The subhead on Rosewood Coffee’s menu reads: “Uncommonly good coffee & tea. Unlikely Venue.” It’s no wonder — hospital cafeterias are not exactly known for their culinary expertise. In most cases, if you find Starbucks brew that’s been sitting around all day and a fresh banana, that’s pretty much a win. As such, imagine my surprise when I found this wonderful coffee & lunch stand located within Penn Medicine Valley Forge.

This place is incredible. The fact that it is located within a medical facility is absurd, but I honestly believe it would be just as good if it was a standalone shop in Wayne or West Chester, or even Philly. It is such a hidden gem right now; I’m not sure I should even be telling you about it!

Firstly, there’s the coffee; they pour one of the best cups for miles, mostly due to intense focus on both technique and ingredients. Using freshly-roasted, seasonal and traceable (meaning they know exactly where they are from) beans, the skilled baristas create amazing espresso drinks, pour-over and french press coffees. The espresso-based drinks are especially good. Using Counter Culture’s Espresso Rustico (on most occasions), they are able to extract maximum flavor and brilliant crema from a new La Marzocco espresso machine. A proper shot of 20-21 grams is expertly pulled, then topped with micro-foam textured milk (if desired).

On the food side, the menu is committed to high-quality, local and healthy ingredients. Many of the foods (including sweets) feature whole grains, organic sugars and other heart-friendly options (the one thing that actually makes sense in a medical facility!). They offer mostly light bites, such as breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, sandwiches and salads. I love their chocolate chip cookies (pictured), which are actually more like little cakes, made with whole wheat flour and organic chocolate – they are light, airy and delicious. For lunch, there’s a good variety of sandwiches and salads. We tried the chicken pesto wrap, made with provolone cheese, ripe tomatoes and greens with fresh pesto, on a whole wheat wrap. It was simple, but quite tasty and perfect fuel for a productive afternoon.

A few other menu highlights are:

• Whole leaf teas
• Turkey Sausage & Egg with sun-dried tomatoes & artisan greens on a multi-grain English muffin
• Granola w/ Greek Yogurt
• Ham & Brie Panini with greens, tomatoes and dijon on multi-grain harvest bread
• Field of Greens Salad – mixed greens with red apples, dried cranberries, candied pecans, goat cheese in a vidalia onion vinaigrette

The staff is super-friendly, and has always asked me sincerely how I enjoyed what I ordered. They are extremely knowledgeable about coffee in particular, and interested in discussing it at length. In addition, they always seem to remember me, even though my visits have been sporadic.

One thing worth noting is that service is not particularly quick. This is not a criticism; everything is made to order and with care, which shows in the final product. Those in a hurry, however, might consider calling ahead.

In sum, customers of Penn Valley Forge should not pass this place by. Heck, even if you regularly work in or travel through the Chesterbrook/252/202 area, this place should be a regular stop, doctor’s visit or not!

Rosewood Coffee Co.
Penn Medicine Valley Forge
1001 Chesterbrook Blvd
Berwyn, PA
(484) 222-0318
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One would think that the main draw to A Taste of Olive would be olive oil. It is right there in the name, after all, and their product selection is mainly a wide variety of olive oils from around the world, many infused with different flavors. One would be wrong. The single most compelling reason to go to A Taste of Olive is for vinegar. Specifically, their 18-year aged balsamic vinegar.

This stuff is the elixir of the gods. Were talking sweet, don’t-even-need-oil-in-your-salad-dressing smooth. You-could-use-it-as-an-ice-cream-topping smooth. If you like your vinegar really acidic, of course, this is probably not the one for you. For the rest of us, get ready to never buy balsamic at the supermarket again.

Though this vinegar is the main reason to visit A Taste of Olive in either Ardmore or West Chester, it is not the only reason. They have lots of other oils and vinegars, both pure and infused with flavor. Aside from the aforementioned balsamic, there’s also espresso balsamic, and dark chocolate, and fig. And plenty of others. Want something lighter? Try the honey ginger vinegar, great in Asian salads.

There is, of course, a huge selection of olive oils as well. Many are infused with flavors like basil, lemon, chile, or truffles. Personally, however, I’m a purist. Infused oils are fun to try, but I would rather start with the straight-up, good stuff and add my own flavors as necessary. If I had one complaint, in fact, it would be that A Taste of Olive doesn’t have enough of a selection of different “plain” olive oils. Yes, they do have at least ten different varieties, ranging from smooth to spicy, fruity to earthy, and this is probably enough choice for most people. But not for me! I see a wall of these infused oil tanks and I dream instead of sections for Itlay, Spain and South American oils, showcasing the different regions and styles. I’ll readily admit that i am nitpicking here and saying this with a smirk on my face, but I am also quite serious about my oil. That said, whenever I’ve been in A Taste of Olive, the other customers always seem to be clustered around the infused oils, so I am sure the owners know more about what the public wants than I do.

Visiting A Taste of Olive is quite an experience. It is very similar to going to a wine tasting room, except you are sipping pure oil (or vinegar!) instead of tasty wine. For obsessivists such as myself, this straight shooting of many, many oils leaves a rather strange sensation in the throat. The experience would certainly be far better if they would put out little bites of bread to take the oil with (not to mention the fact that this would create a more similar experience to home consumption and thus more realistic tasting). Some of the oil stores I’ve been to in CA do this, but I suppose the owners of A Taste of Olive have their reasons for not. Perhaps they feel it would encourage browse-snacking instead of serious shopping (though I, for one, would shell out a couple bucks for tasting bread if it would be credited to any purchase). I wonder how they would react if I brought my own? Future food for thought.

In addition to oils and vinegar, A Taste of Olive also stocks a wide variety of gourmet treats and giftable items such as pastas, pestos & spreads, and spices. It would certainly make a great stop this holiday season for the food lover on your list. (Gift Certificates also available).

A Taste of Olive
http://www.atasteofolive.com/

22 W Lancaster Ave
Ardmore, PA
610.642.1123
Monday – Saturday (10am – 6pm)
Sunday (closed)

26 South High Str
West Chester, PA
610.429.0292
Monday – Saturday (10am – 6pm)
Sunday (11am – 4pm)

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