Truffles from Eclipse Chocolat

With some time off, I couldn't resist taking a quick trip down to San Diego to say hi to old co-workers, visit my favorite cheap eats, and of course stick my head into Eclipse Chocolat.


Though I did not bring a camera, I snapped a quick shot of our dessert plate with my brother's camera phone.


This lazy half-assed shot certainly does not reflect my usual work, and kinda does Will's hard work a disfavor, but I really wanted to show everyone some of the new selections available.
Starting from the rear and progressing clockwise is the masala chai banana bread, sweet potato bread pudding, fig bar, a whoopie pie behemoth, and an azteca cinnamon roll bread pudding in the middle.

As usual, I found it hard to immediately decide on a favorite and needed some time to weigh and critique each item. The moist banana bread is very impressive. Masala chai definitely spices things up and gives the banana bread a very unique character and armoa. Sweetness and flavors of other ingredients are balanced extremely well, as usual. My brother's favorite was the sweet potato bread pudding, and with good reason. It felt like the heftiest item on the plate with its rich buttery goodness and subtle sugars from the sweet potato. Furthermore, because of the addition of some sweet potato skin bits, the flavor is amplified--a very good touch by Will. Try it sometime. The meager bits of baked sweet potato or yam that sticks onto the skin packs a surprisingly sweet punch. This is my second favorite. An ideal comfort food, especially when served warm. Perfect for the cold season.

Will's grilled fig bar was very enjoyable as well, and though it is the sweetest item on the plate, rest assured that you will still taste the fruit. I loved its crispy exterior. White chocolate pieces only make it taste even better than it looks/sounds. Then we have the whoopie pie...my god this thing was huge. A rich dark chocolate cake/cookie? sandwiches a frozen cream that tastes like a mix of sweet cream, cocoa nibs, and a dash of sea salt. Good, though I enjoyed the gelatowiches a lot more. It is interesting to note that chocolate flavors do not come forward until you start chewing for a few seconds. This may be due to the fact that our tastebuds have difficulty tasting chilled items. I'm no chef, but I believe that if the whoopie pie's exterior was a bit moister and more chocolately, the delayed-tasting can possibly be alleviated, thus making a better dessert.

Finally, after much deliberation, I found the azteca cinnamon roll bread pudding to be my #1. My heart was initially set on the banana bread, but the thick richness of the cinna-roll won me over. Will strikes such a perfect balance of sugar, spice, and cream that you might see angels with your first bite. Okay that's an exaggeration, but trust me...it's damned good.


We also picked up a box of truffles to take home. As a Thanksgiving special, two complimentary truffles are given with every ten purchased. How could I resist? Eclipse features countless flavors and I've just scratched the surface. Each truffle bursts with bright flavors ranging from the conservative double espresso to the more inventive ginger green tea. Lavender sea salted caramel is another popular crowd pleaser. In my opinion, the bold presence of flavors other than chocolate is what makes truffles from Eclipse stand out from the ones from Godiva (my usual source). A big assertive two thumbs up from me.

Eclipse Chocolat (Summer 09)

I've been singing praises to Will's dessert cafe Eclipse Chocolat for almost two years now and with good reason. Though I am a self proclaimed sugar-fiend, I don't enjoy desserts just for their sugar content. I want various harmonized flavors to accent a dessert with sugar as a compliment, not the main event.

Eclipse has adopted a new system for its famed seasonal dessert plates. In the past, items from dessert plates were unique to that season. Thus, if you particularly enjoyed something, ya got no luck in seeing it ever again. Now, however, there is a rotating selection of six items (choose four) that make up the dessert plate, guaranteeing new experiences as well as trusty old stand-bys.

On my most recent visit (July 09), I had the pleasure of enjoying Eclipse's new gelato sandwiches (gelatowiches) along with Will's phenomenal bread pudding, which friends and I just can't get enough of. We'll skip over the bread pudding and focus on gelatowiches since I've raved and rambled about them far too much in the past.

Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwich - bourbon caramel gelato

Best of the two. Firm yet soft and yielding cookies are the star in this creation. It has been almost a month since this photo was taken, but I distinctly remember rich, fragrant flavors of brown sugar, sweet malts, caramel, and perhaps some cocoa. Dunno about ginger though...*@#$^!!! This is what happens when one puts off a blog entry for too long. Well what this means is, you guys get to go buy one and give me additional details. That way I can both taste it vicariously and provide a thorough review!

