Chef Zen

My baby girl and I was just here this morning. I ordered Angus tapasilog, 6 cream filled malasadas, 8 beef empanadas. Everything was made fresh to order. The inside is clean and very quaint in décor. Although they did not have a highchair available for my 1 year old. Chef said they are going to purchase a few soon, which is okay. I love supporting local businesses. This was my first time at this bakery since we live 15 miles away. I wish they had another bakery in the Henderson area… wishful thinking. But we’ll definitely be back for more yummy goodies. (Thank you to one of the cooks who helped carry my boxes of goodies to my vehicle; while I carried my baby. Maraming salamat po.)

Homiest place I’ve ever been but much better cause they got some of the best pastries I’ve ever had. Everyone is so warm and welcoming! Kid you not it seemed like everyone in the kitchen came out to say hi, my friend had to ask me if I frequent there, unfortunately not (wish it was closer) actually my first time too. Came here for lunch, tocilog & pancit malabon was on point. Then chef gave us some cheese rolls for dessert (free) — who does that? So I end up buying more to go. Thanks chef zen! We will be back…

Now I am hooked on fresh malasadas! Until today did not know they existed. This little shop makes them to order, so they are warm and wonderful. What are malasadas? They are plump donuts with filling like nutella, custard or mango. A little crunchy on the outside with sugar coating. The two guys running this place are super friendly and welcoming.
Also tried cheese rolls made with croissant dough, very tasty!
When we were in this place, a really nice young lady came in and bought all empanadas! She let me try some of her adobo pork and beef, delicious, so will be back to order those next time.
Come in and order lots of stuff, this is the type of small business that should succeed.
Great food and service! Thank you!

Just walked out from this place… It’s a drive from where we live, but it was worth it. We came in and was welcomed with a warm smile. I ordered the tocilog and my husband ordered the tapsilog. We had our 3 year old who devoured his plate and wanted more. We also ordered some malasadas and empanadas and they were on point! Nice Filipino breakfast and pastry place. I will be back for sure. Try the Nutella malasadas. They are to die for.

This is my new «go to» place in LV! This last trip, I went everyday! I started with the malasadas and guava/​cheese rolls and by the fourth day I was eating breakfast and lunch there!
The owner/​chef is willing to make special orders for you! I loved the combo of guava and custard in my malasadas. Ask the chef to make them for you as it’s a special order, which I told him he should have as a regular on his menu!
Having been a long time supporter of Portos, I have to admit his guava rolls were better. His cheese rolls are like Portos! But, here’s a new one that Portos doesn’t have — blueberry rolls!
As for their food, well I actually think their adobo fired rice was better than the restaurant next door (which is how I discovered his place by having first eating next door)! The only negative thing I can say about their food was the pork belly was overcooked and not enough meat. I actually didn’t finish that dish
Until my next visit, I’ll be thinking of what to order!

Gonna end the 2015 year with a review on my kind of peeps… de Pilipinos!
After reading all the reviews on Unilocal about this new Filipino bakery/​eatery, we just had to mosey on down to that side of town to give it a try.
Get inside and I swear, it smells like my Lola’s house back home! The olfactory senses going off! Luckily for most of you, you won’t get the hint of patis or bagoong in the air like I used to… but AI SOS! The shrimp! The garlic! The tocino! The pandesal! All too familiar and reminiscent of a Filipino home. «Ai nakong, have you eaten yet?»
We got there kinda late one afternoon so a majority of the what I assume is ‘the good stuff’ was already out. There wasn’t much left in the cases. Fortunately there was one tray left of their famous cheese bread. So of course we (I say we as in mostly ‘me’) sampled a couple of them!
Whoa! I was expecting more a traditional cheese bread/​roll of the pandesal type, but these were a welcome treat! It’s like a croissant! More like a croissant/​roll hybrid! Stuffed with a creamy cheese filling! Pretty fantastic! Crusty, yet light… rich, yet airy! Certainly a new one in my book. And I like it! I could eat a couple of these easily with a cup of coffee in the morning! All that was missing was breakfast! But… Chef Zen does that too! All day! I will be sure to go in the morning next time and get me a helping of garlic fried rice and bangus (fried fishy fishy) or longanisa (garlicky sausage sausage) to go with my cheese rolls!
We also got a couple hot empanadas to try, with beef! Dammmmmm… that thing was so fine! Chef Zen, she a baker or what? B*+CH can BAKE! Beef filling was tasty with lots of garlic & spices, then wrapped with some flaky @$$ dough! Like biting into a crunchy cloud. Definitely one of the better empanadas I’ve had. Next time I will have to try the adobo fried rice one!
Only ding I’ve got for Chef Zen so far is the pricing. Yep it’s gourmet so I guess it comes with the territory. But man for 2 cheese rolls & 2 empanadas & a taro boba (for the kid) I think it set me back like $ 11. Whew! Filipinos going mainstream hipster, yo! I remember when I was a kid at home, an empanada only cost me like 89 cents! But then again back on Maui, you never know if it was filled with actual ‘meat’. Yeah, yeah say what you want. but when you poor in Hawaii, cats & dogs go missing! I’m just sayin’.
I’ll be back again Chef Zen, asking for my cheese roll and my empanada. Perhaps I’ll get some breakfast too, possibly some Pancit Palabok? Maybe some boba as well? And a Nutella malasada? Get some fresh polvorons to take home along with some leche flan? Oh Hell, I’m just gonna pop a Lipitor & hop on a treadmill for an hour before I come visit again.
MASARAP!
#igottasayitwasagoodday

