>Located in the hidden neighborhood of Lafayette Square is a little chocolate shop that oozes romantic sentiment. The Chocolate Bar acts as a combo, something between a candy and coffee shop, offering chocolate truffles and goodies along with coffee and gourmet hot cocoas. The offerings are only half the equation: The shop is decorated with small tables for two and dim lighting, a perfect recipe for a late-night romantic rendezvous.
Assistant manager Anna Hancock said the shop was started about a year ago by chef and restaurant owner Blake Brokaw. Brokaw is also responsible for such restaurants as Tangerine and the Hungry Buddha.
“Blake is a sous-chef who used to work with candies and chocolate desserts for restaurants,” Hancock said. “He thought it would be a cool idea to open a chocolate shop, doing things the old-fashioned way. The reason why so many people like this shop is that there isn’t anything like it anymore. All the old shops have closed down.”
Hancock said that the shop’s specialties are their home-made truffles and hot cocoa. The truffles and cocoas are named after areas and streets of St. Louis, respectively. Hancock said these specialties are made to reflect the flair and unique attitude of their namesakes.
“The Cherokee (truffle) has things like chili powder to reflect the Hispanic population of the street and area,” Hancock said. Other truffles and cocoas include the Ladue, made of various white chocolates, and The Soulardian, made of Grand Marnier-soaked courant ganache dipped in San Dominique bittersweet chocolate. Other specialties are made to reflect their namesakes in other ways.
“La Morte (hot cocoa), which means the death, is very thick and rich to give that death-like feel,” Hancock said.
All the chocolate the shop brings for these specialties and home-made goodies come from fair-trade farms in South America, which accounts for the high prices, Hancock said. The shop’s truffles run for about $8 per quarter pound, and the hot cocoas are priced between $3.50-4.00. Customers are able to take home ingredient mixes for all of the hot cocoas for $2.75. These prices might seem high, but the goodies are very much worth it. These delicacies taste just as dreamy as your significant other, hopefully across from you at the time, looks.
Directions from SLU: Take Market east to Jefferson. Take a right onto Jefferson and follow it until Park Avenue. Turn left onto Park; The Chocolate Bar should be on the left.
