Everyday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
8635 S Rainbow Blvd Unit 110, Las Vegas, NV 89139
Accepts cash, card, Apple Pay
Coffee shops are synonymous with being one of the best places for students to snack and study. With Café Láon opening just down the street from our school, I figured there would be no better place for high schoolers to work on their assignments.,
The establishment was strikingly empty, in terms of both customers and furniture. I visited the shop in the afternoon. The walls were painted with pastel colors and decorated with Matisse paintings, which reminded me of an art museum. I was immediately caught off guard by Bad Bunny’s “Tití Me Preguntó” playing overhead. It felt counterintuitive to have such harsh music in the presence of a cute and peaceful environment. Nonetheless, a warm welcome from the cashier settled me into place and I proceeded to order with high expectations.
The ordering process was smooth. I engaged in effortless conversation with the cashier – something that I would rarely ever do with a random café employee. Most of the other dessert shops I’ve been to are either far too busy or uninterested in getting to know me, which makes the ordering process bland and basic.
The first dessert, Mango Bingsu ($9.75), came quickly. My friend, a Korean-American, noted that this shaved ice felt “nostalgic”. It was not too sweet and was topped with what tasted like fresh mangos. Despite the good flavor, an artificial smell was easily detectable. The only other disappointment she noted was how it was placed in a cup rather than the bowl bingsu is usually served in.
As someone who always chooses matcha as her drink of choice, I was a little disappointed when I took a sip of their 16oz Iced Matcha Latte ($5.45). It started off with a pleasant, silky taste, then slowly morphed into a corn flavor. The flavor later became overpowering and almost didn’t taste like matcha anymore. I still drank most of it because the flavor wasn’t horrible, but I just wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
The Ham and Cheese Croffle ($7.50) arrived in a Styrofoam box, neatly topped with a Café Láon sticker. Everything about this dessert was pretty; the right amount of toppings were neatly arranged onto the waffle, allowing for a soft crunch when biting into it. Although it had a strong salty taste to it, it is still a great choice for those who love savory foods.
The cashier said goodbye to my friend and I using our names, which pleasantly surprised me that she even remembered. I can definitely see myself coming back to this shop to hang out with my friends or to study in this welcoming and calm environment; I’ll just have to remember to bring my headphones and avoid the matcha.
