2pm Seating Added for Spanish Saffron Dinner!

Our 4, 6, and 8pm seatings are sold out! So we've added a 2pm seating. Call the cafe quickly (619.578.2984) to make reservations or forever be without the deliciousness. BTW, we did a recipe test on the entree and MAN OH MAN... this one is definitely in the top five entrees we've ever made!

In case your scrolling finger is broken, here's the link to the original post about our July dinner.

Check it!

Third Annual Cupcake Extravaganza Weekend

Its just over a week before our Third Annual Cupcake Extravaganza Weekend and I've got some exciting updates to share! Tuck in cocoa-kiddies and listen up...

In case you're new to San Diego (because why else would you have missed the big event from the previous two years) our big Cupcake Extravaganza Weekend is July 3rd, 4th, and 5th! We will be featuring 28 exotic flavors of cupcakes in a wide array of fantastical flavors and conceptions! To celebrate the holiday weekend, a Box of Nine is discounted to just $20 (normally $27). Nine cupcakes, eh? I hear you say... perfect for 4th of July picnics and bar-b-ques, no?

Well it gets better, because every Box of Nine purchased is a raffle entry to win the Eclipse VIP Pass, which two lucky people will win. Even better, one more lucky cupcake will contain a Golden Medallion tucked under the cupcake lining that will be instant winners for another pass!

But what's an Eclipse VIP Pass good for? Why... how does a Box of Nine every week for two months sound? That's enough cupcakes to share with everyone you know for the rest of the summer! That's three passes we're giving out altogether and if you're doing the math, $800 dollars in fabulous cupcake prizes!

The past two years were great fun, but nothing is forever... alas we have retired some previous flavors. But only to make room for more! This year we will be debuting 9 new exotic cupcake flavors:

Maple Bacon Caramel

Salty Dulce de Leche

Roasted Banana Butterscotch

Cherry Cheesecake

Rosemary-Cashew Caramel

Vanilla Bean Lemon

Apricot Peach

Roasted Corn & Caramel

Blueberry Lemon

And of course, filling out the remaining 28 flavors, we will be featuring the return of some of our all-time favorites:

Marshmallow Almond

Bergamot Orange Peel

Strawberry Rhubarb

Kentucky Bourbon Caramel

Lavender Vanilla Bean

Goat Cheese & Fig

Burnt Caramel Marshmallow

Sea Salted Caramel

Muscavado Caramel

Salty Smores

Peanut Butter and Banana

Toasted Coconut Caramel

Double Espresso

Raspberry Pink Peppercorn

But don't wait!!! We are baking away on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday mornings... but flavors will disappear as quickly as people buy them. Cya all then!

Spanish Saffron Dinner

We hosted our third annual Father's Day Chocolat Bar-B-Que dinner last weekend here at the cafe, and much deliciousness was enjoyed by all who could attend! The beginning of summer denotes the beginning of our slow season (since most chocolate is enjoyed at Xmas, Vday, and Mday) and the timing is ripe to delve deeper and deeper into savory chocolate exploration. Not that I don't enjoy our Prix Fixe Chocolate Tasting Dinners during our high-holiday months, but somehow mid summer they always seem to be more exciting to me!

And since each new month brings another opportunity to explore a new theme, there are always exciting variations around corner. Next up is a cuisine I've been hungry to do for months, but have never gotten around to it until now: Spanish!

No, not New-World Spanish, but authentic Castillian Spanish... or rather, as authentic as Spanish cuisine can be after mutilating centuries of culinary tradition by chalking it full of chocolate! But, hey... where's the fun without it? So here we go cocoa-babies... check it:

Join us July 31st, with seatings at 4, 6, and 8pm for our three course Spanish Saffron Dinner. For only $25, guests will enjoy:

Roasted Tomato Gazpacho with White Chocolate-Oil Crostinti.

Saffron Paella with Smoked Sausage & Shrimp

or Roasted Veggie and Crispy Potato Fritata

both served with Smoke Paprika-Saffron Burnt Caramel Sauce.

Blood Orange Olive Oil & Almond Torte with Dark Chocolate-Citrus Drizzle

There is also an optional appetizer of

Beef Albondigas with White Wine-Tomato Sauce!

