When I was studying abroad in Spain, I had a chance to travel to Barcelona, which soon became my favorite city in the whole country. Beautiful, natural, and a bit wacky, the city was full of life and activity: merchants hawking every type of good along the Ramblas, curvy Willy Wonka-like architecture by Gaudí, and some of the most kickback, relaxing parks and cafés in Europe. What caught me off-guard, though, was the quality of the chocolate.

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Barcelona is, in fact, chocolate crazy, boasting a regional cuisine that frequently incorporates chocolate into even savory dishes. It even has the world’s first dessert-only restaurant (with a full chocolate menu) and all three of Spain’s most famous chocolatiers, two of whom have links to the living legend, Ferran Adría, creator of El Bulli, which has been ranked the world’s best restaurant 3 times in the San Pellegrino guide.

If there had to be one chocolatier that stood out among those three, though, it would be Oriol Balaguer, a man with so many credentials that you might wonder why he’d ever turn to chocolate. Not only did he serve as the executive pastry chef of El Bulli for several years, but he also won the World Pastry Championship for his incredibly decadent “El paradigma,” a cake with 8 different textures of chocolate. For whatever reason, though, this dessert mastermind decided to start his own chocolate chain, and the chocolate world will never be the same.

That excellence has, moreover, recently been discovered in America, as Borne Confections in NYC has decided to pick up Balaguer’s chocolates and unleash them onto the American public. I thus decided to pick up a box while in NYC for a second taste of his exquisite chocolate.

The first thing to note is that these chocolates simply ooze style. They’re high-tech, ergonomic, and modern, with an unparalleled sleekness that will leave at least younger audiences very pleased. In a word, they’re sexy. The box is clean, simple, and small, with every piece ordered neatly in a tiny plastic compartment. All the chocolates have the same shape, which might be dull to some people, but that shape is unique and allows for their neat compartmentalization. More specifically, the chocolate looks like a sushi roll with numerous precise lines etched across each shell so that it has the impression of different levels of depth. Moreover, even though the shape is reused, the color scheme is not, as each piece has a distinctive, beautiful array of colors in a particular spectrum. That is to say that one side begins dark, the other light, and the colors converge as they approach each other in the middle.

Not surprisingly, with so much technique in the mere presentation of the pieces, the flavors are also masterfully articulated. In general, the chocolates have a slightly crunchy, hard shell with a very smooth ganache-like filling in the middle. Balaguer also does a great job of mixing in microscopic bits of ingredients for added crunch and flavor, yet because he practically minces those ingredients, they almost don’t break up the smoothness of the ganache at all. Instead, it’s always a delightful grittiness in the mouth.

Just as good is the selection. Balaguer may, on first sight, not seem all that impressive, serving up pieces with only one flavor and one kind of chocolate in each—that is, there’s no blending of white, milk, and dark chocolates, and there is never more than one central ingredient. When the ingredients are so perfectly integrated, though, it doesn’t matter, as these chocolates literally exude their central ingredient, and every single one has a completely different taste. Moreover, the ingredients Balaguer uses are perhaps some of the most unique I’ve ever seen in chocolates, and many are so difficult to work with that I simply can’t imagine many chocolatiers even daring to attempt them. Expect corn nuts, pop rocks, olive oil, black truffle, soy, and sparkling wine, just to name a few of the more intriguing pieces. Factor in that Balaguer has 36 pieces, and the selection becomes impressive, to say the least.

The one downside: the price. $2.50 a piece is pricey even among the gourmet chocolatiers. You have to remember, though, that they are imported from Spain, so they should be a bit pricier than average. More positively, these chocolates are relatively large, i.e. enough for two bites, and the quality, both in terms of presentation and taste, is far superior to anything else you might have ever seen or tasted from the chocolate world.

These chocolates may be pricey, but if there’s any chocolatier that can command such a high price, it’s Oriol Balaguer. His assortment is easily one of the best on the market today, ranking at least in my personal top 3.