If Eclipse Chocolat had the option of shipping these babies, I'd probably order a dozen.

Sea Salt Nib Ice Cream Sandwich
cyprus sea salt, cocoa nib-flecked cookies, banana-brown sugar gelato

Excellent combination of flavors, though this particular gelatowich was a touch too salty. Creamy malt and banana flavors dominate the palate with a brown sugar backbone while cocoa nibs and sea salt accent each bite. Cookie consistency and moistness were spot-on--soft and chewy with enough structure to hold this behemoth together.

The two featured sandwiches were plated with a not-to-be-missed mixed berry and sticky toffee bread pudding, but they totally stole the show. They appear as "normal" 3-4 mouthful sandwiches, but make no mistake, each beast of a gelatowich is the size of my palm.
You could share with someone, of course....but that just leaves you with less gelatowich to enjoy.

Life's too short for sharing. Order a plate for yourself and tell your friends to get with the program.



Be sure to check out my other Eclipse Chocolat posts to see what you've missed in the past year and a half!



Eclipse Chocolat
2121 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, California 92104
619.578.2984

Eclipse Chocolate: Revisit #.....hm lost count by now

Yup it's that time of year again. Time to trim some subcutaneous fat in time for beach season! Unfortunately this limits me to only one treat per week and being the sugar fiend that I am, I usually gravitate towards dessert rather than an interesting food post :(. That's not to say my favorite dessert stop in San Diego is boring, of course.

Let's take a look at some things I've been munching on at Eclipse Chocolat after dinner. Sorry for bad pictures. Lighting is not ideal at night and I didn't feel like lugging my tripod around. This leaves us with shallow DoFs, as you will see!

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

How very appropriate for winter! These hearty items really warm you up. Will's bread puddings are real moist and still able to be fluffy and thick at the same time. How?! This guy sure is good. As always, flavors of the various ingredients are alive on the palate instead of getting drowned and suppressed by sugar like in other establishments. I hope some of you had a chance to taste this dessert platter. Ranks as one of my top 3 since I started visiting Eclipse. If you did miss it, fret not! The Spring Platter (see below) features another of Will's awesome puddin's.

Grilled White Chocolate Carrot Gateaux

grilled almond-carrot cake studded with 31% white chocolate chips

Butterscotch-Macadamia Pudding with Cocoa Nibs
whipped cream pudding+toasted macadamia nut+cocoa nibs+butterscotch sauce

Roasted Banana Bread Pudding with Dark Chocolate Sauce
custard-soaked bread pudding studded with roasted bananas+72% dark chocolate sauce

Frozen Plombiere with Cherry-Peppercorn Compote
cocoa-infused frozen plombiere+warmed cherry-pink peppercorn compote

The carrot gateaux is hands down the best item in the Spring Dessert Platter. Tastes of vanilla, almonds, and white chocolate with a carrotcake backbone. Crispy exterior, moist/fluffy interior. I couldn't get enough of this. I'd say this is one of the best desserts Will has made. Both puddings were fantastic. I've never been let down by the dessert-in-a-cup featured in every dessert platter. The bread pudding is perfect as usual. If you missed out on the winter tasting platter, here is your chance to "catch up" and admire Will's puddin'-makin' skills. I'm not too big a fan of plombiere, but this one is pretty good. Cherry-peppercorn compote is a great addition, but sometimes crunching on more than one peppercorn can get a wee bit intense for a light/delicate dessert like this.

Azteca Cinnamon Rolls on display

When I saw these featured on the Eclipse blog, I hightailed it over to El Cajon as soon as I could. They're really fluffy and the sugar + cream cheese frosting balance out the cinnamon's kick perfectly. Other cinna-rolls I've had usually just smack my tongue around with overwhelming sweetness. My only beef is that sometimes I wish my cinna-roll had more cream cheese frosting drizzled on top. Kinda like how these look, just not as drenched :P I usually take these to-go since I get to briefly nuke it in a microwave. Lemme tell ya, it is one helluva treat. Swing by and pick some up if you're ever in the area.


As for upcoming events at Eclipse:
Truffle, Wine, and Cheese Tasting - 4/8 7-8pm $20/person.
Oaxacan Feast - 3/25 $25/person
Mother's Day Brunch


Hot damn I love this dessert cafe...