Call the cafe early to save your space as our dinners usually sell out! 619.578.2984. Until then, check out the yum-yums from our last menu:

Starter: Smoked Gouda-Stuffed Bratwurst with Mustard Dipping Sauces

First Course: Chile Maple Lime Corn on the Cob with Cocoa Nib-infused Butter

Entree: Beef Sloppy Joes over Grilled Rosemary-Buttermilk Focaccia, Twice-baked Potato with Panko Chive Crust, and Chocolate Bar-B-Que Sauce.

Dessert: Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with White Chocolate Lemon-Thyme Sauce.

Father's Day Chocolate Bar-B-Que!

Summer is upon us and the first thing that comes to my mind is all of the delicious glory of a roaring bar-b-que. And what's better than that... Why, a chocolate bar-b-que, of course! In case your mind skipped a beat, trust me when I say this is among my favorite times of year to be experimental with my cocoa-companion. This will be the third year in a row that we have served up a chocolate bar-b-que dinner, and on Father's Day Weekend, nonetheless, and the vittles will once again be tasty! Last year, we amused our guests with the Chocolate-Caramel Cheeseburger and this year I have racked my mind as best I could to come up with the next greatest summertime treat apropos for all the Dads out there.

So you heard it here first, kids... anyone and everyone joining us this time will be mawing down on an Open-faced Beef Sloppy Joe nestled atop a slab of Grilled Rosemary Brioche, complete with our house-made Bourbon-Chocolate Bar-b-que Sauce. Make your RSVPs early to get the best seats! Here are all the details:

Saturday June 19th, with seatings at 4, 6, & 8pm, guests may join us for $25 each and enjoy:

Smoked Gouda-stuffed Brautwurst with Champagne-Garlic Mustard (optional appetizer)

Chile-lime Grilled Cord on the Cobb with Cocoa Nib-infused Butter

Open-faced Beef Sloppy Joe -or- Blue Cheese-Stuffed Quinoa Veggie Burger

both served with Bourbon-Chocolate Bar-b-que Sauce and Twice-baked Potato with Caramelized Shallot & Crunchy Panko-Chive Crust

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with White Chocolate Lemon-Thyme Sauce

This dinner is not to miss! Personally, I think this is among one of my best menus yet! Call the cafe direct at 619.578.2984 to make an RSVP.

Until then, here are pics from our last dinner, courtesy of Nino Camilo, guest photographer and Musubi aficionado (that's Hawaiian for yumminess). Check out his blog here!

Appetizer- Chocolate-glazed Bacon-wrapped Water Chestnuts

First Course- Wakame Seaweed Salad with Green Apple, Enoki, and Candied Cocoa nibs

Entree- Coconut-Fried Shrimp with Miso-Buckwheat Noodles and Chile Burnt Caramel Peanut Sauce

Dessert-Grilled Pineapple-Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding with Milk Chocolate Curry Sauce

May Chocolate Prix Fixe Dinner

I usually start a blog post with a quirky joke or quip, but I've been pondering over this one for a few days and apparently I'm all fresh out of hilarity. May 15th is our Hawaiian Chocolate Luau Dinner and at the moment my mind is filled to capacity playing the Mele Kilikimaka song over and over again. You know, the funny one from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Yep... that's all I got. Should have planned a Xmas Hawaiian Dinner, I guess.

I promise to find something more entertaining with which to promote the June dinner, but at the moment my mind is occupied with the upcoming Mother's Day DessertDecadence. Haven't made your reservations? I'd hurry... it's sellin' out!

But I digress! I'm here to announce the details of the next monthly chocolate dinner. And two weeks ago at our monthly chocolate pow-wow, the team decided on a Polynesian theme. I think mostly because we all love shrimp and pineapple! Take a look:

Join us May 15th at 4, 6, or 8pm for a full service chocolate-infused meal from the Pacific Islands! For just $25 a person, guests will enjoy the following:

Cocoa-glazed Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts (optional appetizer)

Seaweed-Green Apple Salad with Candied Sesame and Cocoa Nib

Fried Skewers of Coconut Shrimp & Snow Peas

-or-

Grilled Veggie Skewers of Maui Onion, Tri-Color Bell Peppers, & Cheese Curds

both served with

Miso-Buckwheat Noodles & Chile Burnt Caramel Peanut Sauce

Grilled Pineapple Bread Pudding with Milk Chocolate Curry Sauce

RSVP required. Call the cafe at 619.578.2984 to reserve your space!

Until then cocoa-kiddies, take a look at what we served last month. Open wide... cause here's your yum-yums:

Appetiser: Cripsy Fried Creamy Crab Samosa's with Mango Chutney.

First Course: Curried Carrot Ginger Soup with White Chocolate Creme Fraiche and Garlic Flatbread.

Entree: Duo of Curries: Creamy Spinach with Cheese Curds & Spicy Potato-Tomato with Toasted Cashews. Served with Candied Cocoa Nib & Pumpkin Seed Basmati Rice.

Dessert: Toasted Indian Pudding with Cocoa, Chile Burnt Caramel Hazelnuts, Bruleed Banana, & Vanilla Bean Gelato.

First Annual Mother's Day Dessert Decadence

Mmm... freshly baked scones. And Lavender-Blueberry Scones with Cocoa-nib Butter at that! Who doesn't want a mouth-full of that kinda goodness? Come on... just take a look:

Well, cocoa babies, you'll be missin' out unless you join us for our first annual Mother's Day Dessert Decadence! That's right, on May 9th, we're pullin' out all the stops and treating all who dream to a tasting experience perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. For $20, guests will enjoy a tasting flight of 10 different petit fours that every mom unlucky enough to live away from San Diego will envy. And if that's not enough, participants may even requests seconds on any dessert they desire (dine-in only, of course).

But wait... we're not done! Since the day is dedicated to her, we're even including a complimentary Rose-Nectar and Champagne Bellini to everyone beautiful enough to have graced the world with her maternity (that is, all Mothers, of course).

Reservations are required, with seating available at any time between 11 am and 5pm on Sunday, May 9th. Call to cafe to save your space 619.578.2984. Wanna see the whole menu? Take a look:

Warm Lavender-Blueberry Scones with Cocoa-nib Butter

Chocolate-stuffed Balsamic Strawberries

Burnt Creme Caramel

Rich Brioche Coffee Cake

Meyer Lemon & Vanilla Bean Curd Crepes

Brute Cocoa Macaroons

Dark Chocolate Whiskey Torte

Cabernet Poached D'anjou Pear

Rose-Almond Tea Cake

Vanilla Bean Gelato Croquembouche

Nice, eh? Seriously... what are you waiting for. Mom or no, mom... call us and reserve your space today!

Indian Delight Dinner

We just completed our 18th dinner (with a unique menu each month) and the time has come to pass the reigns to my assistant (if only for the next thirty days). Autumn, decade-long vegetarian and life-long foodie, has been encouraging me to consider an Indian-themed dinner for some time now. Well... quickly stated, while I love Indian cuisine, I haven't the slightest clue on how to begin making it, let alone adding chocolate to it! But thankfully this is where she fits in. Having had her India food many times in the past, I feel quite comfortable switching roles this time around. You heard it here first, kids... young grasshopper has become the master. Well, at least for the moment.

And sometimes you gotta go all the way, no? Well check it... an Eclipse first... four delicious chocolate-stuffed platings designed by our very own assistant chocolatier, Autumn Teemsma. Don't forget to place your reservations early... she's got a lotta friends:)

Exclusively for Saturday, April 17th with seatings at 4, 6, and 8pm, join us for three courses of chocolate-infused Indian Fare for only $25 per person. You heard me right! Take a look:

Creamy Crab-filled Samosas with Mango Chutney (optional appetizer)

Ginger Carrot Soup with White Chocolate Creme Fraiche and Indian Flat Bread

Choice of Either Entree or Both:

Spiced Creamy Spinach Curry with Pan Fried Cheese Curds

or

Tomato, Potato, & Zucchini Curry with Toasted Cashew

Each served with Cocoa Nib and Pumpking Seed Basmati Rice

Sweet India Pudding with Cocoa, Roasted Hazelnut, and Vanilla Bean Gelato

To make a reservation, call the cafe at 619.578.2984. Until then, as always, drool over what you served last time:

Starter: Mussels with Smoked Bacon, Roasted Garlic, and Stout.

First Course: Roasted Leek and Potato Soup with Pale Ale, Cocoa-glazed Bacon, and Creme Fraiche.

Entree: Beef and Lamb Shepard's Pie with Potato-Parsnip Crust, Cocoa Brown Sugar Gravy, and White Chocolate Soda Bread.

Dessert: Chocolate-Stout Torte with Ginger and Vanilla Bean Cream.