Love coming to Chef Zen every time I’m in town to visit my parents. This last time I had pre-​ordered a dozen malasadas the monday before thanksgiving. I was running late the day of pick up, but when I arrived one of the staff members had explained to me they weren’t sure if I was still coming, and so they were preparing a fresh batch. I had apologized and told them it wasn’t necessary, but they were so sweet about everything. I ordered 6 custard and 6 Nutella malasadas. They were a hit with everyone who came to my folks house. I especially loved the custard ones! The dough was perfect, it was a little on the thicker side but not hard or too chewy. Just perfect!

If I can rate this place a ten star, I will. But Unilocal only allows up to five stars. My husband and I originally ‘just’ wanted to get their cheese rolls. We’ve been craving for the Porto’s cheese rolls from California for a long while. Anyway, we ended up getting more than that. We had pancit malabon, longsilog, fried vegetable egg roll, 1 bag of pandisal, a dozen of cheese rolls, three guava tools and blueberry rolls. Cheese rolls and pandisal we took them home for our kids. We were hungry so we ate the others in the café. And let me tell you. They were all delicious! Chef Zen was very welcoming. She doesn’t treat you like a customer. She treats you like family! Before we left she gave us chicken empanada, on the house! We will definitely becoming back Tita Chef Zen! Oh and also, she had us sample her cheese rolls too. We highly recommend this place!

Came upon this little place on a Sunday afternoon while needing a last minute bakery goods gift. I was slightly disappointed to see the display cases nearly empty. The gentleman manning the counter asked if I could wait two minutes, he had fresh rolls coming out. I thought, this is weird. I don’t really want rolls. He explained they are croissant rolls filled with a variety of items that include cream cheese, guava, blueberry, and pineapple. I decided to wait and bought a variety of a dozen rolls. They smelled and looked amazing. I can’t lie, I ordered a single cream cheese for myself. The cream cheese was subtle but ever so delish! I chatted with a frequent patron, she said they are the best in town!
I inquired about their menu. I was told due to the demand, they are coming up with and making more lunch/​meal items. But don’t fret, the rolls will still be there! If you’re looking for something different and fresh, check it out!

I’ve been here a few times to pick up breakfast for my husband. I loveeee this place. To me it’s like a hidden gem. Their pastries are delicious and so are their empanadas. The staff is super nice and friendly every time I come. You might have to wait a while for your food but to me it’s totally worth it. Will def be coming back here.