2121 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104
619.578-2984

Eclipse Chocolate: Five Course Pan-Asian Dinner

The ever-so-generous Will invited me to photograph this event. An invitation I gladly accepted! Food for photos was the agreement. Thus, the original and uncropped pictures below (I usually crop them) are now property of Eclipse Chocolat and I will not modify them for my own use. Those in-the-know are familiar with many of Will's themed meals and their creative flavors. ...At least I feel that they are unique. Will keeps assuring me that they are quite common.

I know what you're thinking. "Roger, shut up already and tell us about the food, gaddangit!" Yes. I do have a tendency to prattle on and on.



Starter:

Chicken Satay with Chile-burnt Caramel Peanut Sauce

Good marinade and good grill timing makes for juicy flavorful chicken. Duh. Okay now dip it in the Chile-burnt Caramel Peanut Sauce. Did you have a mouthgasm? Of course you did. Eclipse Chocolat often uses the Chile-burnt caramel sauce and with good reason. It. Kicks. Ass. Although Will's rendition of this well known Southeast Asian street food lacks the signature glaze and isn't grilled over charcoal or wood, I sure as hell enjoyed the chicken skewers.

I can't even begin to imagine how amazing these could be if Will one day re-introduces this with the glaze and grill... Definitely would become a hit.


First Course:

Fresh Spring Rolls
napa cabbage, sprouts, and mint with black bean chocolate sauce

I don't know how other food bloggers deal with their own food-preference biases, but I'm going to come clean and say that onions and spring rolls are on the top of my Dislikes list. These rolls are pretty much like the vegetarian spring rolls you'd find in Vietnamese restaurants or delis but could use some tightening.

The accompanying sauce is interesting (tastes exactly like the description), but my two lovely dining companians--Autumn and Christina--discovered that dipping the spring rolls into the chile-burnt caramel sauce made for a better flavor profile. Don't get me wrong, the black bean chocolate sauce is good, but if you have a sweet tooth like me, you're gonna want to try Will's chile-burnt caramel sauce.

Did I mention how great the chile-burnt caramel sauce is?

Second Course:

Curried Carrot Soup
with coconut milk and lemongrass

My table deemed this the winner of the night. The flavors are so well balanced that I found it incredulous when Will sheepishly exclaimed that he just simply threw in ingredients. Hm. Actually, maybe it's not so hard to believe. Will has a knack for mixing flavors together. He's only going to get better as the years pass. This soup is a great example of what Will is capable of. Subtle "spicy" flavors of curry and carrot are balanced out by the sweetness of coconut milk and lemongrass. As much as I hate onions, I grudgingly admit that the green onions add another level of "sweetness" to the soup, creating a more complex flavor. While it is true that Thai curries also use the curry/coconut milk combination, I assure you this tastes nothing like it.

Nice refreshing cool soup for the summer. A+.

Third Course:

Stir-fried Long Beans
with candied cocoa nibs

The third course is my second least favorite dish of the evening. Long beans I've had at home and Chinese restaurants are really tender, but these were really tough. Maybe it is a different species than what is sold at 99 Ranch. I don't know. Candied cocoa nibs were great to nibble on, though.

Surprisingly, there were diners who found the long beans to be their favorite dish of the night. Maybe our differing viewpoints originate because I come from a background that has this veggie a lot.


Fourth Course:

Sake & Cocoa-Glazed Beef
with green onions and black sesame rice

YES! Finally some meat! Sake, cocoa, and ginger make for a nice sweet steak sauce. The onions? I took an obligatory bite, and made a face. Seriously. I hate onions.

Fifth Course:

Spiced Black Rice Pudding
with milk chocolate-cinnamon creme

Here we have yet another example of Will's ability to create exceptional desserts. Items like this rice pudding keep me coming back to Eclipse. As with all of Will's desserts, this one is not reliant on sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth. He presents a tastier option instead: flavor--something I don't find often in dessert cafes. Cinnamon hits your tastebuds first, then subsides as the creamy milk chocolate takes over as the dominant flavor. Good stuff.




Don't miss the next dinner: Five Course Prix Fixe Southern Comfort Dinner.
Check the blog for updates (RSVP soon!)

Eclipse Chocolat (#5): Roger loves this place!