What I Tasted

1. Yuzu (White Chocolate): Flavor is right on. Typically, I can’t stand white chocolate because it’s too sweet, and this one is verging on that level of sweetness. But it’s very nicely balanced by a very unique, fruity yuzu tang. The cream is incredibly smooth as well. 4.3/5.0
2. Olive Oil (Beautiful green-black shell, Dark Chocolate): Fantastic balance. A nice, slightly oily, creamy sweetness combines with a dark chocolate bitterness, and both flavors are very soft and moderate. The olive oil is very subtle, to the point that you might miss it if you didn’t know it was in here in advance. 3.9/5.0
3. Saffron (Milk Chocolate): Phenomenal! I didn’t think saffron would blend well with milk chocolate, which might be too sweet. But Balaguer moderated the sweetness and infused a pronounced, but soft, saffron that gives the chocolate a milky herbiness and leaves the mouth fresh. The cream has the perfect level of milkiness, and it doesn’t feel artificial or waxy at all. 4.8+
4. Vanilla (Dark Chocolate):  Not quite as good. It’s an excellent dark chocolate in here, but because it’s so strong the vanilla comes through just barely. The vanilla is more felt in how it moderates the cocoa intensity—i.e. in how it softens the cocoa taste—but the whole piece feels incomplete, if its goal is to represent vanilla. 3.3/5.0
5. Peanut (Dark Chocolate): This is divine, and it takes me back to my childhood, which was filled with PB sandwiches all day long. It has a strong but smooth PB ganache inside (the chocolate is mostly in the shell). Peanuts really jump out, not just in the taste but also in the texture—tiny bits are included for crunch. And there’s a hint of salt for that roasted peanut flavor that leaves you wanting more. 4.9/5.0
6. Earl Grey (Dark Chocolate): Earl Grey done right. It has a big bitter tea flavor that blends really easily with the dark chocolate, since both have that same type of bitterness. The extra-creamy ganache and the zesty slight tang of the Earl Grey really help balance out the bitterness, though. Great length, too. 4.6/5.0
7. Mazcleta, a.k.a. Pop Rocks (Dark Chocolate): About the most interesting, most unique flavor I’ve ever tasted. It includes actual pop rocks! So your mouth is bouncing for a minute after you eat it. The flavor of the chocolate itself verges on hazelnuts, with a strong roasted nuttiness that blends really nicely with the dark chocolate. But it’s the wafer crunch inside, combined with the popping, that really makes this chocolate stand out. Points for creativity. 4.2/5.0
8. Corn Nuts (Milk Chocolate): That’s right—those corn nuts from your childhood have been nearly perfectly integrated into a chocolate! The tiny pieces of nuts help to add a great crunch. And it’s not a moderate flavor, either. Instead, you get the heavy, fried corn taste and the intense saltiness of real corn nuts. Yet it all acts to control the smooth, milky sweetness. 4.8/5.0
9. Rose (Dark Chocolate): The shell is much harder than the rest, whereas the interior is very soft by contrast. It’s not the greatest idea in my opinion. Still, this is a good, balanced flavor. The very perfumed, herby, light rose quality gives the dark chocolate a slightly sweet/fruity/sylvan taste, in addition to a fresh aroma. It’s interesting, but it’s definitely still just a plain dark chocolate. 4.3/5.0

Scores

Presentation: 5.0/5.0.
Taste: 4.6/5.0. Bonus points for consistent excellence.
Flavor (How well flavors are integrated): 4.8/5.0
Selection: 4.7/5.0
Value: 4.2/5.0
Verdict: 4.7+/5.0

The Middle East is a wasteland for good chocolate. Artisanal producers are few and far between, and those that do exist tend to specialize in that candy-like, extra-waxy chocolate that you’d be hard-pressed to find even in candy bars in Europe.

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Bateel, however, fights against that stereotype, attempting to craft for itself—and the Middle East—a place in the chocolate Pantheon. And it does so with a uniquely Middle Eastern twist: dates!

Rich, sweet, and fruity, with a semi-gritty, slightly chunky viscosity, the date is perhaps the treat that best embodies the Middle Eastern concept of a sweet. The Middle Eastern love affair with this sinfully decadent fruit runs so deep, in fact, that it’s almost ubiquitous, making its way into every Middle Eastern confectionery shop.

On paper, dates and chocolate sound like a match made in heaven, yet I’ve never seen the combo tried by any other chocolatier. Is it possible to combine the delicious earthy richness of chocolate with the equally intense, honey-like richness of dates?

Bateel answers in the affirmative.

This company made its name by providing not just quality dates from all around the Middle East, but also stuffed dates, chocolates filled with dates, and chocolate-glazed dates. Thankfully, Bateel lives up to its name, producing chocolates that, while perhaps not my first choice, still manage to hit the spot.

