My friend Rachel and I were meeting to discuss her new project--an environmental film festival--and, of course, to sample the goods. And Christopher Elbow offers a wonderfully decadent array of chocolate treats, from purple-tinted domes of Lavender Caramel (one of my favorites), to Passion Fruit, to Single Malt Scotch and so many more flavors.
But it's the Liquid Chocolate Bar that tempts us today. After spending many minutes contemplating the dizzying number of options listed on the LCD monitor behind the counter (the Ginger and the Curry Spice sound enticingly exotic, and I'm always a fan of Mint Chocolate), I finally decide that for research purposes I need to sample the basic Cocoa Noir. Rachel orders the Venezuelan Spice and we seat ourselves on the row of leather benches and light cubes that face floor-to-ceiling windows along Gough Street. When the fairly generous-sized cups of chocolate arrive, we both know immediately that this is not the thick, pudding-like chocolate we're seeking. The chocolate, however, is thicker in texture and much richer in flavor than the average cup of cocoa, and although ratio of milk to chocolate is far greater than I prefer, it is still a very enjoyable cup of hot chocolate. The Venezuelan Spice has a pleasant level of spiciness and just a touch of heat, neither interfering with the taste of the chocolate.
The beverages are made with shavings of Valrhona, a premium French chocolate, and milk. A "Euro-style" hot chocolate made with water is also offered, which is good news for vegans. (More on milk and cream vs water later.) Each cup is $4.50, which I think is fair value considering the serving size and location.
The interior is sleek, the music hip, the people watching on Gough Street is pretty good. When Rachel and I arrived around 3:00 PM, we we the only patrons, but by 4:00 PM the atmosphere became livelier with more shoppers and sippers flowing into the shop.
So, if you're in the Hayes Valley area and looking for an alternative to a cup of coffee or tea, I would definitely recommend visiting Christopher Elbow. And be sure to sample their solid chocolate treats, too, especially if you are a fan of liquid caramel chocolates.
Christopher Elbow Chocolates
401 Hayes (at Gough)
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 355-1105
Hours: Tue-Sat. 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Sun. 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
PS: I'm not sure yet if I'm going to create a rating system. Stayed tuned....
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