Jinju Chocolates - Las Vegas

Chef Jin Caldwell's second outpost is a more spacious and better decorated version of the original spot at the Container Store. The beautiful space is a dream for chocolate lovers, filled with chocolates, pastries, cakes, and drinks. The cakes by the slice are a must-try, particularly the milk chocolate PB&J cake with its subtle peanut butter flavor and four rich layers of chocolate cake with peanut butter icing in between. For those who prefer a lighter, citrusy flavor, the white chocolate lemon cake is a great alternative.

I am a fan of Jin Caldwell's work at JinJu in the Container Park, but I rarely visit due to its location. I was very excited to finally make a trip to JinJu Chocolate, Espresso, Dessert on South Rainbow Boulevard. The expanded space now allows one of the city's best chocolatiers a chance to showcase what she and her team can really do.

Translated as "treasure," but also cleverly playing on its proprietor's name, the new JinJu is located just south of Warm Springs Road in a shopping complex filled with local artists' work. The corner-pocket location features a coffee shop soundtrack and elegantly presented handcrafted confections in glass cabinets. A fully stocked espresso station offers a variety of shots, teas, and blended beverages. Open daily at 9am, with fresh baked goods arriving shortly thereafter, I visited on a Saturday morning around ten o'clock. Jin and her assistant were extremely pleasant and happy to describe the concept and each item in detail to each patron. Only one other customer, a middle-aged woman, arrived during my thirty-five minute stay, during which I sampled a dozen items and an iced double Americano. Primarily a chocolate maker, JinJu offers everything from truffles to bars to bonbons and larger creations. However, the baked goods caught my attention as a great way to start the morning. The croissants were toasted to order with the almond version being more subtle, while the cocoa-topped croissant was a decadent treat filled with molten dark chocolate. I then sampled some of Chef Caldwell's cakes - with four options available daily at $5.25 per slice. The fig, wine, and chocolate bundt cake stood out as a well-crafted and elegant treat. I also tried the milk chocolate PB&J slice, which was a bit sweeter than expected but still enjoyable. Overall, JinJu offers a variety of sweet treats that showcase Chef Caldwell's creativity and talent. Future visits will definitely be needed to further explore the delicious offerings at this beautiful dessert spot on South Rainbow Boulevard.

Tucked away on the 2nd floor of The Container Park is this excellent little chocolatier. A perfect spot for someone looking for that 'mini dessert ' treat after a meal. <br/ <br/ But don 't expect 'froo-froo ' bon Bon type chocolates that rely on sugary fillings. This place is all about the chocolate! Yes they have the bon bons. But Chocolate is king here. The fillings are an after thought. They even have wide selection of gourmet, high cocoa chocolate bars. <br/ <br/ Organic, fair trade and locally manufactured. Definitely a place to support.

So forgetful. Owner Jin Caldwell greeted us warmly on entering. Her background includes 7 years as Master Chocolateer at Ethel M's before opening her own business in 2011 that continues to sell directly to high end casinos and the public online and via catalogs. We each chose a dark chocolate truffle – my wife's was cappucino, mine salted caramel. We normally share such treats so each has a taste, but I forgot and woofed mine down and then, can you believe this, she refused to share hers. Both were excellent and likely will be reordered the next time we visit downtown.