A Chocolate Tour of New York

New Luxe Chocolate Gift Shop

2007-09-18T17:27:00.000-04:00

We know by now how much you love chocolate. And we also know that you love our chocolate tours, and everything you have learned and discovered about this intriguingly delicious treat.

This is the reason why we decided to create a gift shop for all of you out there−chocolate lovers, adventurous sweet tooth, declared or secret chocoholics.

You can access the store at New York Chocolate Tours Gift Shop.

New York Chocolate Tours

2007-02-23T14:56:00.000-05:00

A New Way to Discover Sophisticated, Gourmet New York

Chocolate Zoom, the monthly online magazine for worldly chocoholics, has launched the New York Chocolate Tours. Its ambition is to inform, delight and reveal to the chocolate lovers some of the most sophisticated and creative chocolate shops in the city. Whether they are local stores or branches of international brands, these shops sell some of the best flavors and most imaginative bonbons.

Only in the last decade has chocolate truly been discovered, appreciated and resurrected to a higher status than a simple sugar fix. New York, as the cosmopolitan, trendy city that it is, saw a dramatic increase in chocolatier per square mile in the past ten years. Well-known European brands flocked to open outposts here in the center off all things modern and Americans that caught the virus of the cacao bean trained abroad and brought back their knowledge in creating successful businesses.

But in a city so big, how do you discover the crème de la crème of Gothamists chocolate masters by yourself, how do you know which reviews to believe and how do you organize your itinerary if youre in the city for a limited amount of time or if youre a native always on the run? Theres nothing easier. Let someone else do it for you with professionalism and youll be introduced to a world of finesse and delightful taste without lifting a finger. Well, youll have to walk a lot, but you know what they say, no pain, no gain. And lets face it: a bit of mileage is not all that bad as you will burn out the calories ingested in the stores where there are plenty of samples waiting for you.

Michel Richart, a French master chocolatier and the founder of RichArt Paris, was more than intrigued by the idea when he was first contacted by Chocolate Zoom for an interview. He actually offered to lead a tour himself and take the choco-tourists around when he visits New York.

The Sweetness of the Temple

2006-05-06T12:05:00.000-04:00

Opened in April in the sizzling meatpacking neighborhood, Buddha Bar seems to take the saying “one can’t make a first impression twice” seriously. The entrance in the restaurant is made through a round shaped “tunnel,” made of stripes of exposed bricks, and dark shiny wood. It feels like an underground passage to a different world. And Buddha Bar is a different world. Designed by the same people who created the sister restaurants in Paris and Beirut, Buddha Bar is the most authentic Japanese restaurant I’ve ever seen in the city. The imposing statue of Buddha, overseeing the whole place, the pond with colorful fish, the beauty of the wooden architecture, and the magic lights provide the peaceful and spacious atmosphere of a pagoda. The design of the three large dining rooms has the exclusive structure and balance of a Buddhist temple. All this and more, topped with a glass DJ booth and a cross shaped skylight, is the modern vision of the rising sun’s land.
I was so anxious to find out if their desserts are as fancy and decadent as the place itself. The menu looked promising. I ordered the Warm Fudge Cake. They brought me a chocolaty tower cake (like the one in the picture) with a solid disc of vanilla ice cream on top. The ice cream started melting as soon as I cracked the cake’s crust with the spoon. The cake has the consistency of a brownie on the outside, with a rich, warm, and creamy inside. The ice cream balances perfectly the unsweetened rich chocolate flavor, and adds a new dimension to the whole presentation. Guilty as charged: I’ve finished the cake before even thinking at taking a picture. Oh well, it was irresistible. And there are even more deserts waiting to be discovered. Buddha Bar is the place you want to return to over and over again, and try “everything on the menu.”

2006-05-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

The opening of a new restaurant is one of the happenings you don’t want to miss in the city. That’s why last night I decided to have dinner in the brand new Craftsteak restaurant that chef Tom Colicchio opened in the meatpacking district. Two things that intrigued me right away: not only that the chef chose the trendiest neighborhood, chock full of hip restaurants, but he had some guts to actually place his new venue across from Morimoto and right next door to Del Posto , Mario Batali’s newest restaurant. One thing's for sure: Colicchio doesn't fear fierce competition.
I decided to go there with no expectations. The truth is that I was overly impressed by the whole experience. The place is immense, almost trying to intimidate with its grandiosity. The designer though did a great job on picking the right colors, very comfortable furniture (from the red fancy chairs in the lounge to the elegant earthy leather couches in the dining room), and nonetheless the poignant bottles glass display that separates the lounge from the dining room. The funny thing about having a drink at the bar before dinner is that you’ll get to see the chef Colicchio having drinks with Lee Anne Wong , one of the Top Chef participants. (for some of you who are not familiar with the mentioned TV show, Tom Colicchio is one of the judges).

Back to nos moutons, let me tell you how the Chocolate Tart With Milk Chocolate Ganache and Caramel Ice Cream was. I’ll start with the bottom and sides of the tart which were very crispy and chocolaty. It had the texture of a flourless cake, only crispier. Well, this thing was topped with a rich paste of chocolate, made of semisweet chocolate and cream, called ganache. Not only that the consistency will seduce you on the spot, but the velvety consistency and its sweetness are brought up by a touch of salt. You have to try it, believe me. Have I mentioned the caramel ice cream yet? Mmm, you’re going to love it. If I were you I’d make a reservation right away.