Don’t go in expecting outstanding cocoa, however. Bateel’s chocolate tastes and feels rather waxy, just as you’d expect in a candy bar. Rather, Bateel’s claim to fame lies in the fresh, quality flavorings that it uses. Every single piece in its date-based chocolate line involves filling a chocolate shell with some combination of sweet date mash and another ingredient, like macadamia nut or orange peel. The flavors that succeed manage to counterbalance the sweet, gritty-rich date with that extra, typically crunchier or chewier, ingredient. The chocolate merely adds an extra tinge of sweetness, richness, and/or earthiness.

Thus, the wafer-like, smoky hazelnut in sweet milk chocolate, the crispy and earthy sesame in slightly bitter dark chocolate, and the crunchy almond in sweet and buttery white chocolate all accompany the date filling extremely well.

Less successful is the overly chunky, heavy, and clunky dark chocolate and pistachio marzipan flavor, as is the macadamia in milk chocolate, whose crunchiness is bogged down by the extra-chewy date mash.

Bateel, then, may not be the perfect answer to the Middle East’s dearth of good chocolate. Its chocolate quality does not even come close to the masters in Europe, nor do all of its flavors succeed. Moreover, by specializing in one ingredient, it unnecessarily limits its chocolate-making flexibility, reaching for more and more, but worse and worse, combinations (though its new line of single-origin chocolates and blended chocolates tries to mitigate that problem).

Bateel does, however, take a step in the right direction, producing some very interesting combinations with an ingredient that is severely underutilized in the West. In doing so, it sends a clear message to chocolatiers: Don’t underestimate Middle Eastern flavors.

What I Tasted

1. White Chocolate with Almond: White Chocolate provides buttery, rich sweetness in the backdrop. The date adds a fresh, natural sweetness, helping to break up the richness and greasiness, along with the crunch of the almond. Too buttery near the end. 4.0/5.0
2. Flattened Date dipped in Dark Chocolate: The date’s natural sweetness plays off nicely against the cocoa’s earthy, smoky coffee tones, though that chocolate tastes too sweet for dark and slightly waxy. The date’s richness distracts from that waxiness. 2.7/5.0
3. Milk with Macadamia: Macadamia and milk is pretty classic, but here the chewy date in the middle holds that classic combo back, enmeshing it in a richness that dulls the crunchiness of the macadamia and the sweetness and creaminess of the milk. Still, long nutty finish. 1.5/5.0
4. Milk with Candied Orange: The orange is deliciously strong. Expect a strong orange peel flavor fuming off the palate, to the point that most of the sweetness is fruity, rather than chocolaty. And the orange’s marked chewiness adds some complexity to the age-old, duller date chunkiness. 4.0/5.0
5. Dark Chocolate with Sesame: Strong, roasted, smoky flavor from the seeds, which works surprisingly well with the rich, thick dates. This variety isn’t too sweet, either, so the sesame can  really show its otherwise subtle flavor. Best of all is the crispiness, as microscopic seeds crackle in every bite. 4.0/5.0
6. Dark with Pistachio Marzipan: Way too rich, slow, heavy and chunky with the marzipan, especially when you combine it with the date. The pistachio flavor does come through, as do the dates, but both are subtle, and most of the focus is on the gum-like marzipan. Not enough natural flavors to control the sweetness and waxiness of the chocolate. 1.0/5.0
7. Milk with Hazelnut (?) or Wafer (?): Really strong hazelnut smokiness hits near the end, along with a wafer-like flavor. Think Kit Kats. The crispiness of the minute particles also complements the date nicely. I didn’t get too much of that date in here, however. 4.2/5.0

My first stop? The United Arab Emirates, for some of the most diverse, unique cuisine in the region. If you thought Middle Eastern cuisine couldn’t be elegant, then you haven’t visited the Emirates yet. Home to the world’s richest city, Abu Dhabi, and 9% of the world’s oil reserves, this tiny little Gulf state has been drawing the best talent from all across the world for years, making it one of the only stops where you can get a 5-star dining experience from none other than the legendary Pierre Gagnaire, England’s outspoken Gordan Ramsay, and India’s first Michelin-starred chef,  on top of endless dim sum feasts, Lebanon’s most famous fine dining chain, and some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had in my life.

Chicago isn’t really known for its chocolates. With such a vibrant culinary scene, though, you’d expect someone to step it up and produce chocolate on par with some of the better selections in the country.