Today was my second time visiting this place, and like the other day, I arrived thirty minutes before they closed. To my lucky, they didn’t really have that much in stock as they were nearing the hours of closing so I had to pick whatever was left. First day, I got the pork adobo empanada (whoever thought of this is a genius!), and cheese rolls.
The second time came here, I got ground beef empanada and cheese rolls again. I really just came here for the beef empanada because as previously stated from my past reviews, I’m on a venture to find a good place that sells them. When I arrived, I immediately asked for the empanadas but again, to my luck there was no more in stock. Of course not. But I was super delighted when the man behind the counter offered to make some for me! The only catch was that I had to wait. I didn’t mind because I waited the whole day for this!
While waiting, I took photos of the venue and talked to my friend about how accommodating their hospitality was in this bakery. I snapped some pictures and after about fifteen to twenty minutes my empanadas were there. They’re waiting just for me. They were beautifully boxed, and along with it was another pink box. I looked at my friend in confusion asking whether he ordered more than what we asked for, but the man behind the counter said that he threw some pastries for us just for waiting. Awesome customer service right there for being concerned about my time: D
We were told that sometimes, they get overwhelmed in business as some people tend to wipe out their inventory so as a heads up, we should call and let them know what we wanted to order. Fair enough. I actually thought about this a few hours before I decided to stop by, but it totally slipped my mind!
So, to the empanadas. They were piping hot upon biting. The dough was VERY flaky and very soft. It’s almost as though you’re eating biscuit but way better. The filling was tasty. As in the pork adobo tasted like pork adobo in a crusted bun! How delicious does that sound? And then the ground beef mixture was my favorite. I love the right balance of spices.
A part of me wish that I ordered some donuts, but I got distracted by the cheese-​rolls because they’re my favorite pastries! I don’t know if any of you have heard Porto’s in California, but they’re pretty popular for their cheese-​rolls. Every time I visit Glendale, I always feel the need to stop by that spot just for those bad boys. At times, I miss those particular pastries as they are so far away. Moreover, I’ve been sad that Vegas lacks a variety of good bakeries. So, when I found this and tried their cheese rolls, I was sold. I still believe that Porto’s has better cheese rolls, but after eating Chef Zen’s version, I don’t feel the need to try and visit Porto’s anymore as these cheese rolls comes to close to it!
The cheese rolls were coated with the right balance of sweetness on the top, and a generous amount of cheese inside. You can also see little bits of sugar on the top which compliments the overlook of the pasty. The bread was soft along with the ooze of cheese which was amazing to chew.
I’ve been waiting to find myself to say this after searching for bakeries in Vegas… I think I just found my favorite bakery in Vegas. I’m a fan.

What a great addition to the Filipino food landscape of Las Vegas!
This café and bakery provides some of the tastiest Filipino and non-​Filipino pastries I’ve ever had. Unlike most Filipinos this side of the Mississippi, I am not a fan of Portos cheese rolls, but really enjoy the cheese rolls here. I got my first taste of their mango cheese rolls as a sample while we waited for our food order. It was piping hot from the oven and both my husband and I loved it! (Which says a lot… I’m not a big pastry/​fruit person and he’s not a big mango person). The sample left us both wanting more so we ordered more to go after finishing our meal.
The silogs here are delicious. During our last visit, my husband told me, «Do you think they know that if they just had a menu of all silogs, they could make a killing in Daly City?». The meats are high quality, and not fatty, and their over easy eggs are perfectly executed. They also offer fresh-​made atchara (pickled papaya condiment). While eating inside, I couldn’t help but notice so many people picking up their orders who were clearly addicted to the menu. The cashier who helped us each time we have gone is very attentive and helpful. The chef in the back also checked in on us a couple of times, which I really appreciate.
From their different flavored malasadas to their tasty takes on Filipino empanadas (their traditional beef is much better than Red Ribbon’s btw), they haven’t disappointed me once. I really hope to come back often to try all their tasty treats and maybe even bring some on a plane with me to the Bay Area. Be aware of wait times and order minimums when coming here, but it’s all worth it for their freshly baked items!

Really happy I discovered this place.
Love Porto’s in California and crave the cheese rolls, like I do? Well you are in luck… cuz the cheese rolls here are pretty much the same! So delicious.
Want something even more delicissssh? Malasadas! Yup and they have a variety of fillings they can put inside.
I not only tried the two things above I also enjoyed a lychee slush with boba. The lychee flavor stood out, which I tend to look for because I have had lychee drinks before where the lychee flavor was faint if at all.
I can’t wait to go back and try more of their dishes, desserts and drinks!!!

Came in after a long commute from pahrump. Ordered a tosilog but after talking to the cashier, in tagalog I somehow bought more than I came for. Like the Nutella doughnut, mango doughnut which I ate while I waited for my topsilog, 2 kinds of empanada, cheese roll which just came out off the oven while I was waiting for my order, and an order of cronuts for the next day.
Tosilog was awesome especially with the atchara.
Also the cheese roll was divine still hot fresh out off the oven cheese still melting.
All and all the place was great, the workers are very friendly and hospitable, and the food are fresh especially if you come early.

