The new kind of chocolate bar: Chocolate lounges
Chocolate.
Just the word brings a feeling of total euphoria to some. It's not surprising that the Aztecs thought it was drank by the gods and given to humans as a blessing in the form of a cocoa seed.
"The nectar of the gods," is an apt description.
Ethel's Chocolate Lounge and Moonstruck Chocolate Café provide not only the sustenance, but a place to relax, sit back with a sister, friend, significant other, or the whole family - children are welcome - and enjoy the delights chocolate can offer.
"Ethel's is a chocolate retreat. ... It's comfortable, just like chocolate," Ira Fortner, district manager of Ethel's Chocolate Lounge. "Customer's love our decor and are surprised by the fun events we offer."
While both have been in existence in the Las Vegas area and the Northwest for many years, Chicago-area residents started seeing these "chocolate bars" come into town in the last year or so. And when you belly up to this bar, you'll find "cocktails" in a solid or liquid form, served in a mug, on a platter or as a fondue.
"Customers appreciate the unique experience they get at Moonstruck. We believe you can't match the experience in any other type of location," said Darin Linnman, spokesperson for Moonstruck Chocolate Café. "I don't think you can find the experience in any other cafe or coffee shop."
Whether patrons select the deep pink, purple and chocolate brown decor of Ethel's Chocolate Lounge or the deep navy accented with gold of Moonstruck Chocolate Café, the delicious taste of dark, milk or white chocolate has a place to call home.
The Moonstruck Chocolate Café location in Champaign has proven a favorite.
"The Champaign location is very popular with students. They like to hang out there. They have a place where they can study and get a pick-me-up," Linman said.
Chocolate connoisseurs can visit their preferred chocolate bar any time they have a craving for their favorite fare.
Hinsdale Suburban Life
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The unique offerings of Ethel's Chocolate Lounge include:
A chocolate bar that features picture perfect, but inedible, samples of all their chocolate pieces. It notes if the candy is dark, milk or white chocolate, what it contains in the center and what "collection" it belongs to. It also showcases several menu offerings at Ethel's Chocolate Lounge.
Five collections, including American Pop, Truffle, Fruit, Nut and Carmel and Cocktail.
Fondue, melted chocolate wafers in a fondue pot, accompanied by apples, bananas, strawberries, gourmet vanilla bean marshmallows, shortbread cookies and pretzels.
Brittle, not hard nor chewy, but "like a chocolate butter in your mouth," according to Ira Fortner, Ethel's Chocolate Lounge district manager.
Design your own box of chocolates from Ethels vast selection of offerings. There's no "mystery middle" Fortner said, because Ethel's offers a "piece map," which includes a photo of each piece of candy and a description.
The "world's best cocoa," according to Fortner, because it's all real chocolate, melted from wafers, not cocoa powder.
Wine and chocolate pairings. Fortner said if a customer brings in a bottle of wine, the chocolate consultants at the store will help pair it with the most complimentary selection of chocolate. (This BYOB offering is only available at the Chicago-area stores at the moment.)
Ice chocolate sensation, which includes melted chocolate, cream and ice, "a milk shake without ice cream," according to Fortner.
A whole coffee bar that offers "our own blended coffee roasted fresh that you can't find any where else," Fortner said.
Live entertainment on Sunday in the Hinsdale location.
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<td>Moonstruck Chocolate Café specialties include:
A truffle display case that shows off Moonstruck's immense offerings of candies and other chocolate goodies.
The truffles themselves, which are the No. 1 reason customers drop by, according to Darin Linnman, spokesperson for Moonstruck Chocolate Café. He used the words handcrafted and artisan to describe the truffles. "All our products are handcrafted in Portland. It's a detailed process ... they are made by hand and decorated by hand. Some take as long as three days," Linnman said.
You experience Moonstruck truffles with all your senses, Linnman said. "They are very pleasing to look at - miniature works of art. They smell very nice, and the taste is a high-end experience."
Premium hot chocolates, including their American, Mexican and double dark organic hot chocolates. These are offered in tins and can be enjoyed at home.
"Decadent" desserts, according to Linnman. Some of those include hand-made vanilla marshmallows, hand-dipped biscuits, a dark chocolate drizzled confetti crunch and hand-dipped chocolate marshmallows.
Coffee beverages - "In the Northwest coffee is a part of life," Linnman said - to which their signature chocolate can be added and numerous specialty chocolate drinks.
The "old-fashioned, handmade, rich" milkshakes. Linnman said, "I don't think you've lived until you've tried our milkshakes. They are good stuff."
Gifts, gifts and more gifts. The Mayan collection is housed in a pyramid box, gold in color, that stands out. Plus new products are introduced every season. Mayans are credited with establishing cocoa plantations in the Yucatan region of Mexico around 600 A.D.
The gifts show the two sides of Moonstruck Café. Linnman said there's the classic and elegant, while the seasonal products bring out the fun and whimsical. Case in point is the Halloween collection, which features ghosts, spiders and eyeball truffles.
"Moonstruck offers you the chance to relax in a soothing setting and the setting inspires you to stay," Linnman said. "I don't think you can find the same experience in any other cafe or coffee shop."</td>
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