There is one person, though, who has taken up that call, producing Chicago’s definitive chocolate experience. I speak of no other than Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut Chocolat. Having studied at Le Cordon Bleu in France, she decided to travel the world, discovering new ingredients all along the way. At Vosges, she combines her vast knowledge of foreign ingredients, especially from the East, to create some of the most interesting, unique, and complex chocolates available in America.

For the line of assorted chocolates, Vosges focuses on the truffle, producing so many varieties and collections that it’s almost impossible to choose just what to eat. In addition to the basic Dark and Milk Chocolate collections, Vosges produces an Exotic Truffle Collection, Collezione Italia, an Aztec Collection, a Groove Collection and even a Champaigne Truffle Collection (and yes, they do make more than one kind of champaigne truffle!). Never have I seen the art of the truffle taken to such lengths. Truffles tend to be done very conservatively, always with the same old flavors, but Vosges flips that notion on its head, incorporating several ingredients into each truffle, including everything from curry powder and saffron to balsamic vinegar, ginger, chili peppers, and even wasabi. Each truffle is thus a flurry of flavors, while each box houses a veritable tour of the world.

If that sounds a bit overdone, don’t be worried. Contrary to all expectations, chocolate actually blends well with such exotic ingredients, even though very few chocolatiers have dared to utilize them. While I was visiting the Vosges store, I only had a chance to try out four pieces at the in-store mini-truffle bar. That may not be enough to pass a final decision on the chocolate, but I can easily say that every single piece was excellent, to the point that I must at some point try some more of the selections.

My own mini-sample involved picks from several collections, so I had a chance to try out many of those intriguing ingredients, such as curry and banana buttermilk pudding. Each one was integrated almost seamlessly, too. Truffles may at times be very strong or overpowering, but never with Vosges, where the name of the game is nuance and subtlety. Indeed, with so many strong ingredients, it would become a jumble of flavors if Vosges didn’t know how to balance out its flavors. Instead, every piece comes off as a complex tug and pull, as the taste has several layers that progress gradually one after the other, so that none can dominate.  For example, the Naga (curry and coconut) balances out the bitterness of the dark chocolate with some coconut and a bit of zesty spice to cleanse the palate, while the Balsamico (balsamic vinegar and hazelnuts) moderates the dark chocolate with a tangy sweetness from the balsamic vinegar.

Even the presentation impresses, though not with quite as much success. The box is very colorful and sturdy, but bland. It comes in a nice dark purple and is topped with a dark purple ribbon, giving it the clean, traditional look but with a bit of a modern brightness. The truffles are even nicer, as the key ingredient is always placed on the top in a little lump. You might get flowers, some curry powder, some nuts, etc., but whatever the case, the truffle is almost guaranteed to be more colorful than usual.

Again, while I may not be an absolute authority on Vosges’ line, I do know that my small selection was impressive. This is definitely one chocolatier to experiment with, especially for truffle lovers.

What I Tasted

1. Balsamico (Dark Chocolate, Balsamic Vinegar, Sicilian hazelnuts): Very interesting chocolate, with taste coming in layers. First you get the dark chocolate bitterness dominating, but eventually a slight nuttiness comes in to balance it out, and near the end you finally start to taste the sweetness of the balsamic, which is light and a bit tangy. The nuts on top add a nice crunch, too, and I love the taste of the hazelnuts, which are naturally very bold. The dark chocolate is very good, too, leaving a long aftertaste, so you know this isn’t cheap chocolate. It has a surprising complexity, with some cherries on the palate. My big complaint is the texture of the piece, which is a bit hard for me, especially for a truffle. It has a nice nutty crunch, but it feels more like an assorted chocolate than a truffle. 4.1/5.0
2. Naga (Dark chocolate with Indian curry and coconut): This is a fantastic truffle in nearly every way. Unlike the last, the center is liquid, so you get that nice truffle creaminess. Second, it’s extremely complex. The dark chocolate is very strong at first, but it almost immediately gives way to the strong, zesty Indian spice and a rather sweet coconut milk flavor. This chocolate is thus a constant battle between the bitter, the sweet, and the spicy, making for a constant change in flavors that’s very enjoyable. The use of curry powder on the top only makes it better by adding a degree of freshness. It’s that curry that you’re left with at the end, as it gives you a final burst of spice that lasts on your palate. 4.6/5.0
3. Funk & Disco (Milk Chocolate, Banana Buttermilk Pudding, Vanilla): This is near perfect, with every flavor extremely pronounced but coming together in perfect synergy. First, the milk chocolate is extremely creamy and smooth, with a rich sweetness that helps to integrate the other flavors. Next, the banana buttermilk gives off an added layer of richness, but this time with a very fruity twist, helping to balance out the rather high sugar content of the milk chocolate (the chocolate tastes like it has a pretty low cocoa percentage). The vanilla has the same effect. Overall, a must for any milk chocolate fan. 4.9/5.0
4. Wooloomooloo (Milk chocolate, Australian macadamia, coconut): I’m not a huge fan of coconut, but this one managed to do it right. Vosges balances the coconut not only with the rich, sweet, and creamy milk chocolate, but also with the nutty, heavy flavor of the macadamia (and I just love macadamia nuts, so this flavor really resonates with me). Moreover, and this is perhaps the best part of the flavor, the macadamia and coconut flavor comes not so much from an infusion into the paste as from the integration of numerous small chunks of each into the truffle, giving a much stronger, bolder taste than you’d normally get, in addition to lots of crunch. 4.6+/5.0