Chef Paolo rocks! The day I came, there was a small selection in the bakery case, sold out of malasadas, but Arthur offered and Chef was more than happy to make some more if we didn’t mind waiting. Of course not. It’s worth the wait to have a warm, fresh batch of doughnuts right?
Not only did chef make a fresh batch of malasadas, but I put in a special request and wanted a different filling than the ones offered. I wanted a fruit filling, so Chef made me Guava filled malasadas! They tasted fantastic! Crisp sugar coated crust, tasty dough. Made from scratch! Reminds me of ones at that famous bakery in Hawaii!
I’m m surprised I was the first person whose requested a fruit filling though. So dont be timid and ask people! The staff is really friendly, and if they aren’t swamped with special orders you may be in luck! Better yet, if you know what you want, call ahead of time! That’s what I plan to do next. Call in my order for the yummy malasadas and their empanadas!
Those empanadas are soooo good! Like «Last Meal On Earth» good! Savory type. Adobo Chicken, Adobo Pork/​Rice and Ground Beef/​Vegetables are the choices for fillings. The puff pastry dough is made from scratch; flaky, buttery, light, not greasy. Fillings finely shredded and held together well when taking a bite. The filling recipes are made by Chef Zen «Zeny» their mom! So we know where Chef Paolo gets his culinary skills from.
They also have plate lunches, and other filipino dessert goodies like enseymada, sansrival, polvoron candies. I got UBE flavor ones! (like taro). They have a big following on instagram. They had posted they made the brioche/​cheese pastries (enseymadas), someone came in and swooped up the whole case after his coworker brought him one to try. I can see why. Chef Zen’s crew is very talented. I sat there and ate AND took a lot home on my visits here.
Prices: Not sure of individual prices. But I paid $ 20 and left with a good amount of goodies!
Location: In the same strip mall where Komex #2 and next door to Babystacks #2.
It’s primarily a take and go place but I would classify this as a bakery café since they also make boba teas, coffee and bottled drinks and have limited seating.
We sat there and enjoyed our treats and the hospitality of Chef Zen’s staff. Really sweet of them to take time out to bring us out some water and sample some pastries.

Overall I was very impressed. For a fairly new place, they pretty much have their act together.

This locally owned operation is a step up from the previous tenants — Dee’s Donuts — but can’t compete with the better bakeries around town. Donuts are respectable in their execution, but largely unmemorable in flavor. The apple filled donut and cookie crumble donut were the best of what I tried. As for pastries, the raspberry turnover was plagued by a dense exterior and minuscule filling, while the pumpkin turnover had an excellent crust-​like shell with a filling sorely lacking sweetness. Their menu also includes empanadas, soups, smoothies and more so a return visit may be warranted to see if savory options can surpass their sweet items.

*** Unilocal 100 CHALLENGE 17/​100***
You know that really nice Aunt we all have that always wants to feed us? That’s Chef Zeny. She makes you feel so welcome like she’s inviting you to her own home. We stopped by last Saturday after breakfast at Baby Stacks which is right next door. I wanted to check what they had to offer for next time. It’s a cozy family owned place that offers American fare like donuts and croissants as well as Asian local favorites like boba, empanadas, malasadas, latiya polvoron etc. Chef Zeny made me try their different polvorons: mango, red velvet, ube and even gave me a cheese roll ala Porto’s to go. I ordered a green tea boba: boba was of great chewy consistency although I wished the green tea flavor was more prominent, there’s only a handful of places IMO that don’t shy away from this flavor. Also got some green tea polvoron $ 6 for 11 pieces but she gave me an extra one for not making her wrap them as they were just made hahaha. We will be back.

I wasn’t impressed. Maybe you need to go in the am but we walked in and I was excited to try something new. I asked the guy behind the counter what was the most popular item and he said it was the cream cheese croissants. He told me people order it by the buckets. I decided to try it and my husband got the cronut. The guy also said free upgrade from small to large boba because they ran out of small cups. My husband was a sucker and said yea.
Verdict: the boba milk tea was overly sweet and the boba was hard. The cream cheese croissant was good but not necessarily something I would go back for. My husband wasn’t impressed with his cronut either. Overall it’s an ok place, but I definitely would not be back anytime soon.

I arrived at 6:01 and as I was walking up to the sho, I noticed their hours and that they close at 6, but there were lots of people inside and they waved me in despite the time.
They had already put away all their pastries, but had smoothies available. I ordered the taro with boba and they told me to sit down and it would be out quickly. It was and I was on my way in no time with a delicious smoothie.
I appreciated that they welcomed me even after their stated hours and I look forward to coming back soon to try some of their excellent looking pastries.

Cute, small bakery with boba tea options: menu is limited but they are testing additional items to add. Currently their cheese rolls are a popular item.
Tried the cheese rolls, a coconut donut, and a coconut boba– fair pricing, total for all treats came to $ 7 and service was polite and helpful.
Cheese roll is a sweet pastry with the dessert cheese filling, not the feta pastry I had imagined like from Jones Market’s bakery. A bit too sweet for me, but apparently one of their more popular items.
The coconut donut was dense and cakey, but not in a bad way. Not overly sweet, but couldn’t finish it all: priced well for the size, though.
Coconut boba drink was tasty, boba was fresh and chewy without being overshadowed by the tea. Liked that the beverage didn’t have an overwhelmingly artificial taste to it, as at other places.