More Vday Seatings

Our special Valentine's Dinner is selling out very quickly, so we've decide to add two more seatings. With the holiday falling on Saturday this year, we hope those of you who haven't placed reservations yet will be excited about joining us at either 11am or 1pm that day. Who says Vday can't include a romantic lunch? With very limited space left at only the Friday 6.5 and 8.5 seatings, these new time slots should fill up fast so don't wait.

And if you've placed a reservation and would like to change to one of the new times, please don't hesitate to send us a holla!

We will, of course, be taking a waiting list for all 7 (!) seatings. As the date gets closer, we are bound to get a few cancelations.

For the full details check here. For reservations call 619.578.2984. Cya there!

Vday Update!

The strange and unusual nature of being a chocolatier in January is that although few people are crossing our threshold during the month (damn those resolutions!), we are still all running around at full speed preparing for our foray into Vday. Yes, life can be a cruel mistress. What at first appears to be a potential month-long vacation is really 30 days of full-time chocolate production to insure that we have enough to go around come Valentine's.

And I'm pleasantly surprised that many of you are planning ahead as well! Since we posted the info on our Parisian Sweetheart Dinner, many of you have completed your reservations. Even with the five seatings we have between two evenings, we expect to sell out all reservations well before the actual holiday. As it stands now, the Saturday 6pm and 8pm are gone, leaving the Friday 6.5, 8.5, and Saturday 4pm seatings left.

And if that isn't enough motivation to get up and email us already, maybe this is... Because who doesn't want their business day interrupted for a little food porn? Here's our upcoming entree:

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Pink Peppercorn and Rosemary-crusted Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa, Cherry, and Shallot Jus anyone? Pop this baby next to some delicious Pomme Frites and you've got a pretty nice plating if you ask me. Don't eat meat? No worries; we've got a lovely Baked Frommage D'affinois with the same yummy sauce. It's cheesy and gooey and everything a vegetarian should love. But why not try both? After all, the dinner is per couple.... pull up two chairs and stare into each others eyes already!

RSVP to info@eclipsechocolat.com.

Seasonal Dessert Tasting Platter

Well cocoa-kiddies... it's officially 2009 and what better way to bring in the new year than with a new Seasonal Dessert Tasting Platter? If you haven't had it before, this is our featured collection of four little desserts for $12. While it changes every eight weeks, it always features a bread pudding, a chilled dessert, a frozen dessert, and a grilled dessert. It's a fun spread of textures and temperatures and is perfectly sized for two, so find a friend and indulge.

We will have this collection up through Valentine's Day. Take a look at what I've got going this time:

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

[custard-soaked sweet potato & brioche bread pudding+ cocoa nib-infused creme anglaise]

Frozen Coconut Mousse Petit Four

[frozen 61% dark chocolate & coconut milk mousse+ toasted coconut+ crispy rice crust]

Dark Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pudding

[chilled 61% dark chocolate-peanut butter pudding+ maldon sea salt]

Grilled Fig Cake with Sticky Toffee Sauce

[grilled black mission fig cake+ 38% milk chocolate sticky toffee sauce]

Valentine's Day Dinner

Here they are, the long awaited details for our Parisian Sweetheart Valentine's Chocolate Tasting Dinner! If you patronized Eclipse this time last year, you will know that I started the Prix Fixe dinner concept with Valentine's Day and I'm proud to say that the time has come again... twelve dinners later! I guess that makes it our Second Annual.

For $65 per couple, guests will enjoy four courses of French-inspired cocoa-infused fare complete with live violin serenades. Of course we have plenty of options such as an Artisan Cheese or Charcuterie Platter and a full wine menu with course pairings. Essentially, all you need do is find a sweetheart and enjoy an immersive experience.

Here's the line-up:

Cocoa-buckwheat crepe with Wild Mushroom Ragout
French Onion Soup with White Chocolate Olive-oil Crostini
Pink Peppercorn-crusted Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa, Cherry, and Shallot Jus
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Baked Fromager D'affinois with Cocoa, Cherry, and Shallot Jus
Rose Petal Creme Brulee

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With the holiday falling on Saturday this year, we have opted to offer seatings on both Friday night (at 6.5 and 8.5pm) and Saturday (at 4, 6, and 8pm), but don't let that fool you into thinking we won't sell out quickly. With just 24 people per seating, last year we were taking a waiting list as early at two weeks prior to the event. You can make reservations by emailing info@eclipsechocolat.com or calling the cafe direct at 619.578.2984. Cya there!

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Upcoming Chocolate Tasting Dinners

So somewhere in the past six months between buying my new Iphone, MobileMe, MacBook, and Adobe Creative Suite 4, I managed to convince myself that all I really need to stay organized and on top of my professional agendas is a collection of full-integrated tech toys. Did I say toys? Yeah... I pretty sure thats what they are. Yet, no amount of e-gadgets can seem to keep me on task with professional emails and blog posts. Oh well... at least my office looks pretty!

So it's been two weeks since my last post! Ouch! Well, all of the December holidays have passed and I can finally return to business as usual and catch up on all of the regular things that are supposed to happen on a daily basis here. But alas, it's only 45 days until Vday! Better blog while I can...

If you missed it, many a chocophile enjoyed our Creole Christmas dinner earlier this month, which happens to have been our last Five Course Chocolate Tasting Dinner. These dinners of ours are pretty big to-do for the cafe, and this past line-up was no exception. With five courses to plan and serve, I always thought that $40 a person was a great rate, but as everyone seems to be tightening their belts these days, I want to offer something a little less expensive.

"No dinners?" I hear each of you gasp! Don't fret, we haven't discontinued the series, just mixed it up a bit. With the expection of our next event: Parisian Sweetheart Dinner for Valentine's Day, all future dinners will be 3-course for only $25 a guest. Same essential details as all of the previous dinners, but with just $25 a person, we hope that more people can find the opportunity to indulge!

So what about Vday? Well since it is the high-holiday of all chocolate high-holidays, we have decided on a 4-course line-up with a live violinist for just $65 a couple. We will announce the menu in the next few days, so stay tuned. And as Vday falls on a Saturday this year, we have opted to do three seatings for Vday, and two more the day before on Friday night. Even with five seatings, we expect to sell out quickly so don't wait to contact us for reservations. Last year we did five seatings and sold out before the end of January! Don't miss out!

Until then... take a look at the pics from the last dinner:

Starter: Fried Shrimp Cakes with Capers and Remoulade Sauce

Course One: Crispy Plantains with Smoked Sernano Sea-salt and Chile-burnt Caramel Peanut Sauce

Course Two: Dirty Rice with Mixed Peppers and Cocoa-Bacon Jus.

Course Three: Smoked Tomato-Crawfish Bisque with White Chocolate-Olive Oil Crostini.

Course Four: Jambalaya with Smoked Beef-Cocoa Nib Sausage and Barley.

Course Five: Cinnamon-Sugar Beignets with Milk Chocolate-Caramel-Chicory Sauce.

Truffle, Wine, and Cheese Tasting

Our last event of the 2008 year is coming up tomorrow: an hour-long experience of exotic truffles, artisan cheeses, and mouth-watering brews. Join me at the cafe from 7-8pm and navigate through a set of four tasting trios and a discussion of the chocolate-making process and the experience of taste.

The truffles we're featuring this time are: Lavender Sea-Salted Caramel, Balsamic Pink Peppercorn, Chile-burnt Caramel, and the all new Cranberry Peppercorn!

The event is $25 per person, and seating is limited. Call to rsvp: 619.578.2984!

Dinner Update

Wow... Xmas. If any of you have come into the shop lately, you will see my trying to catch my breath. Hopefully we won't run out of anything before the holiday!

Until then, I've got a quick update on our upcoming Five Course Chocolate Tasting Dinner. Exclusively for this Saturday, we are treating our guests to five chocolate courses of Creole faire. Don't wait to make your reservations, though! Our 6pm seating is already sold out, and we've only a few tables lefts at the 4 and 8pm seatings.

Reservations can be made by contacting info@eclipsechocolat.com or calling the cafe direct at 619.578.2984. Cya there!