Two weeks ago or so, my former supervisor from my former company commented on the desserts of my current employer:
"It's too fancy shmancy. Too 'Extraordinary.'" The tip of his nose was turned up and crinkled at the bridge.
"If you want real dessert, real chocolate, and real flavor, you need to go to Eclipse."
Eclipse ... Eclipse! I had heard the name before. My neighbor at the farmer's market when I worked at Loic! (Loic is a French restaurant, the one previous to Extraordinary Desserts, which is a whole tale of its own for another day.)
Tonight I had stopped by the restaurant opening of Juan Chou - a unique menu combination of Sushi and Tacos. (I didn't dine full heartedly to write a blog on it). On my way home, I craved dessert, and as I was about to turn to head to work on a night off, I heard my former boss's voice echo in my head: "Toooo faannccyyyy. Reeeaaaaal Chocoollaaaattteee."
So GoogleMaps led me to a small little shop painted baby blue, snuggled right in between Luigi's and something closed. Empty it was but closed it wasn't. Melissa, a kind woman in her 32's or so, went through the low down:
Chocolate shipped from South America and Africa, manufactured in San Francisco, and used at this tiny store located on El Cajon Boulevard. All delicious products including brownies, cupcakes, rococo, and drinking chocolates were all made in the back. Savory items were available, I was told, on Friday evenings and Sunday brunches. Green, local & organic when possible; 10% of profits go to charity.
HI. I LOVE YOU.
I ordered the peanut butter & salted toffee bread pudding with milk chocolate, as well as the Masala Chai yellow cake cupcake - the one Melissa very unhesitatingly recommended.
Bread Pudding: Engh. Tastes like regular bread pudding. She warmed it for me, which made the flavors come out, but I wasn't impressed. It was spongy, soft, the bread was bland, and the whole thing had a very flat, very plain texture. The milk chocolate with peanut butter and salted toffee was in the middle of the bread pudding, like a sandwich. All that the PB&ST did was make the milk chocolate somewhat thicker. No toffee crunch. No thick peanut butter stuck on the roof of my mouth.
What did I appreciate about the BP? The gelato on the side. The vanilla gelato Eclipse uses is made at Gelato Vero Cafe, the coffee shop located 50 feet from my improv theatre. Ever in a bad mood after performing terribly, and I'm at Gelato Vero stuffing my face with "Caramel & Brownies." Boo ya. The beauty of local.
Now, the Masala Chai cupcake is a WHOLE other story.
What was the first thing I said, out loud mind you, after one bite?
Holy sh*t.
Yup. That's what I said.
It's one of the most unique desserts my taste buds have experienced. A thick layer of chocolate icing melts into the middle of a yellow cupcake which holds a caramel like goo infused with cinnamon, masala chai (which is an Indian herb used for tea), and perhaps salted caramel. There was a grittiness which I assumed was the salted caramel (so sorry I have no specifics. the website includes no descriptions and I can't remember the list from the store). The vanilla cupcake is moist. And man does that thick, creamy icing and gooey center melt and create rich flavors that kicks your tongue to the roof! At room temperature! Without spice! (spice meaning hot spice.) That is one cupcake you gotta try.
My birthday is next Saturday. I plan to be there Friday night for an early celebration. How can I say no to a slow roasted cocoa-barbeque pulled pork sandwich?
http://eclipsechocolat.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment