Roy Shvartzapel came here by way of New York. He was born in Houston, but he left town to work with some of the greatest chefs in the world, under whose guidance his talent unfurled. After graduating from the CIA (culinary school, not government play), Shvartzapel worked with chefs world class from Thomas Keller to Alain Ducasse. Houston investors took note of his skill and lured him back here for the chance to fulfill the dream of a lifetime, a gourmet bakery to show off the chef's impressive pedigree. Kathy Sanders and her son, Brad, invested in him and the team that he had assembled from years of working in pastry to create something unique and so very tasty. Common Bond is a bakery, first and foremost, but it recently began preparing a whole host of other mouthwateringly great savory dishes from soft scrambled eggs to fried chips and fishes. One of the greatest in Shvartzapel's oeuvre, a divine chicken torta that it would behoove ya to order the next time it's on the lunch menu -- the offerings change day to day at this venue. The chicken torta is a sandwich so grand, it is hard to consume it with just your two hands. You'll need knife and fork in order to eat the smooth guacamole and warm shredded meat. Jalapeños and salsa add extra spice while cotija and crema cool it off nice. It's all stuffed between a telera roll, which soaks up the juices and adds heart and soul to the artisan sandwich that many demand, thanks to the great bread made with love and by hand. In addition to pastry, Common Bond makes some bread that, though pricey, will stop you from heading instead to grocery store aisles that stock cheaper loaves. One bite and you'll understand diners coming in droves. The pear and pecan is best with just butter, while olive with cheese tray sends hearts aflutter. The bread finds its way into brunch dishes, too, like the fish n' chips sandwich or rich pain perdu. 'Course, pain perdu is not bread in the traditional sense; It's croissant dough -- buttery, sweet and dense -- packed into a loaf pan then baked and made sweeter by turning it into french toast that just teeters on the edge of too rich and too much. Served with whipped cream that melts at a touch, it's a decadent breakfast, that is for sure. And still, when I'd finished, I kept craving more. I also lust after a charred romaine salad with dressing so tangy it's worth a whole ballad devoted to lemon and vinegar creamy. Mixed with citrus and onion, that salad is dreamy. Lightly grilling romaine brings out deeper flavor, while pickled red onions are something to savor. There's no protein here on this all-veggie platter, but the taste is so good, it won't even matter. For the more meat-inclined, try the hot mole hash. Octopus and carnitas you might think would clash, but when slathered in subtle but dynamic mole and sprinkled with cheese, the flavors convey a fusion of Latin and Gulf Coast cuisines unique to our local, Houston food scene.