When Valentine’s Day approaches, romance may or may not be in the air. This is where chocolate comes in. Whether you’re madly in love or mad that you’re not–or blissfully ambivalent about all the madness–chocolate can be depended upon to serve the situation at hand. And, unlike roses and diamonds, it also adapts to a wide range of economic circumstances. Here are some new shops that have opened with their own take on this most obliging of valentines.
‘Chocohouse’ sets up shop
Chocolate wears many guises at Moonstruck Chocolate Bar, an elegantly designed shop that is outfitted like a coffeehouse–creating a hybrid that might best be described as a “chocohouse.” The Portland, Ore.,-based chocolatier opened two area shops in December.
“We want to offer the complete chocolate experience,” says general manager Kerry Ellis.
The experience starts with 30 varieties of handcrafted truffles, which employ dark, milk and/or white chocolate. The lineup includes Oregon wild huckleberry, one of several candies inspired by flavors of the Pacific Northwest; it combines fresh huckleberries and white chocolate in a milk chocolate “basket.” Most truffles cost $1.50 each; several sizes of boxes are available.
Just as indulgent are the not-to-be-missed mocha drinks ($2.50-$3.95), all made with melted Moonstruck chocolate.
Moonstruck Chocolate Bar, 320 N. Michigan Ave., 312-696-1201, and 33 S. Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, 847-685-9870; mail-order is available at the stores or online at www.moonstruckchocolate.com.
— Renee Enna
Chocolates with a Swiss signature
It has taken a while, but Chicago has earned a place in the elite company of cities (among them, Beverly Hills, Singapore and Geneva) with a Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland shop. For that, thank manager Gilles Noyer, who convinced the Swiss firm that Chicago was overdue. The store opened in November.
Teuscher is deservedly famous for its exquisite Champagne truffles (flavored with Dom Perignon, naturally), but the chocolatier makes 50 kinds of handcrafted candies, using milk, dark and white chocolates in truffles, pralines, marzipan, gianduja (hazelnut-flavored chocolate), liqueur-filled and fruit-dipped. The chocolates are available by the piece or the box and cost $50 per pound.
Caramels and cookies also are sold, as is a charming menagerie of solid chocolates, including ducks, dogs and butterflies.
The candies are flown in from Zurich weekly. “The freshness of the product–that’s why customers come here,” Noyer says.
Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland, 900 N. Michigan Ave., 312-943-4400; mail-order is available by calling the store.
— R.E.
A spoonful of indulgence
Chocolate soup?
You’ll find it at GiGi’s, which opened its first shop in Chicago last year. GiGi’s melts bittersweet, white, milk and semi-sweet chocolates (with a hint of raspberry), then tops it with shaved Belgian white chocolate, whipped cream and a mint sprig. This delightfully decadent concoction is served warm in a china cup with saucer and spoon ($4.95 for 5 ounces, $6.95 for 7 ounces).
“People love soup and since you eat our chocolate with a spoon, it’s chocolate soup,” said Mohamed Khalifa, who opened GiGi’s with co-owner Ahmed Abdelaziz (who named the shop after his mother). GiGi’s also serves “coffee, sweets, smoothies and healthy stuff,” Abdelaziz says.
Notable is a tiramisu latte of es-presso, tiramisu syrup and frothed milk with whipped cream and grated white and dark chocolate ($2.55 for 12 ounces).
GiGi’s, 2360 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-528-6861, and 333 S. State St., 312-583-1005.
— Elizabeth Owens-Schiele.
