If you’ve ever had a hankerin’ for some curried goat, ackee & salt fish, and a perfect pain au chocolat — and let’s face it who hasn’t? — then we suggest a quick trip to the strangest gourmet corner in town. Because right on the northeast quadrant of Rainbow and Flamingo is a discount food store (Sunflower), a Jamaican restaurant (Tasty Island), and a bakery (Bonjour Euro Bakers) that push a lot of the right buttons on any gourmand’s palate profile….especially those on a budget.
All three have been open for a few years now, and ELV is frankly a little embarassed to admit that he’s just now getting to them — especially since Hugh Alexander Curtas (D.O.B. 10-15-84, The Official Number Two Son of ELV), told us many moons ago how good the pastries were at Bonjour.
But get there we did, and we were more than a little impressed by Bonjour’s croissant and pain au chocolat. Flaky, buttery, light and rich (a seemingly impossible confluence that only conscientious French bakers can attain) ; these two true-to-their-roots pastries took us straight back to Gay* Paree in one bite.
Everything else in the small display case looked scrumptious as well, and we were impressed by the limited number of delectable-looking items — nothing cools our ardor faster than dozens of offerings in a bakery’s display case. The theory being, anyone trying to do everything well is usually doing nothing up to par. We’ll take six excellent pastries or breads over twenty mediocre ones any day. One look (and smell) of Bonjour’s case, with a handful of savory items, a half-dozen pastries, and a scattering of desserts and breads, informs you of the focus (and talent) of owner/baker Gerard Fabiani.
Fabiani is Corsican by birth, and claims on his website www.bonjoureurobakers.com to love making desserts and wedding cakes. But we think his strengths are in his crunchy baguettes, savory sandwiches, and breakfast pastries. Of course neither ELV or his staff has tried everything there…but what we have tried is so compelling, it’s only a matter of time before we make it through his entire repetoire.
Bonjour Euro Bakers
4012 S. Rainbow Blvd. Suite j
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702.889.0611
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* As in: sportive and frolicsome
Of course the repetoire of Jamaican food is another thing entirely. ELV must admit to knowing a heck of a lot more about French pastries than this island nation*, so for good measure, took along native Jamaican Sheri Ann Forbes (an Official Friend Of ELV), to guide him through the menu.
Tasty Island is a small operation, with big flavors. Of course, there’s the obligatory poster of Bob Marley and lots of plantains on everything, but to our tastebuds, it’s the jerk chicken and curried goat you’ve gotta go for. Sheri Ann pronounced the ackee & salt fish too heavy on the (very salty) cod and not enough of the ackee fruit — which, by the way, derives its official horticultural* name from this guy — and said the meat pies weren’t flaky enough for her, and the jerk chicken should’ve been spicier. But otherwise, she gave the place a definite thumbs up, and that’s enough for Eating Las Vegas to recommend it.
And ELV has nothin’ against Jamaican desserts…but if we were you, after some forkfuls of goat and jerk, we’d mosey across the shopping center for a French pastry or three….
Tasty Island Jamaican Restaurant
6820 Flamingo Road Suite 11
Las Vegas, NV 89103
702.222.0002
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* Other than having gone there once on one of his many, ultimately unsuccessful, honeymoons.
** Remember: You can lead a whore to culture, but you can’t make her think.
Tasty Island is a great find — I finally went last week, and it’s a humble operation, but just along the lines of what I like. Bonjour is excellent, too — I just wish they had more convenient opening hours so I could make it a (somewhat central) meeting place for coffee and real pastries. As a native Austrian, I know my pastries.