It's been awhile since I dropped by to visit Will at Eclipse due to all the midterms/finals/graduation craziness, so when my brother and his girlfriend came to visit me it was a great opportunity to check out the Summer Seasonal Dessert Tasting Platter.

Will has been really busy creating new cupcake flavors and just recently, Eclipse Chocolat hosted quite an epic cupcake party. Wish I could have made it D: You guys can check this all out on his blog.

Mmmm. Lunch!

On to the summer platter! By the way, I totally screwed up depth of field in the following photos. f/4.0 doesn't cut it...next time, I'm trying f/6.3 and actually examining each shot in the dinky little LCD on my Rebel XT.

Grilled White Chocolate Corn Gateau-

[grilled almond-corn cake, studded with 31% white chocolate chips+orange-caramel drizzle]

Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding with Milk Chocolate-Cinnamon Sauce-
[cinnamon roll bread pudding, warmed+milk chocolate-vietnamese cinnamon sauce]

White Chocolate Lemon-Thyme Sauce with Frozen Berries-
[white chocolate sauce infused with vanilla bean, lemon peel, & thyme+frozen mixed berries]

Dark Chocolate-Rhubarb Mousse-
[chilled 61% dark chocolate mousse+rhubarb, red wine, & vanilla bean compote+dried pomegranate arils]

I wasn't a big fan of the corn gateau since I just hate sour desserts, but my brother absolutely loved it. Good corn cake, though. Bread pudding was fantastic with the cinnamon sauce. I would lick the plate clean if eating it at home! You can't tell from my photos, but the frozen berries are plump and gorgeous. Not a single flaw in each one. Also, they're sweet even without the white chocolate sauce! Never had such great berries in my life. I was really looking forward to the dark chocolate mousse, but I found its consistency to be much too thick. Each spoonful of the mousse packs in a big whallop of flavor. This might be overwhelming for some, but lovers of dark chocolate will really enjoy this. I think I liked the mousse from the Spring Platter more though, but only because it is lighter/more airy. Hopefully the mousse's thickness was a fluke on my visit.

Presented in a much too shallow DoF: The three items I liked.

During this visit, the generous Will let me taste one of his sweet 'n savory cupcakes--Crispy Bacon & Dulce de Leche. Or was it with chocolate...? No matter. Tasted great, and reminded me of cha siu bau. How can you not like sweet and savory pork tucked into airy bread?


Eclipse Chocolat is having another chocolate-themed 5-course meal, this time with seafood! RSVP ASAP...assuming there are still tables available. See you guys there!




Eclipse Chocolat
2121 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92104
619.578.2984

Eclipse Chocolat Blogger Mixer

Before I begin, I'd like to thank Will for hosting this event. The complimentary dessert platters and truffle samples were very enjoyable. I'm sure everyone had a smashin' good time!

Also...since I'm primarily a wildlife and landscape photographer, my technique for portraits aren't exactly great. So uh...sorry if you think your picture doesn't look nice. I really combed through my CF card to find the better ones! B+ for effort.

A lot of people were already settled in and chatting up a storm by the time I arrived:

Here we have Darleen, Koko, Kim, Marie, 75% of Paul, and Josh is hiding somewhere off on the right side. Sorry if you're not mentioned...I didn't have a chance to meet everyone.

Guests were waiting at the counter to place their dessert orders. It was a great place for getting to know each other, as we see Nicole and Amanda doing here. Looks like an interesting conversation doesn't it? Probably was. Amanda's quite a fun character!


Yes, I know social events are about People, but c'mon. This is a gathering of food bloggers posted on a food blog! Let's take another peak at what Eclipse Chocolat offers:

Intriguing flavors combined with high quality chocolate yields one helluva bar. There are often free samples at the counter so you can see for yourself what you've been missing out on.

Guests also had a chance to sample some truffles. Namely the Lavender Sea Salt (a signature item) and Cacao Azteca (lightly spiced). I'm scared to buy a box of EC truffles since I know I wouldn't be able to control myself. The box would be finished by the time I walk to my car!

Though a different Cheese Platter and Fondue Platter were available (not to mention new paninis), I opted for the Seasonal Dessert Platter, which seemed to be a popular choice today.

