and cafe is the passion and work of well-known pastry chef and author, Megan Romano.  She was voted  the best pastry chef in Las Vegas while at Aureole in Mandalay Bay by both Desert Companion and Seven Magazine in 2011. She is also the author of the lovely cookbook of sweets, It’s A Sweet Life.  I have been eager for the bakery to open to see what we could find.

While most all of the pastries and such in Chocolate and Spice are not vegan-friendly, Megan did say that she would eventually expand to offering things that would be gluten-free and perhaps other offerings that would appeal to those who did not partake in animal products.  That is not to say that there weren’t things to enjoy.  They have some wonderful salads that are vegan-friendly and I had a very nice Vegetable Salad with a sweet balsamic dressing and had slivered almonds and shredded oranges throughout.  It was very enjoyable.  They have amazing coffee there and I was enjoying that contemplating on what I might have on the sweeter side of things.  They had one of their own creations, a caramel crunch popcorn with dried cranberries, golden raisins, and a little sea salt which looked very tempting.

I decided to try some of their terrific-looking sorbets that they make themselves.  They had three to sample: apple, watermelon, and raspberry. All of them were spectacular and possibly the finest sorbet that I have ever enjoyed.  I ended up getting a scoop of Watermelon and one of Raspberry. Oh my wonderful…I would drive across town on a warm Las Vegas day just to have some of this sorbet.  So creamy and delicious and the flavors just explode in your mouth.  I can’t wait to try the Avocado-Tequila sorbet that she has in her It’s A Sweet Life Cookbook…when it is offered.  That will be a treat.  So even though there is not a lot that those of us with a plant-based diet can enjoy at this time, what they do have to enjoy is more than worth the visit and let’s just see what comes down the road.  I believe that Megan Romano has put together her greatest  creation here in Chocolate and Spice Bakery, and all of Las Vegas will benefit for years to come.

Chocolate and Spice Bakery

7923 W. Sahara Ave. (at Tenaya)

Las Vegas, NV. 89117

(702)527-7777

Hours:  Tues-Sun  7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.