Scores

Presentation: 4.0/5.0
Taste: 4.6/5.0
Flavor (How well flavors are integrated): 4.8/5.0
Selection: 5.0/5.0. Best selection of truffles I’ve ever seen.
Value: 3.6/5.0. Pricey, but actually fairly priced for truffles, especially for the quality.
Verdict: 4.6/5.0

There’s a stereotype that’s been destroying the world of chocolate as of late: the idea that good chocolate must be expensive. Unfortunately, more often than not, that proves to be the case, nowhere better seen than in the flurry of famous chocolatiers ravaging New York City with extraordinary prices.

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Every once in a while, though, you will get a very hometown quality, old-fashioned producer coming to challenge those notions. To them, chocolate shouldn’t be fancy and posh, and it shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. It should be simple, well-done, and, above all, delicious.

Nobody manifests that mentality better than LA Burdick. While most top chocolatiers have perpetuated an inflationary spiral, LA Burdick has stood against the trend, going back to the basics for inspiration. Forget all the glamour, all the superb designs, all the shock value. This is chocolate, after all, and LA Burdick isn’t going to use any tricks to make it seem like anything else. You can tell LA Burdick knows its stuff, too, for it not merely produces cheap chocolate, but also chocolate that is easily superior to that of nearly every single one of its competitors.

Not surprisingly, the presentation of the chocolate is on the simpler side, but it is simplicity at its best. It comes in a box made of simple brown paper and tied with a ribbon. You don’t feel as though it’s cheap, though. The seals are especially a nice touch, giving it the feeling that it is something to be tightly sealed and stashed away. Moreover, if you’re looking for a nice gift, LA Burdick offers a classy wooden box, which, while just as simple, is something that you really can’t find in most stores and really conveys the idea of old-fashioned better than just about any other cover.

The chocolates themselves, though, are a bit less impressive aesthetically. Again, the focus is simplicity, so there are no designs or special features. Each chocolate has just a slight display of its flavor, like a raisin or some pieces of nuts on top. There are a couple pricier pieces that do wow, though, such as the black and white chocolate penguin and the adorable chocolate mouse, which comes complete with a long tail made of ribbon. Still, LA Burdicks doesn’t push the bounds of chocolate aesthetics.

It doesn’t matter much, however, once you taste these chocolates, as each one is a complex combination of multiple different ingredients, elevating just how good and how nuanced (relatively) cheap chocolate can be. LA Burdick’s may have a traditional look and feel, but the flavors are anything but traditional, as you find such interesting combinations as fig with port wine, raspberry and pistachio, coconut milk with rum, orange juice, gianduja with cognac and saffron,  and cardamom with salt. Thus, there’s a sophistication here that belies the seeming simplicity.

Even better, for a large number of its chocolate pieces LA Burdick likes to mix up the types and amounts of the chocolate, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen done to this extent anywhere else. In the coconut, for instance, not only do you get the coconut milk and rum, but also a milk and dark chocolate ganache honey, as well as a dark chocolate shell sprinkled with white chocolate. The pistache is just as odd, using a white chocolate ganache that is then wrapped in a dark chocolate shell. My first impression was, as I’m sure it will be with many others, “How can you even think of mixing dark and white chocolates?” Surprisingly, though, the sweetness and flavor are never a mess, as the different chocolates within each piece work to balance each other out rather than colliding with one another.

