Bakery serves up European-style treats created from family recipes

There's a new kind of therapy in town: pastry therapy.

Its proponent can be found at the new European-style Manan Bakery, 6620 W. Flamingo Road, No. 4.

"Every customer leaves with a smile on their face and something sweet in their bag," said owner/operator Naira Vardanyan. "It's like getting a dose of happiness that uplifts the soul. I think of it as pastry therapy. Nobody leaves depressed."

Vardanyan crafts pastries passed down from her parents, who owned a bakery in Armenia. They created the recipes, which were never written down but rather passed along in a hands-on manner.

She tweaks the flour so it has the right taste.

"It is not the kind you get in (Armenia)," she said of her American supplier.

It took a number of trials to get it the way she wanted. Vardanyan said she knows it is right by the bread's taste and aroma.

Some items have exotic names. A thin-crust delicacy is lahmajoon, a type of Armenian pizza. Nazuk is a sweet pastry. The bird milk roll is a Russian cake filled with a light cream.

Every day, taste samples are available for patrons by the checkout register.

Irina Kolkila rings up orders and said people like everything the shop offers but that the Napoleon and the bird milk roll probably go the quickest.

"It's delicious, everything," she said.

Local business owner Art Vardapetyan has an insurance office next door and heads to Manan Bakery for a treat before going to work.

"I like it. I eat it. I'm there every day. I like the llama juice, their fresh cakes," he said.

The operation lures customers with its tempting aromas. Items are prepared in the early morning. Bread is baked every day. If it doesn't sell, Vardanyan refuses to put it out for the next day.

The bread rack was just to the side of the entrance and contained a variety ---- bukhanka, matnakash, nazook, whole wheat and barbari. Manan Bakery also offers challah ---- a Jewish braided bread eaten on the Sabbath and holidays ---- every Friday before 4:30 p.m.

Manan Bakery also provides baked items to Armenian restaurants and has a catering arm.

The display case faces the door and is chock-full of pastries. Items offered include almond tarts, tiramisu, cannoli, carrot cake, eclairs, chocolate mousse and lemon tarts.

Little pastry cups held glazed fruit with kiwi, strawberry and blueberries. With the cooler weather, Vardanyan plans to offer fall flavors such as apricot.

The little shop makes its own Bavarian crème each evening after the store closes. Vardanyan heads in back and makes it up for the next batch of pastries. She said she always enjoyed creating foods.

"I like the baking, (being in) the kitchen. That's my favorite. I wanted to go to the French school," she said of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas. "But with three girls, running to pick them up, drop them off, there's no time."

The store is named for the owner's 14-year-old daughter. Manan sometimes helps her mother at the bakery but does not plan to follow in her footsteps. She plans to be a doctor.

Manan Bakery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 702-733-4000 or visit mananbakery.com.

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.