A Peek Inside Megan Romano's Chocolate & Spice Bakery

Grid View

• These zebra-striped chairs are really comfortable.
• A look at the counter at Chocolate & Spice.
• Still under construction, the front counter at Chocolate & Spice.
• A look at the dining room at Chocolate & Spice.
• Another view of the dining room at Chocolate & Spice.
• Megan Romano's cookbook and more will be displayed here.
• Some of the artwork on the walls at Chocolate & Spice.
• The new logo and packaging for Chocolate & Spice.
• The counter at Chocolate & Spice.
• Outside at Chocolate & Spice.

It started from a simple enough idea, Megan Romano’s chocolate-dipped sliced oranges, a staple in her stable of treats. From that one delicacy that put her on the map, Romano created Chocolate & Spice Bakery, her Westside neighborhood spot that could open as soon as next week.

Romano, the former pastry chef extraordinaire at Aureole, plans to serve breakfast through early dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and eventually have outdoor dining.

But first it has to open. Eater Vegas got a preview of the bakery and cafe that has room for private parties and cooking classes and some comfortable zebra striped chairs.

“I came from New York where we would work on three milk crates stacked with a cutting board on top,” she says of the way she built the 2,400-square-foot restaurant from the kitchen out. In front, a chocolate case, a cold case and room for gelatos, sorbets and ice creams made in house take up the left side of the restaurant. The right side has a breakfast bar with high chairs and sprinkles of seating areas.

Romano — who is running the restaurant with her husband, former Aureole executive chef Joe Romano — plans to serve seasonal menus with four or five selections in categories such as sandwiches, soups, breakfast and more. Muffins, frittatas, quiche and brioche make the morning menu, while sandwiches, soups, salads and pastas find their way on the savory side. “We want to give people a reason to keep coming back for more,” she said as the saws buzzed and a steady flow of contractors and vendors filed through.

The restaurant wouldn’t be complete without Romano’s line of chocolates, bon bons, cookies, pies, tarts, brownies, creme brulees, parfaits and cakes. One preview, a six-inch cake, will come in four flavors ready to fly away at a moment’s notice, although Romano will take custom orders in different flavors and designs in advance. Even pies and tarts can be made in three-inch molds for individuals who don’t want an entire treat.

Tea Leaves tea from Vancouver and Illy coffee will be on tap when she opens.

While Romano has an opening date in mind, stay tuned for official word, which should come down later this week.
· All Coverage of Chocolate & Spice Bakery [~ELV~]