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March 14, 2008
Chocolate guide to the city
Several Jewish community members make this delectable treat.
RICHARD WOLAK
In many cities around North America, the chocolate café, which features more than just coffee or chocolate, is becoming more prevalent and Vancouver is no exception. Here's a brief exploration into things chocolate in the city.
About two years ago, Chocoatl opened in Yaletown, at 1127 Mainland. It's co-owned by two graduates of a culinary arts school, and their focus has been hot chocolate in either single origin or infused. Much like coffee, you can choose to have chocolate from the origin (where the cocoa plants are grown) such as Saothome Brazilian and Grenada; these can be served in traditional style or can be spiced up with nutmeg or lavender.
Chocoatl (pronounced choco-at-leh) also serves a rose hot chocolate, with scented rose, as well as a spicy Mexican hot chocolate. If you can't decide, have a taste of the chocolate or let the servers surprise you. Behind the counter, they are passionate people who invite you to a warm and inviting experience of their chocolate creations. My favorite is the champurrado (made of dark hot chocolate and corn). The entire menu is comprised of homemade chocolates and desserts, as well as different coffees.
Next up is Mink Chocolate Café. Almost a year ago, Marc Liebermann opened the café located at 863 West Hastings in Vancouver, after researching some of the world's best chocolatiers in San Francisco, Montreal, New York and Tokyo. Liebermann set out to showcase dark chocolate, which mostly fuses the taste and flavors of ganache-filled bonbons, but the focus here is on the chocolate bar form, as well as the beverages.
Liebermann has been a part of Vancouver's Jewish community since 1970 and he has been involved with a variety of businesses over the years. Most recently, he founded and then sold Steamrollers Mexican Burritos to Blenz, in order to focus on his next passion – chocolate.
Mink Chocolate Café is located "on the park" in a spectacular setting overlooking the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place, the coast mountain range in the backdrop and downtown on its doorstep. The café is styled to perfection, fashionably done up in brown tones and highly addictive.
Mink serves a wide range of espresso drinks, including lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, etc. The house specialties are several varieties of gourmet hot chocolate and mochas made with freshly melted chocolate. One of my favorites – and I have a few – is an espresso with a shot of dark chocolate – simple and wonderful. My other favorite is the iced dark chocolate blended drink.
The café features a clover for serving fresh-brewed origin coffees, a Synesso for top-notch espresso beverages, milk and dark liquid chocolate machines pouring out the finest and most delicious chocolate, which is then done up in any one of their hot or iced chocolate drinks. There is a full-on fondue bar to experience at a table over a small burner – choose your Mink fondue in milk or dark chocolate served with a selection of seasonal fruits for dipping, or try their S'mores. There are toasted Belgian waffles for snacking to go along with your hot or cold beverage.
Mink also offers an extensive selection of handmade chocolate bars and bon bons with sleek packaging that turns them into objects of desirable art. The beautifully packaged bars, which are all locally made, contain local, organic ingredients whenever possible. In all, there are 33 different bars, with unique names and irresistible flavors such as Open in Case of Emergency (fresh mint and Kentucky bourbon) and Ginger or Maryanne (candied ginger) – no amount of willpower will allow them to sit around for long.
Then there is Monde Chocolate. Last summer, co-founders Fabiana Makon-Flores and Karlo Flores opened Monde, at 2391 Burrard St., in Kitsilano. This is primarily a chocolate store that sells their own homemade chocolate creations, as well as select brands of chocolate from the finest chocolatiers in the world, specializing in single origin, estate chocolates and fresh, in-store creations.
Makon-Flores, another member of the Vancouver Jewish community, has been a volunteer with the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver but, these days, spends most of her time involved in the business of chocolate. Flores brings 10 years of entrepreneurial experience in the chocolate industry, as well as a lifelong study and creation of innovative chocolate products, such as Terra Nostra Organic (a brand of chocolate that you also can find in Capers and Whole Foods stores). Rumor is that they will open a chocolate café next door to Monde in the near future.
Other chocolate cafés in the Greater Vancouver area that have opened over the past couple of years include Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates and Patisserie at Unit 128, 998 Harborside Dr., in North Vancouver. Owned by fourth-generation pastry chef Thomas Haas and his wife, Lisa, they produce handmade artisan chocolates, pastries and desserts using the finest ingredients sourced locally and from around the world. Uncompromising quality and creativity distinguish Haas' unique style and have resulted in affiliations with leading North American hotels, restaurants and specialty food shops. Thomas Haas creations also include corporate gift options, wedding cakes and favors.
Located on the east side is Schokolade Café, at 2263 East Hastings St. This is a charming café that offers many chocolate treats, including beverages such as their hot Aztec chocolate, which is made with dark chocolate, milk, cinnamon and chili, and "squirrelly hot chocolate," which is made with milk chocolate, milk and hazelnut. In addition to the hot beverages, Schokolade has cold beverages as well, made with ice cream, chocolate, coffee and other ingredients. All of the chocolates are handmade, and there is quite an extensive selection of them, including raspberry hearts, hedgehogs, truffles and others. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks in between, breakfast pastries, dessert cakes and pastries.
Koko Chocolate Café opened recently at 1118 Denman St., in the West End, and serves a variety of hot and cold chocolate beverages.
On Bowen Island, take a drive and visit Cocoa West Organic Chocolate Café, at 581C Artisan Lane (Artisan Square). Your hot chocolate or espresso coffee arrives European style – on a small tray with a glass of water and a chocolate on the side. The shop's reputation for fine organic truffles and artisan hot chocolates is spreading. The Poblano hot chocolate, based on a recipe of the co-owner's family, is quickly becoming the must-have chocolate experience for visitors to the island.
And if you don't have time to sit and enjoy a hot chocolate, there are many chocolate stores located throughout the city, including the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (multiple locations), which is owned by the Kerzner family, longstanding members of the local Jewish community.
Richard Wolak is a freelance writer and editor of TheCafeGuide, at www.thecafeguide.com.
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