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| - My first trip to Chocolaterian Cafe came a week ago after a very disappointing visit to a nearby restaurant for dinner. While the desserts there has *sounded* good, the dinner wasn't, so my companion and I chose to walk to Chocolaterian. The day had been drizzly and overcast, so I was looking forward to a cozy setting and a warm beverage. Chocolaterian delivered on both counts. There was plenty of space, and the tables weren't crowded together. There were several big windows on two of the restaurant's walls, which let in a nice amount of natural light. The baking cases, tables, and floors were all well-cleaned, and the surroundings did a good job of dampening any noise. The bathroom was clean and well-stocked. The woman behind the counter gave us some recommendations, and also pointed out the half-priced dessert case in case we wanted to keep our visit frugal. The lower prices were a plus; some items do seem overpriced (though given the butter prices lately, it's understandable). We chose a caramel tart and a chocolate-raspberry tart to share, and I ordered a piping hot cup of mint tea.
The caramel tart was delicious, although the crust was a bit tough and slightly thick where the sides met the bottom. The caramel was gooey without being a mess, and the cashews on top provided a salty richness that I always welcome when eating caramel. My companion, not usually a fan of caramel, stole more bites than I thought he would. His chocolate-raspberry tart was still moist and delicious, despite it being half-priced. The raspberry flavor was very well-incorporated, and added a nice hint of acidity to even out the richness of the chocolate. It also didn't taste artificial or too much like raspberry preserves, which was a welcome change from what usually happens when I order something with raspberry flavor. The tea was fantastic as well, hot and flavorful. It needed no added sugar and was very welcome given the weather outside. I look forward to returning, and trying some of their new savory items!
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