rev:text
| - Word on the street had it this place has the best hot chocolate in PGH, so I knew I needed to check it out. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that the hot chocolate is available on a very limited basis--specifically, between 7:30am and 12:30pm on Saturdays. It took me three visits to figure this out: The first time, I came at 4pm on Sat. (out of it for the day), and the second time, I came before noon on Sun. (no hot chocolate served on Sun.). The third time, when I arrived at 12:15pm on Sat. on a bitterly cold Dec. day, was the charm.
So how was this mythical hot chocolate? It was good, but not quite what I expected. When another reviewer described it as "thick [and] pudding-like," I expected something served in a bowl-like cup that I'd have to attack with a spoon. Instead, I received a thick, but drinkable, chocolate liquid served in a paper cup (see photo). Was it indeed the best hot chocolate in PGH? Yeah, I guess--at least out of the hot chocolates I've tried. Was it worth $4? Maybe (see answer to point 1). Would I go all the way to the Strip specifically to get it again? Doubtful.
In addition to the hot chocolate, I picked up a peppermint-spangled chocolate bar. It was quite pricy (around $8), but the owner, who I asked if there was a smaller version (no), talked up the maker, so I decided to give it a try. I had similar feelings about it to the ones I had about the hot chocolate. Was it good? Yes. Was it worth $8? Probably not.
As others have mentioned, the owner (the older woman) is a bit lacking in social graces, as I observed from her abrupt answers to my inquiries about the hot chocolate (I felt like she was the hot chocolate Nazi, akin to Seinfeld's soup Nazi). Even the time when it was available, she introduced some confusion into my interaction with the employee working at the hot chocolate bar. However, she did a great job talking up that chocolate bar!
I'd be willing to come back to try the gelato when the weather warms up (I'll update this review if I do). I strongly suspect I'd have a similar reaction to the one I did for the hot chocolate and chocolate bar, however. 3.5 stars.
|