Looks like I have to come back for a re-shoot, as it is quite hard to shoot on a coffee table while itchin' to make rounds and meet all the guests. Sorry Will, I know you were expecting a better shot :P I could never pull off a fast picture setup. As for detailed descriptions of each item, I'll get back to that as soon as I get the names of everything on the plate. In the meantime, readers will have to settle with either "It was GREAT!" or "It was mmm-yoso(tm)!"*

Next to me on the couch was Elena from Sea Rocket Bistro. Stay tuned for the seafood bistro she's going to open! She's also an interior designer, so give her a buzz if you need some professional help. Oh and if you don't know him already, the guy on the left is our host Will.

I learned a lot from the conversation about chocolate.

After Will's chocolate lecture, I pulled up a chair to introduce myself to Tyler/Amanda, Nicole, and Alice.

Hi Alice! Hi back of Tyler & Amanda's heads. Nicole's hiding out on the far right.

These ladies and Tyler were a great bunch and it was fun getting to know each of them. I wish we could of spent more time together, as I am quite shy and take a gazillion years to warm up to new acquaintances. Damn this shyness of mine...
Regardless, I'm glad I finally had the chance to talk to all of you! Sure beats leaving comments on each other's blogs doesn't it?

Alright, here's Tyler and Amanda, so they don't feel left out:

You two are tight, yo!

Here's a shot as guests say their g'byes and prepare to leave:

Of the folks I met or know from their name tag, there's Liz, as well as Darleen, Marie, and Kim again. It was kind of nice to have another young'un present at the event. Hey Liz! Call me. ;D No I kid I kid. Asking a gal to call you is totally weaksauce. You'll never catch me pulling such a sissy move! Anyway, hopefully I'll have a chance to have a good chat with this crowd someday.

I also was able to meet Caron, Marcie?, and Angie. Didn't get a chance to really talk to the first two since they left about 15 minutes after I arrived, but Angie's really cool. Got a question about sustainable food? She's your go-to gal. I reckon she knows a good thing or two about poetry too!


Well, that was totally worth ditching Sunday Service! If I was actually religious, that is. Again, thank you Will & your staff for accommodating our large crowd. Heh, I guess we should thank Ben too since he helped out in the kitchen. You shoulda brought one of your cakes, Ben!

I don't know if blogger socials happen a lot since I am still relatively new to the scene, but I'd love to have another get-together again. Every person I've met today had so many stories and experiences to share. I'd love to get to know y'all better.



*Other guests have also covered this event and have included their impressions of the desserts:
Liz of Fooding411
Moowie.
Kim.
Nicole. (kick-ass pictures)


Other Eclipse Chocolat posts:
First Visit
Second.
Third.



Eclipse Chocolat
2121 El Cajon
San Diego, CA 92104
619.578.2984

Eclipse Chocolat. Again!

When Will notified me of his new cupcake creations, I just HAD to go and try 'em! Awesome guy that he is, Will actually treated me out to sample these delectable desserts. Thanks again, pal!

You can actually read about his cupcakes here and here. A total of four available flavors as of this date. Tune in to his blog for updates on upcoming cupcake flavors as well as desserts.

New cupcakes:

Balsamic Pink Peppercorn:

Dark chocolate-crème fraîche cake+raspberry balsamic filling+dark chocolate ganache glaze+pink peppercorn topping.

Cut in half to reveal balsamic-raspberry filling.

At first I thought there would be some of the peppercorns in the dough, but Will says there aren't. They are only used as a decorative topping, though they do provide a delightful crunch along with their characteristic tongue-numbing sensation. How fun! Rest assured, the peppercorns are used sparingly and if you happen to not like 'em, just brush them off. It goes without saying that the chocolate cake was moist n rich with chocolately flavor. The chocolate ganache is great as usual, without being overly sweet. As for the filling, well...how can you go wrong with raspberries and chocolate? It's a great chocolate cupcake, though I suppose the filling could be slightly more tart for some contrast with the chocolate. All depends on personal preference, I guess.

Peanut Butter and Jelly:

Butter-crème fraîche cake+peanut butter filling+raspberry balsamic filling+dark chocolate ganache glaze+ blackberry topping.

We all have fond childhood memories of PB n J sandwiches. If ya don't, then what kind of childhood did you have, you poor soul?! Anyway, the cake is A+ as usual, and the jelly is paired with the same superb peanut butter Will sells at EC (though for the cupcake, some water/sugar is added). Will's blog entry detailing this new flavor describes him using a dessicated blackberry topping, but he has actually decided to use fresh blackberries instead. The cupcake I had was with the dessicated blackberry, which has less volume, that funny space-food texture, but packs a good whollop of flavor. Fresh blackberries definitely is an improvement both in texture and aesthetics. I really enjoyed this flavor and I can see it becoming a hit once EC gets more exposure.


