Éclat Chocolate in West Chester has been featured in such high and mighty publications as Food & Wine, Vogue, and Philadelphia Magazine, so we here at MLD figured it was high time to add our name to that list.

A personal disclaimer before we get started: chocolate is one of my favorite foods, if not my favorite, however I have never been particularly fond of “chocolates” of the Godiva variety. I’ve never felt the need to put a funky-tasting cream inside what is already a near-perfect food. And yes, if you see a box of chocolates near me, you’ll probably see a thumbprint in the bottom of every single one, on the constant search for a non-offensive filling. Anyway…

We rolled into Éclat on a cold winter day, and were immediately greeted with a cheery offer for a free sample of “the best hot chocolate we will ever taste”. The unique aspect of Eclat’s hot chocolate is the way it is made — instead of using a powder, they use a chocolate lollipop type instrument (pictured above) to stir in the flavor to warm milk. Time for a quick lesson: Americans tend to use the terms “hot chocolate” and “hot cocoa” interchangeably, and by American standards this is an outstanding beverage. In Europe, however, while “hot cocoa” is the traditional beverage of chocolate powder stirred into milk, “hot chocolate” tends to be a much thicker drink that tastes almost as if you are drinking a melted chocolate bar. Clearly, Eclat’s version is closer to the Euro version, though it was not quite as rich or thick as those of the cafes in Central Europe. Even so, it is the best version one will find around here this winter.

Next we tried the dark chocolate “bars”, which are actually mendiants, or thin discs of chocolate, mostly pure 60-75% chocolate, but sometimes with additional flavorings like pink peppercorns. Though tasty, these were a bit too thin, which created less of a smooth mouth-feel that I look for in fine dark chocolate. Considering the price — upwards of $15 for 5oz., I’ll stick to Lindt and Ghirardelli.

Lastly we sampled a few of the chocolates. Not expecting much (as per my comments above), I tried a dark chocolate caramel — and it was out-of-this-world outstanding! The rich, dark chocolate and the deep, buttery, toffee flavor are simply a perfect combination, and the explosion of flavor that comes from a few small sea salt crystals only builds on said perfection. This is certainly a must-have on any trip to Éclat. I tried a few of the weirder combos as well — the red wine truffle and the passion fruit chocolate were interesting, but nothing spectacular, and the beer truffle, made with Victory Prima Pils, was just plain odd.

All in all, Éclat is an enjoyable place to go, with some excellent choices to match your taste. Try it next time you’re in WC!

More info: http://www.eclatchocolate.com/

Preview: We attended the soft launch of Verdad on Thursday, August 6, 2009 — a practice run for the staff before the big grand opening the following night. As a restaurant trend, tapas is not exactly the theme of the moment (burger bar anyone?), the Main Line has yet to spawn a successful tapas joint. (Places like Citron and Maia claimed to be tapas, but never really went for it.) Verdad, on the other hand, has truly built its menu around a nice variety of small plates, and seeks to finally create the tapas experience we’ve been wating for.

The setup is generally the same as other restaurants that have previously occupied this space — bar on the left side, with booths opposite, and small sitting areas in the front and back. The decor effectively portrays the Spanish and Latin themes of the menu, with earthy colors and old-world accents.

The menu is mostly small plates, ranging in price from $4 to $21. About 3 plates per person would be recommended for dinner, though this would obviously depend on which plates are chosen. Menu highlights include:

• a brie-stuffed mission fig that’s drizzled with balsamic glaze ($4) – warm, sweet and delicious
• the Cuban sandwich (berkshire pork, chorizo, swiss cheese, pickles, garlic aioli – $9) – a wonderful melding of different flavors, all held together with cheese.
• black truffle flatbread with confit chicken, goat cheese, pesto, sundried tomato & mushrooms ($11)
• seared lamb chops served with “patatas bravas” – a traditional crispy potato tapas dish that is topped with a fried egg ($21)
• Full Menu Here (PDF)

The bar features an extensive tequila menu (25+ choices), including 10 “flights” of three tequila choices each. (Note to self: take train to Verdad.) A small but interesting selection of Spanish and South American wines, including a red and white Sangria choice is also featured. The beer list is also small but varied, with some Mexican brews and local crafts sharing the spotlight.

Been to Verdad? Post your reviews below!

Dinner service:
Tuesday through Thursday 5:00 – 10:00pm
Friday and Saturday 5:00 – 11:00pm
Sunday 5:00 – 9:00pm
Lunch service: Tuesday through Saturday 11:30am – 2:00pm
Closed Mondays

Reservations: Yes, or OpenTable

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