Tuesday, November 23, 2021

The Chocolate Shoppe - Delicious, Handmade Chocolates & Treats Made With Love, in Gardnerville, NV.

Meet the Owners, Lynn & Harvey
Lori wrapping Halloween cookies
Halloween Treats Galore
Pumpkin Spiced Cocoa Bomb. So fun for everyone. 
Adorable regulars that used to bike to the shop many years ago.

1363 HWY 395N, Suite 7
Gardnerville, NV 89410
(775) 267-1002
Shop Online (shipping available for USA & Canada)

30 minutes from Sushi Pier in Lake Tahoe
15 minutes from Genoa, Nevada's first settlement
15 minutes from In-N-Out, Carson City
45 Minutes from South Reno

An incredible and lovable staff. 

Reasons Why I Love the Chocolate Shoppe
-Passionate owners and workers make the best chocolates
-They give free samples 
-No one does holidays treats like them
-They have a motto that everything has to taste as good as it looks (they hit the nail on the head with this motto)
-Ashley's Bordeoux is enough reason to order online or visit their shop
-They welcome and are happy to do custom orders
-Their staff sings while they work 
-No refined sugars and artificial ingredients
-They do custom baskets for every occasion
-They print images on cookies and other treats like rice krispies
-They ship chocolates in USA and Canada for convenience
-They're on route to California on the 395 (you pass Gardenville from Reno when traveling to San Deigo and the like)
-It smells divine inside
-Their Roka will put the pink container Almond Roca from childhood to shame
-The drive to Gardnerville is beautiful
-Anything from their shop makes for a perfect gift
-Confections made in small batches, homemade, individually wrapped


There's no doubt that Lynn & and her wonderful team at The Chocolate Shoppe are the happiest of chocolatiers around and they're spreading their joy and passion through smiles, and of course, delicious and beautiful confections. 

What started as a wholesale business dating to 1994 turned into a retail shop in Gardnerville that would shortly turn into a pillar of the community that locals could depend on to get phenomenal service and delicious treats.  

Whether a regular or a new customer, The Chocolate Shoppe will treat you the same, eager to serve you with smiles and assistance in helping you find the perfect treat to brighten up your day.

The Chocolate Shoppe caters to every occasion, working with their customers to customize the perfect gifts, be it special photos printed on yummy cookies or themed and well-thought out selections made into beautiful baskets.  

Whatever idea you have, they will try their best to make it come to life since they make everything in house and have that flexibility. 

The grounds of the shop go into full swing when the holidays arrive throughout the year, with holiday-themed treats out the door.  Whatever the holiday, The Chocolate Shoppe works throughout the year in customizing treats, making them fun and festive for all to enjoy.

If awards were being given out for the most outgoing, most festive, most passionate, top tastiest, and best all-around chocolate shop, I would give all of them to The Chocolate Shoppe, located in Gardnerville, NV.  

I am truly honored to have met such passionate owners and workers that run the Choclate Shoppe.

Lynn printing images on cookies for a custom order.

How I Discovered The Chocolate Shoppe

Too much fun at the annual Coffin Races in Gardnerville.

Notice the cool zombie in the coffin that gave me a thumbs up. 

It was love at first bite when I bit into their top-seller, Ashley's Bordeoux, rich and creamy brown sugar, mocha butter cream, wrapped in dark chocolate and topped with real chocolate sprinkles (source), at the coffin races in Gardnerville, Nevada.

The Chocolate Shoppe had a table set up with their colorful and festive Halloween treats display at The Coffin Races in Gardnerville this past October in 2021.  

The perfect chocolate dipped Oreos

There were two dressed-up skeletons on each side of the table, daring and welcoming visitors in to purchase treats worth dying for.  With how well things were presented, I took a chance and was happy to discover gold.  

At The Chocolate Shoppe's table, me and my kids had the pleasure of meeting the workers, Sarah and Eden, who greeted us with friendly "Hello(s)".  

Being chatty roosters by nature, my daughter, son, and I started asking all sorts of questions, like "How are you?","What's good here?", and "Do you have an actual shop?" 

Each question was met with such lively and enthusiastic answers.  I was genuinely happy, along with my kids, at how friendly and passionate these workers were.  

Sarah & Eden suggested everything with their stamps of approval and extended a friendly invite to their actual Chocolate Shoppe where their super fresh and tasty sweets are made. 