Just so I wouldn't get thirsty eating these cupcakes, I got one of EC's three drinking chocolates.

Rosemary Mint (70% dark):

Extra dark chocolate(70%)+mint+hint of rosemary.

Since I love dark chocolate, this was a natural choice. The other two available flavors are Chile Burnt Caramel (55% dark) and Orange Peel Vanilla Bean (33% white). While I haven't tried these (yet), I'd bet my paycheck that they taste fantastic as well. To be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first about having rosemary in my hot chocolate, but EC's description is perfectly in line with the taste--there was only a mere hint of rosemary. You'd have to really concentrate to be able to taste it. Regardless, this was probably the most interesting hot chocolate I've had. Who knew hot chocolate could be refreshing? Okay maybe some of you knew, but I didn't until today. Rosemary Mint was thick, rich, and creamy. Top it off with the two hunks of vanilla-bean marshmallows and you have yourself a nice drink to sip on while you curl up on the couch--yes EC has a couch--with a book (or with significant other?). Yeah I don't care if it's hot outside. After all, EC's got AC!


These cupcakes made their debut only a few days ago, and folks are already buying them by the box-full. One customer reportedly even made a repeat trip! Whatcha waitin' for? Go try 'em!


Will also gave me a small stack of coupons, so UCSD students, contact me for one so you have an excuse to try out Eclipse Chocolat!

Coupon1 - FREE Espresso, Tea, or Pastry with any dessert purchase.
Coupon2 - FREE Box of (4) Exotic Truffles ($10 value) with any chocolate purchase of $10+.

Hurry! coupons expire on 5/9/08.



Previous visits to Eclipse Chocolate:
The first time.
The second time.
The Blogger Mixer.


Eclipse Chocolat
2121 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, California 92104
619.578.2984

Eclipse Chocolat, revisited.

Well I said in my last post that I was going to practice with my new lens at Eclipse Chocolat, so there I was at 2:30pm! I still have a lot to learn when it comes to using this lens. My previous general-purpose one couldn't open up past f/4.5 for the shots I take, so having one that's as fast as f/1.8 is quite a change. But of course, I only stick around f/3-4.5 for food shots. So...please bear with me as I get used to the additional depth of field options I have available...I'll be screwing up a lot of shots until I gain more experience.
Okay okay. Enough of photography mumbojumbo. On to the food!


Artisan Caramel and Cheese Plate:

Four beautiful cheeses, candied apricots, sugared torta, and burt chile caramel sauce.

(Note the failed depth of field.)

The four cheeses, listed from farthest to nearest, are as follows:
1. Black Diamond - White Cheddar -
2. Etorki
3. Gjetost - Goat Cheese -
4. Amsterdam Reserve - Gouda -

Notes:
Black Diamond- Pretty sharp, full flavor. The result of aging? Smoother than Trader Joe's Australian cheddar. LOVED IT.

Etorki- This one was kind of funky. I haven't had a lot of interesting cheeses, and this one caught my interest. I've never tasted anything like it before. I suppose it faintly tastes of mushrooms. I dig it.

Gjetost- Has a light caramel flavor, which is very intriguing. I've never had anything like it before. It's consistency, like the cheeses above, is pretty smooth. This paired very nicely with the burnt chile caramel. My favorite cheese out of the four.

Amsterdam Reserve- This cheese is harder than the ones above, and tasted pretty sharp initially. Maybe I just needed to cleanse my palate or something. Gouda never really interested me, and I don't know enough about cheese to say anything constructive...so just get out there and try it?

The cheeses are fine eaten as-is, but dipping them into the burt chile caramel introduces a whole new set of flavors and can actually complement the cheese, as in the case of the Gjetost. I really liked dipping the cheddar in the caramel too. I think I liked having the Etorki by itself, as to better taste that "mushroomy" flavor.

Sugared torta and candied apricots on the side were also great solo or dipped into the caramel. I could eat the torta all day. It's really light and would be great to nibble on with a cup of coffee.

I'm not sure why, but I was salivating like crazy as I was eating this plate...I supposed it's because everything tasted damned good? Go try it and compare notes with me!


