Saturday, March 23, 2013

Dandelion Chocolate


It took a few laps of driving around the block and a cut-through to an alley before I found a 2-hour, non-metered parking space.  But to be honest, I'd do it again to indulge at Dandelion Chocolate at 740 Valencia in the Mission District of San Francisco.



This bean to bar chocolate company, which opened up its factory and store front in this new location just a few months ago, features an excellent drinking chocolate and inviting ambiance for a relaxing afternoon of study or conversation with friends.  The biggest challenge is the parking but it is worth the hassle.

The "European Drinking Chocolate," as they call it, is Italian-inspired, and is wonderfully thick and rich, made from 70% cacao Rio Caribe beans.  Served in a unique egg shaped cup, it is made fresh daily and served from their chocolate dispenser.  Though a bit pricey at $5.25, it is wonderfully delightful and indulgent.  It is creamy smooth in texture, and has a well-rounded chocolate flavor with a light fruity taste.  It is not overly sweet but it also doesn't have a strong bittersweet bite.  It's very well balanced in flavor, and didn't harden as it cooled, staying liquidy for quite a while, extending the enjoyment.   

In other words, there was no need to rush to finish this.  And served with the tiniest, most adorable, drinking chocolate spoon, there really was no way to hurry the experience.  A little sip at a time to savor this fine sample of locally produced bean to bar chocolate.  The must frustrating part of this drinking chocolate is that the shape of the cup makes it hard to clean the bottom.  In other words, no licking the cup clean.  (Darn it!)

Though there were many chocolate desserts on display, including a decadent chocolate cake, the suggested accompaniment to this drinking chocolate was Dandelion's chocolate carmel tarte.  Upon cracking the shell, a layer of carmel oozed from the bottom.  It was beautiful.  The sweetness of the carmel did complement the drinking chocolate and brought out some of its bittersweet bite.  The bitterness of the ground cacao nibs on top complemented the drinking chocolate by highlighting its sweetness.  It was a brilliant chocolate ping pong match in the mouth.

With a 2-hour free parking space and delicious chocolates to savor, I spent some time studying and enjoying the little cafe in front of the factory.  There were a few tables with chairs, a bar near the front window, and a bar overlooking the chocolate factory. I wanted to talk a bit more with the service staff at the counter about their chocolates and their production, but a continuous flow of people ordering, enjoying, and asking questions made it difficult.  Unlike the other drinking chocolate places I've been to, I could say that this one was literally busy!

Knowing that I soon needed to go, I went to ask the staff about their vegan options when there was a momentary break in the crowds. While people-watching and taking in the scenery, I noticed on the board (after my initial order, of course) that all drinks could be made with almond milk or water upon request.  The server explained that to make their drinking chocolate dairy-free, they make each cup individually, melting their in-house ganache with either almond milk or water. While not as creamy due to the lack of dairy fat, it still maintains the same balance of chocolate flavors, they said.  I disagree with the "creaminess" factor as I've had creamy vegan drinking chocolate, but I'll definitely give their vegan version a try (along with their chocolate cake) on my next visit, which will probably be sooner than later.

Though Dandelion Chocolate is the most out of the way drinking chocolate place I've found for this Chocolate Week review, it has all the elements I enjoy -- a nearly perfect mug of chocolate goodness and an inviting ambiance for an afternoon of delight.  With a whole slew of chocolate drinks  to try (see menu left) and desserts to sample, there is also much more to be experienced.

An afternoon at Dandelion Chocolate is definitely worth the parking battle of the Mission, but I think next time I'll try taking BART.

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