Me and my kids eagerly grabbed a variety of treats-milk chocolate-dipped marshmallow covered in fall sprinkles, chocolate-dipped double stuffed sugar skull Oreos, caramel apples, and Ashley's Bordeoux, taking the lead of  many people in front of us, putting their hands on what they could get.

What me and my kids loved about our treats was that they were incredibly fresh and well balanced with the perfect amount of sweetness and textures.  

Among our treats was a caramel apple.  I always taste caramel apples whenever I see them and was so happy that their version was super satisfying with great flavor and texture. 

Not all caramel apples are made equal and after tasting so many of them, I've found that skill and quality of ingredients make a difference in producing delicious ones.  

The Chocolate Shoppe did them justice, along with everything else they sell in their shop. 

Sarah filling evergreen tree shells with creamy chocolate.
Kristina, Emily, and Mandy hard at work.

I am so happy to have learned about The Chocolate Shoppe.  It's the whole package and it's definitely setting the standards for how a business should be run.  They're passionate about life, stand behind their products, and treat every single customer with care.  Please don't hesitate to stop by and tell them that I (Kat) said hello. 

Notes:

-They're found right next door to Raley's.
-There's a cute town only 15 minutes away, Genoa, that arguably has the oldest bar in Nevada.  The city is super charming and holds a popular annual event called the Candy Dance Festival, which I will add to my blog in the future.
-Lake Tahoe is so close
-Alcohol truffles available.  Sugar-free chocolates available.
-Follow them on Facebook for the latest updates.

Categorized under "Good Eats" ---> "Desserts"



Saturday, November 13, 2021

17 Reasons to Visit Pangolin Cafe in Reno Today and Seasonal Treats Not to be Missed

Dolls From Zambia for Sale

Pangolin Cafe (midtown)

955 S Virginia St.

STE 110

Reno, NV 89502


Website

Menu

Order Online

Facebook

Instagram

More Reviews and Photos on Yelp

1.  The shop is named after the most trafficked animal in the world to bring awareness of its threatened life to the public.  

In efforts to help save this endangered species, Cafe Pangolin donates a portion of their profits to savepangolins.org.  They also support a group of women who crochet in Zambia by selling their dolls in store.  Who knows what other great deeds they're involved in.  

To me, a business that works so hard in making a difference is an amazing business worth supporting. 



2.  The taste and quality of their drinks and food are superb.  

I worked at Seattle's Best Coffee and Starbucks back when I was in college and tasted so many different types of coffees and teas.  I quickly learned that all coffees and teas are not created equal.  

Like fruits and vegetables, there are different levels of taste and quality.  

Coffee beans and teas grown in ideal conditions with the best soils and nutrients will be filled with more flavors and characteristics compared to their counterparts. 

Just looking at and smelling their loose leaf teas, I can tell they pack lots of flavor.  They are comparable to loose leaf teas from tea bars in San Francisco (based solely on look and scent). 

 I do know that their Matcha Green Tea is high quality.  The flavor was outstanding in their Maple Matcha Latte.  A lot of places will skimp on using this ingredient because of it's high costs, but definitely not Pangolin. 

At first taste, I knew that what I was tasting at Pangolin was quality. 

In addition to their drinks, their confections and food are tasty.

Earthy, floral, warm, vibrant, fruity, chewy, sweet, acidic, body, roast, salty, crunchy are only a few of the many words of tastes and textures to describe the experience you'll get here. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte and Maple Matcha Green Tea Latte (Iced)

3.  Their drinks and food are works or art.

While my priority is taste when it comes to food, I am not complaining that Cafe Pangolin not only brings taste, but presentation as well.  We do eat with all of our senses, after all.  

4.  They have the perfect ambiance.

While there, I witnessed someone working on their laptop and a couple of people chatting up a storm.  Their modern styled business is super classy, laid out with lots of great details, including Thomas Edison-style lights and real and hip house plants.  

Emmy's Flower Truck Local Business

5.  They support local businesses just like themselves.  

I caught the two listed below, but there were more.  If there's one thing I love about Reno, it's the community that constantly supports one another, especially through tough times.

Emmy's Flower Truck - Emmy's flower arrangements, when coupled with the natural look of the cafe, make for an inviting atmosphere indoors.  Follow her on Facebook and Instagram to learn of her whereabouts.   