After a bit of studying, I also bought a Salted Peanut Butter Cupcake:
I thought it was a chocolate cupcake at first, but it's actually yellow (eggy and rich). Doesn't matter. I like both types. The icing on top is a smooth dark chocolate with chopped and candied peanuts. A great combo! But wait, it gets better: The inside has a filling of Will's mix of superb peanut butter (available for sale at the counter) and sugar water. The result is a sweet/savory filling with a lighter consistency than regular PB.

Here's the cupcake cut in half:
Not a lot of filling, I know. But oddly enough, this is just the right amount. Any more would detract from the rich flavor of the dough. Flavors (dark chocolate, PB, nuts, dough) are very well balanced here. Doesn't this seem like such a nice change from the icing-dominant cupcakes from Sprinkles? Well...I guess it's all personal preference. There's no right or wrong when it comes to food, in my opinion.


There was a plate on the counter featuring one of Will's many chocolate bar creations. Free samples of Kyoto Green Tea:


This is, according to Will, one of the more "unpopular" bars because it targets a narrower audience: People who like white chocolate AND green tea. It's actually not that strange a combination, though. Green tea, as many of you already know, can give many desserts a refreshing flavor. Examples: Japanese style cheesecake (green tea flavored), ice cream, cakes, etc. The toasted rice inside give the nuggets a delightful crunch. There's just the right amount too. Not like Nestle's Crunch bars.


Oh I nearly forgot. I also bought a double chocolate brownie to enjoy at home. No pictures will be posted because I ended up eating it in the car...gosh I do this every time I bring desserts home. Brownie was good. Super rich chocolately flavor packed into a nice thick dough. The plan was to enjoy it with some strawberries I have in the fridge, but oh well. I'll snap some photos of the brownies from Eclipse Chocolat next week. Hopefully the pecan one is available! There's a constant rotation of brownie flavors. I'll have to try them all...AT ONCE! muahhahaaa.


Will gave me a small stack of coupons, so UCSD students, contact me for one so you have an excuse to try out Eclipse Chocolat!

Coupon1 - FREE Espresso, Tea, or Pastry with any dessert purchase.
Coupon2 - FREE Box of (4) Exotic Truffles ($10 value) with any chocolate purchase of $10+.

Hurry! coupons expire on 5/9/08.


Other visits to Eclipse Chocolate:
First visit to Eclipse Chocolat.
Third visit.
Blogger Mixer.


Eclipse Chocolat
2121 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, California 92104
619.578.2984

Eclipse Chocolat

I've been hankering for some good desserts for awhile now, since eating four donuts--as good as they are--in one sitting from the nearby Golden Donut (on Governor) just doesn't get me off anymore. I originally intended to drop by Extrarindary Desserts for the 20th time, but a post from Alice Q. Foodie caught my eye. She mentioned a relatively new dessert cafe just around the corner from Mama's Lebanese Deli & Bakery. Y'all know me. I'm always game for trying someplace new...unless its a "recommendation" from my UCSD pals. (Sorry guys. I've been let down every goddamn time.)

The owner and chef of Eclipse Chocolat is a really cool/hip guy. He even posts updates on his creations or upcoming special events on the cafe blog. Some info straight off his profile:

Will Gustwiller is the owner and head chocolatier of the San Diego-based Eclipse Chocolat. Established in 2004, Eclipse specializes in creating exotic chocolate infusions in truffles, solid bars, and other exciting confections. Eclipse strives to expand the boundaries of chocolate flavors while operating in an eco-friendly manner and donating 10% of its annual net profit to the the development of local and regional non-profits and charities.

Seriously. What an awesome guy. He's really interactive with his customers and even asked me for my opinion concerning each dessert on the Spring Tasting Platter. I was flabbergasted, and being the shy guy that I am, I only managed to stammer out a fraction of my thoughts. Well, here's the rest, Will!

There's Will coming out with my plate! To be honest, I didn't even realize he was in the frame until I started writing this blog entry. Darn. I could have snapped a much better photo.

Customers have the option of dining in (and enjoy FREE WiFi!), or buying some of his signature truffles and chocolates to savor at home. As you can see, there's quite a selection of treats. Details of each item can be found on the website:

And a close-up of the fresh pastries:

Boring pictures, I know. This is just to give a general feel of the place. I'm doing a real photoshoot next time since I didn't bring some essential gear during this visit (notice the awful glare?)