LA Burdick, then, produces not only some of the boldest and most unique flavors, but also some of the most nuanced and balanced. And for all that nuance and flavor, you only have to pay $15 for about ¼ lb., making LA Burdick by far the cheapest of the famous artisanal chocolatiers in America.

In turn, I just can’t recommend LA Burdick quite enough. It is, in fact, one of my three favorite chocolatiers in the world, judging solely on the basis of its taste. Add in that it undercuts the price of every other chocolatier I’ve reviewed, and you have the makings of a legend. Hands down, LA Burdick is the best American chocolatier I’ve ever tried.

Flavors I’ve Tried

1. Almond Chamomile: Phenomenal flavor, with everything pronounced and everything contributing to a near perfect balance. The almond on top is a great touch, giving you a fresh nutty chunkiness (a great contrasting texture and flavor), but that heavy nuttiness is really balanced by the pronounced, light herbiness of the chamomile. And the chocolate is creamy, smooth, and rich, not interfering with the flavors, but rather helping to balance them out and integrate them with its creaminess. 4.8+/5.0
2. Baton Framboise (raspberry and pistachios): This is a raspberry lover’s dream. The chocolate is a bit harder than the others (slightly), giving you a nice bite into a heavy, dark chocolate ganache that really strikes at you and makes you think the raspberry will be underplayed. But as you savor it, a great tartness gradually develops until the raspberry just takes over in the finish and you’re left with a great sourness. The pistachio chunks add some nice texture. 4.7/5.0 (though it’s just not my flavor)
3. Coconut (milk and dark chocolate ganache honey, coconut milk, rum, covered in dark chocolate and sprinkled with white): This is easily one of the best coconut flavors I’ve eaten, as it’s not too bold in any way but rather uses the coconut as a balancing agent. The coconut is infused into the ganache, a nice touch. Thus, it still tastes completely like a nice dark chocolate, but as you savor it, you get a nice sweetness from the coconut milk and honey, which picks up increasing power over time. The rum only gives it an extra liquor bitterness, which is nice. 4.8+/5.0
4. Earl Grey: Another winner. Earl Grey is a very tough flavor to pull off, since it can be far too bitter if done wrong (especially when combined with already bitter chocolate), but here Burdick achieves a perfect balance, with a pronounced flavor that integrates well with the dark chocolate creaminess. 4.8/5.0
5. Fig (milk and dark chocolate interior balanced with fig and port wine): As always, an extremely delicious blend of milk and dark, with an unbelievable creaminess that contrasts the slightly harder exterior (which provides a nice crunch). The piece of dried fruit on the top is a nice touch that adds some chewiness and sour sweetness, and the port definitely helps to provide some flavor. However, I just don’t taste much of the fig and port combo here. 4.0 for the chocolate itself, but 1.5 for the flavor combo.
6. Ginger (ginger root with candied ginger in dark chocolate): I’m really not a fan of ginger at all, yet I found this chocolate incredibly satisfying, largely because the ginger didn’t attack me, but rather left me with a nice spicy kick that gradually picked up in intensity so that I was never left with a sudden shock of flavor against my palate. Moreover, the ginger is only infused into the chocolate, so it really is integrated into the dark chocolate creaminess, and the candied ginger makes the harshness of the spicy ginger taste much easier to handle by adding a nice sweetness. 4.5/5.0
7. Jaffa (orange juice and dark chocolate): This is quite nice. It’s a bit less dark than expected (i.e. more sweetness), and I kind of like that, since it seems to blend with the slight fruitiness of the orange juice better. Still, while the piece is creamy and delicious, the orange is very underplayed. 4.0 for the chocolate itself, but 2.0 for the flavor.
8. Kenyan (dark chocolate with Kenyan coffee and kirsch wrapped in milk chocolate and ground coffee): This is an absolutely phenomenal combination—complex, yet subtle, and incredibly smooth for having such bold flavors. This chocolate really keeps you guessing. First, you get the nice bittersweet chocolate that you’ve come to expect from Burdick. Then, there’s a subtle coffee kick that just keeps on picking up power and almost becomes overbearing, only to be moderated by a slight tangy cherry flavor in the finish. And the ground coffee adds an absolutely fantastic texture and extra, fresh, roasted coffee taste to it. 4.9+/5.0
