JinJu Chocolates
Fig-Red Wine
Honey, Matcha, Cappuccino, PB&J, Fleur de Sel Caramel, Hazelnut Praline, Espresso Crunch, Tahitian Cream, Vanilla Dream, Espresso Caramel
Gluten Free Brownie
Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Milk Chocolate Lollipops
Pecan Caramel Turtle
White Chocolate Raspberry Rocher
Berry Mascarpone, 72% Dark, Citrus, Vanilla Dream
Milk Toffee Chocolate Covered Almonds
Midnight Downtown Bar
Translated to ‘treasure’ or ‘pearl’ and featuring the considerable talents of Jin Caldwell I was fortunate enough to attend a meet-and-greet at JinJu Chocolates on Saturday afternoon and with the young chocolatier present to answer questions about her career path, product, and passion throughout an hour long stay I can say with assurance that both the brand and its founder fit the moniker on the label. Every bit artisan with well selected beans forming the base of inspired bars, bob-bons, truffles, and confections crafted by a team of eight in an offsite professional kitchen the JinJu storefront on the second floor of The Container Park is the chef’s first true brick n’ mortar and although many have seen her work over the last three years featured at various hotels, including The Venetian, the full collection in such a cozy space is truly something to behold. Admittedly benefitted by the ‘event’ and thus afforded the ability to sample widely as Ms. Caldwell smiled on and educated the crowd it would truly be difficult to decide exactly where one would be best advised to invest on a first visit to JinJu but, with items all trending more affordable than Strip legends like Jean-Philippe or Vosges, the truffles are definitely a good start – each $1.75 bauble beautifully crafted with flavors like Honey, Matcha, Figs-Red Wine, and Tahitian Cream set to tantalize even the most sophisticated of tastes. Equally gifted In crafting whimsical items including pretzel rods, chocolate covered Twinkies or cookies, nut-clusters, and a decadent gluten-free brownie another focal point for those seeking something special are Jin’s bars – the 702 Mob particularly impressive – and most of all the collection of Fortunato 4 wafers, each piece of the single origin chocolate a slowly melting tribute to exactly what can happen when exquisite ingredients meet the hand of someone with so much skill and passion.
FIVE STARS: Clasically trained with skills honed at Ethel’s, Bellagio, Mars, Wynn, and more suffice it to say that the chocolates at JinJu may be the first real reason for culinary enthusiasts to trek to the Container Park and with a business model built on wholesale but customer service more than capable of meeting the demands of a retail storefront I strongly encourage both visitors and locals to stop by for a taste, a duo of bars available to taste for those stopping in throughout our visit and the prices easily off-setting the cost of parking or transportation from casinos on the strip.
RECOMMENDED: Fig-Red Wine, Honey, PB&J, Tahitian Cream, and Matcha Chocolates were all quite special while the Fortunato 4 Sea Salt and Fortunato 4 Honey Comb Meltaways were truly exemplary, the brownie and pecan studded turtle also both warranting the cost and calories.
AVOID: N/A.
TIP: Offering several options through her website and soon to begin a seasonal line I was particularly impressed by the offer of ice-packs to keep items from melting on the car ride home – just one more example of the stellar sort of customer service that one gets from shopping at such a great local business as opposed to some big-box retailer or pricey boutique on the Strip.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