Eclipse offers seasonal tasting plates, so I ordered the Spring Dessert Tasting Platter:

White Chocolate-Macadamia Pudding with Butterscotch Rum Sauce
airy white chocolate pudding+toasted macadamia+burnt caramel & muscavado butterscotch rum sauce

Curried-Peanutbutter, Marshmallow, & Milk Chocolate Panini
masala curry infused peanutbutter+vanilla bean marshmallow+36% milk chocolate panini, grilled to order

Frozen Chile-Burnt Caramel Semifreddo
frozen chile-burnt caramel semifreddo mousse+dark chocolate brownie crumb crust+burnt caramel topping

Dark Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise
dense dark chocolate-chocolate chip brioche bread pudding, warmed+vanilla bean creme aglaise

If heaven could be served on a plate, this is one of the many forms you can find it in. The white chocolate pudding was phenomenal. As its description suggests, it was very light and airy but still packed a good whallop of flavor. I didn't find the pudding to taste like typical store-bought white chocolate though, it was kind of a mix (white/dark). I like it better this way. Paired with Butterscotch Rum Sauce and you have yourself a fantastic mix of flavors that complement each other extremely well. Macadamia nuts found on the bottom of the cup lend their subtle flavor to further enhance the dessert's taste and also provide a delightful crunch as a contrast to the smooth pudding--how fun!. You haven't had good pudding 'til you have this pudding. It's so wickedly delicious I think it should be offered as an individual item on the regular menu. I'd order two per visit.

One of my favorite items on the plate was the panini. It's such a simple concept: brush peanut butter on whole-grain bread. Add chocolate and marshmallows. Grill it. But Will took this to a whole new level by blending the peanut butter with a touch of curry to give it somewhat of a more exotic taste. The combination may sound weird, but I assure you, it was the best damn peanut butter I've ever tasted. This is coming from a guy who loves PB so much that he's tried every brand from the supermarket (+ Trader Joe's!) and always keeps three different types in his pantry. I must try to replicate this dessert at home. It can't be that hard...can it...?

Best. Panini. Ever.

The semifreddo was an item I wasn't overly excited about. Don't get me wrong, it tastes great and is skillfully made. But, I personally do not like having spiciness in my desserts. I have to say though, the slight spiciness of this dessert does pair nicely with the curried peanut butter panini. In any case, it was an interesting and complex mix of flavors and though I tried to imagine the dessert without its spiciness, I realized that it would just lose its flair and character. Try it! You may very well like it.

I've haven't had many opportunities to eat bread pudding so my experience is very limited and I won't be able to offer any comparisons or analysis for this item. But I will tell you this: It's pretty damn good. It was like a really soft and moist warm brownie, though not as sweet and with the texture of bread pudding. This would make great comfort food on cold days if you eat eight of them. The vanilla-bean creme anglaise was very light and delicate, giving each bite a hint of vanilla without overwhelming your taste buds. I enjoyed this very much!


BRAVO! Eclipse Chocolat is edging out Extraordinary Desserts as my #1 dessert cafe in San Diego now. I'm a big fan of Western-style desserts, but many establishments just make them way too sweet for my tastes. This is partly why I love Japanese renditions of Western desserts so much. They make them lighter and more delicate. (Remember Cafe Blanc?) Extraordinary Desserts makes fantastic desserts and I do enjoy their creations, but the desserts there are just a tad too sweet. I'm sure many people will disagree with my previous statement, but hey. That's my opinion, so shut up. Also, I personally like to experience as many tastes as possible instead of ordering one slab of cake or a bowl of pudding/creme brulee/etc. This makes Eclipse Chocolat's seasonal dessert platters very appealing to me--I get to tease my palate with a wide range of flavors and textures. Isn't that what enjoying food is all about?


Will gave me a small stack of coupons, so UCSD students, contact me for one so you have an excuse to try out Eclipse Chocolat!

Coupon1 - FREE Espresso, Tea, or Pastry with any dessert purchase.
Coupon2 - FREE Box of (4) Exotic Truffles ($10 value) with any chocolate purchase of $10+.

Hurry! coupons expire on 5/9/08.


Additional visits to Eclipse Chocolat:
The second time.
The third time.
The Blogger Mixer.


Eclipse Chocolat
2121 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, California 92104
619.578.2984