Emily Rae Art - A talented artist that does charming artwork. She sells prints and invitations on her site and does custom orders.  Follow her on Instagram to see her amazing work. 


Pumpkin Spiced White Chocolate Toffee

Seasonal Items As of Oct. 2021

6.  They go out of their way to create seasonal items for the enjoyment of their customers.

There's nothing like getting into the holiday spirit than with seasonal treats to help bring back and create new fond memories.  

It takes effort for businesses to keep up with seasonal items.  They have to create recipes, keep up with trends, advertise, approximate and order supplies and specialty ingredients.

7.  You can order online.

Order online on their website and use curbside pickup for convenience.


Liege Waffles Perfectly Balanced
Jesus making sure our drinks tasted great.

8.  Their attention to detail is outstanding.  

Their fresh handmade flower arrangements are everything.  They also offer milk alternatives for different dietary needs and have agave and paper straws.  Their branding is on point, with the pangolin printed on their sleeves, mugs, and found throughout their menu, website, store, gift tins, informative cards on how to store food, and more. 

9.  They're located in midtown on a strip packed with so many other local businesses.  

Walk across the street and check out Junkee where you can find an outfit for any occasion or walk next door to The Emerson Cocktail Lounge, Local Beer Works, or Sanctuary Hair Salon.  

Sea Salt Chocolate Dipped Toffee is Out of This World!
Turkish Delights are Delightful

10.  Their made in-house confections are out of this world and you get one free with every drink.

With the few options they have, they certainly pack a punch in the flavor department.  You must try their assorted Turkish Delights and Toffee. 

What is a Turkish Delight?  A chewy confection candy made with a base of cornstarch and a simple syrup (water and sugar) with a wide array of flavors added and coated with a cornstarch and/or powdered sugar. They are so fun and flavorful.  Best of all, they're perfectly sweetened.  Mother approved for sure.  

Their toffee is on another level, with a texture that's softer than other candies and yet still crunchy.  I highly recommend this toffee as it is filled with so much flavor.  It's definitely one of the best I've had ever. 

If you gave me a tin of their goodies, I'd be the happiest person on the planet. 

11.  They have cute tins that you can fill with their coffees, teas, and confections to give out to family and friends.

Orange Italian Cream Soda
12.  They serve drinks both iced and warm, suitable for any season so that you can enjoy their flavors year-round.

13.  They offer tastings.  

Have you ever been to a restaurant and wanted to taste more than one flavor of something?  You don't have to do that here because they 've got you covered.  Bring a friend and enjoy a tasting of their incredibly fun, chewy, delicious, and inviting Turkish Delights and AMAZING toffee (both made in house).


14.  They use earth-friendly straws. 

Plastic straws kill lots of animals and break down into microplastics that end up being consumed by sea creatures.

15.  They have outdoor seating. 



16.  Get a taste of the treat that was featured in The Chronicles of Narnia.



17.  Their Service is the Cherry on Top.
I walked in and was immediately greeted by Sal, who along with Jesus, welcomed me and my son right away and provided us with excellent service.  

Being a first customer, I always ask lots of questions and both of these workers were more than happy to answer all of them.  

Notes:

*They offer milk alternatives- oat, almond, macadamia
*Google Maps brought me to the back of their building.  You can get back onto S.Virginia St. to access the entrance to the parking lot. Business is on the corner of the block. 
*Free choice of Turkish Delight with every drink purchase
*They have bagels and cream cheese from Rounds Bakery
*They offer decaf coffees and teas. Order a teapot when with groups of friends and family.
*Coffees are analyzed with Agtronic Technology to ensure the best quality products
*Top drinks - Cubano and Cardamom Latte
*There's about seven parking spots out front.  Street parking is available.
*They have a box of masks at the door for customers
*You can take a bag of their coffees and teas home
*They have assorted pastries.
*They offer classy lavender lemonade and Italian sodas.
*They have hot cocoa

In Store Menu as of 10.13.2021

If you liked this post, you can show some love by following me on Instagram @LovingReno775.  If you already have an account, you can tag me or #lovingreno775. 

Peace, Love, & Kindness,
Katherine Fung


Categorized Under "Good Eats"---> "Cafes"