La crème de la crème

2006-05-03T09:38:00.000-04:00

Today we’ll play a quick trivia game. Just one question. The winner takes it all :-) Ready? Go!

Q: It was first attested in France, in Massialot’s cookbook, at the end of the seventeen century. In the early eighteen century, Trinity College (Cambridge, UK) claims the invention of this revolutionary dessert.
Hint: It’s been called burnt cream, caramel cream, and crema catalana. What is the name of the finest delicacy?

A: Oeuf corse (like a friend of mine would say), it's crème brûlée.

I don’t know about you or the police, but I love crème brûlée, regardless of the heritage. The traditional recipe is made with just three basic ingredients: eggs, sugar, and heavy cream, topped with a fine crust of caramelized sugar. If you combine all that with chocolate, you’ve got one of the most exquisite desserts (of all times!). OK so you think I’m using big words? Then you have to experience it yourself. The downtown address is: 6th Avenue and 9th Street. Of course, you can find it at all Citarella locations in the city. Get in, take a sharp right, and another right. There you are, in front of the desserts counter. Don’t even bother to decipher the products’ names, it would be a waist of time, believe me. Just ask the person behind the counter for the chocolate crème brûlée cake. It comes in three sizes. I started with the small one, thinking that the mushy inside will not be quite what I care for. When I got home, I had to fight with my mom over it; it’s one of those things that you just can’t share with anyone. The melt-in-your-mouth texture, combined with the rich, chocolaty taste, and the crunchy topping, make this cake more than a scrumptious dessert. It’s an indisputable winner.

~Piment et Chocolat

The ultimate in chocolate indulgence

2006-05-02T11:24:00.000-04:00

Last night, the monthly union of Moon and Mars packed in me a wallop of desire for a White Chocolate Martini. What’s the best place to get one? Easy answer: Pravda. Located on the edge of Soho, this underground lounge is the witness of countless amazing nights. I just love its intimate Soviet-chic ambiance, insanely good food, and nonetheless great cocktails. Apparently I’m not the only one who’d rather spend the night at Pravda instead of the glamorous APT for instance. Last night I landed in the middle of an author event. Gary Shteyngart launched his new novel Absurdistan in a blissful atmosphere, surrounded by the press and friends. At the end of his speech, he invited everyone to experience the unique, smooth Pravda vodka. I immediately took his advice and ordered a devastating White Chocolate Martini.

Also called Love Potion No. 3 by the connoisseurs, Pravda’s White Chocolate Martini has a unique taste and an exceptional flavor. The bartender dipped the rim of the martini glass into maraschino cherry juice, shook off excess, and dipped it into cocoa powder. Then, he combined the above-mentioned vodka, white chocolate Godiva liqueur, crème de cocoa, and crème de banana in a shaker. At that point, he just became my favorite bartender. He poured the magic potion into my glass, and added a strawberry on its rim. Needles to say I was anxious to taste the tempting mixture. It was mesmerizing. Cheers!

~Piment et Chocolat

The best place to start if you're a chocoholic

2006-04-30T22:01:00.000-04:00

It’s not just the flavors, the mouth watering ingredients, the whimsical shapes, or the insanely good taste. It’s all about diversity when we talk about Jacques Torres. This famous French Chocolatier showed to the entire world that his talent and dedication are borderless. After making a career in France, Mr. Chocolate (as he entitles himself) was petitioned to come to the US in 1988. He successfully served presidents, kings, celebrities, entertained people with his TV shows, and finally opened his own chocolate factory in New York in December 2000. Both the Brooklyn location and the Manhattan one are two spots impossible to miss if you’re a chocolate lover.

The moment I opened the door of his Haven store in the West Village I was hit by a divine aroma of hot chocolate. My diet guardian angels couldn’t stop me anymore. I HAD to try all those sweets surrounding me. My eyes got bigger and bigger, my senses were gone wild, and that wide smile on my face made me feel like a (big) kid in a candy store. Oh, wait! I WAS a big kid in a candy store. It actually felt like the first time when my mom took me to the cotton candy feast in my home town. And it felt even better when I went closer to the assorted chocolates counter. Hypnotized, I mumbled: I’ll have one of each. That would have meant all the chocolate a normal human being eats in about six months. The guy behind the counter glanced at me, smiled, and suggested the best selection: liquid caramel, European peanut butter, chocolate mint tea, champagne truffles, and heavenly hazelnut. I had two of each. He also fed me a Love Potion #9. I don’t know if it was the potion or not, but I fell in love on the spot. On my way out I picked up a box of milk chocolate covered pretzels, and a box of hot chocolate. I knew I was going to be back soon.

Jacques Torres should be a magician. His velvety, rich chocolate has that European flair that you can only find in a box of French delicacies.

~Piment et Chocolat

2006-04-28T14:21:00.000-04:00

How many times have you dreamed of eating and drinking your weigh in chocolate? Forget about the history of chocolate, ignore all the stories about Mesoamerica, ancient Maya, and the Aztecs. Just think of chocolate as that sweet, creamy, smooth, rich, and yes, American taste. Do you like it white? Dark? Sweet? Semi-sweet? Bittersweet? Unsweetened? Milky? With caramel and tons of nuts? Melted on a velvety scoop of ice cream? With marshmallows? On your favorite crunchy pretzels? Home made? If your mouth is watering by now, you should take my Chocolate Tour of New York.

~Piment et Chocolat