LA: Chocolatt on Wilshire

Chocolatt (http://www.chocolatt.com) is a new chocolate store in LA on Wilshire, just east of Bundy. They carry wonderful chocolates imported from Belgium. Owned and operated by a Belgian chocoholic, Tarcis Verfaillie. I really thought all of the dark, milk and white truffle flavors were fantastic!

I was so excited to find this gem right after it opened- Just driving down Wilshire and my "chocodar" went off. Boy was I excited I found this place. The purpose of this site is to find cool new locations in addition commenting on the old standbys. This store has legs and Tarcis is one to follow.

Good Luck!

Houston: The Chocolate Bar

Houston: On a recent visit for a very sad occasion, my cousin Ellen cheered me up by taking me to a fantastic chocolate and candy retailer in the Montrose area called the Chocolate Bar (next door, the same guys have the Candy Bar). This place has it all. Their handmade assortment is very large and unique. They have great gift ideas as well. The killer for me was the wonderful variety of multi-flavored and concocted chocolate ice creams. This is a mandatory stop for anyone traveling to Houston.

Beverly HIlls: I Love Lucy & Lucy loves Edelwiess Chocolates & now I love it EC, too

A friend told me that Edelweiss Chocolates (http://www.edelweisschocolates.com), in Beverly Hills, has the best marshmallow/chocolate products in LA. Since you know my penchant for things with marshmallow and chocolate I headed straight there and WOW... he was correct.

NOTE TO ALL: I apologize for not coming here years ago.

 I introduced myself to Steve Zahir, the owner, and was graciously given a tour of this 61-year-old retail store and factory. Sometimes I am caught off-guard and this experience was one of those times- it totally blew me away! This is the site of the store made famous by the I Love Lucy show- the episode where Lucy works in the chocolate store and she can´t keep up with the conveyer belt! Steve showed me the machine, that was manufactured in1918, and is still being used today. It really is the actual machine Lucy couldn't keep up with on the show.

Edelweiss is a MUST stop on anyone´s trip through Beverly Hills. (4444 N. Canon Street just south of Little Santa Monica Blvd).

South Florida - what a great trip!

Hi All!

My week on business in Florida afforded me an opportunity to revisit old favorites, stumble across some new things and try a suggestion from my new friends that check out the website.

Miami's Dadeland Mall: I had just enough time to run through the mall for a quick tour and would rate this stop as: excellent!

Hot Cookies: Dadeland Mall-Miami

If you like crispy chocolate chip cookies (like the ones Famous Amos used to sell in the 70's and 80's from their now defunct stores), this is a must stop on your tour. The little "Crispy Critters" have been a favorite of mine since the first time I experienced them in 1980.

Sweet Suzette's (This Company also has a unit at Boca Town Center). I now have a thing for "Nutella" Crepes. I got hooked on them in the Left Bank area of Paris many years ago and got re-hooked when I saw and bought a huge jar of Nutella at Costco in June. I successfully made some crepes for my family this summer (trying to hook the kids before my wife could get them into the gym). I have also tried crepes at several places in San Francisco over the last month or so and again here. The flavor of these crepes is excellent and I love the concept of a little crepe kiosk in the malls. Great, any time of the day or night.

As I exited the mall near the Limited entrance, I walked past an even smaller kiosk that was selling chocolate truffles that I had never seen or heard of before, Romanico's- Handmade Truffles. Amazingly, the day I was there (10/24/02) was their first day open. They are only a few months old as a company, selling mostly off of the Internet. I sampled the dark chocolate amaretto truffle and was blown away. It was definitely on the same par as XOX from San Francisco, which I think is outstanding. Good Luck Romanicos, I hope you make it!

On the rest of my trip I was able to duck into Palm Beach Confections at Sawgrass Mills and Boca Town Center. Their fudge is one of the best, as is the rest of the chocolate line-up of homemade goodies. Linda and Julie (at the Sawgrass store) were incredibly hospitable and very enthusiastic about their love for chocolate and their Company!

In Greenacres (near West Palm Beach) there is a free standing Chocolate store, garden and manufacturing plant called Hoffman's. I vaguely remember seeing a catalogue years ago but as I was driving down the road and I saw this gorgeous building standing out between the strip centers. I thought about it for a second and doubled back to try it out. It was well worth the U-Turn. REAL MARSHMALLOW (soft and fluffy). As you know by now I am a sucker for S'mores and really anything chocolate with marshmallow in it. This place has the best chocolate covered real marshmallow candy I have found to date. I am so glad they can ship their stuff. They also have additional stores in South Florida that I wasn't able to get to.

Thanks Florida, for a great week. The weather was great, I got to see old friends and the chocolate was Fantastic!!!

Joe