9. Lemon Spice (whipped rum and lemon ganache with Trinidadian spices): Another phenomenal flavor. This one really stands out because the ganache is just so smooth and creamy, since it’s whipped. It has a nice lightness to it that not only suits the flavor, but just makes you crave it. The chocolate is also complex, as you first get a nice milky sweetness, which then gives way to a slight bitterness from the rum and a fruity tanginess from the lemon. Finally, the spices leave your mouth with a great zestiness in the end. It’s incredibly easy to eat but so nuanced. 4.7+/5.0
10. Orinoco (Dark-milk interiors with Carribean spices, rum, cocoa nibs, covered in dark chocolate): This really is excellent. The darkness pops out, but you have a lot of subtle flavors that come to moderate it a bit. First, the moist, alcohol taste that gives it just a bit of a kick, then the coffee of the cocoa nibs, and the different levels of cocoa—the darker shell gives way to the milkier, sweeter interior. 4.5
11. Large Cut Pave (cocoa butter, gianduja, dark chocolate, cognac, saffron): Delicious in every way. The texture is incredible. Unlike the rest, this one tastes like velvet, as the interior is incredibly smooth but is matched by an almost waxy surface, glossed with cocoa powder. It feels as though the surface is just a hardened ganache, even. And the flavors are right on—the dark chocolate bitterness, the dryness of the cognac, the spicy zest of the saffron, and the sweet creaminess of the gianduja which brings everything together. This is a huge chunk of ganache, yet because it’s so perfectly balanced, it’s not cloying at all. 4.8+
12. Pistache (white chocolate ganache with pistachios, lavender, and herbs, wrapped in dark): This is a really interesting take on pistachio and a great contrast to the rest of the chocolates, since the ganache is white chocolate, which adds a lot of sweetness to the mix. Still, because of the nutty pistachio and the zest of the herbs, you don’t notice the sweetness too much, and you can even enjoy it because it’s not cloying. And the combination is nice, providing an extreme contrast of flavors to achieve a moderation that you wouldn’t expect. 4.4
13. Richelieu (milk and dark choc interior, cherry liquor, cherries, cumin seeds): Another great flavor, with a lot of complexity and a very, very interesting tartness, especially in the finish. The ganache itself is extremely balanced in sweetness b/c of the combo of milk and dark, but as you savor the chocolate, you pick up dried cherries on the palate and kind of a balancing, more netural flavor (like nuts, but not so dense—probably the cumin seeds). The dried cherry on top is extra nice, adding a lot of chew and a great sourness that again just takes over in the end. 4.8+
14. Sesame Cashew (pepper, toasted cashew, gianduja): I love everything about this flavor—the concept, the execution, the texture, and the sweetness. First, it’s unique. I’ve never seen sesame and cashew pulled off together, especially with such success. Second, it’s complex as can be. You get the milkiness, the spicy pepper, the gritty sesame crunch, the heavy nuttiness of the cashew, the creamy and sweet gianduja. The chocolate is constantly evolving and balancing. I typically am not a fan of gianduja because it becomes so cloying in the mouth, but here, the added cashew chunks and the gritty sesame really neutralize it. 4.8+
15. Trinidad (honey, Caribbean spices, chopped hazelnuts, dark chocolate): Now this is a flavor! It has incredible complexity. First, the normal chocolate creaminess, then the honey sweetness, next the light spicy zest, and finally the heavier, nuttier hazelnut taste, especially in the finish. As with the others, the texture and creaminess is perfect, and the chocolate displays an extraordinary balance of sweetness, with the honey vs. the dark chocolate vs. the hazelnuts. 4.5
16. Apricot Caramel (accented with honey, wrapped in milk chocolate): Near perfect! Caramel is typically too sweet and sticky—it just gets all over the mouth and doesn’t get off. But Burdick does it just right, crafting it into a very thin layer, topped with chocolate and infused with a great fruity flavor. That fruitiness helps to balance the sweetness, and the apricot comes through in a very gradual, but delicious way. And the caramel is perfectly creamy and sweet. 4.8+
17. Mocha Caramel (accented with honey, wrapped in white chocolate): This one is much more of a miss. The honey is far too pronounced, adding a strong sweetness that I think is somewhat cloying, especially when combined with the overly sweet white chocolate and the caramel. The mocha is nice as a balancing agent, but you really can’t taste it too much because of how strong the sweetness is. Still, the caramel quality is great (refer to apricot caramel). 2.5
18. Vanilla Caramel (Accented with honey, wrapped in dark chocolate): A bit thicker than the other two, which isn’t so much of a problem because the dark chocolate helps to balance the sweetness a bit better. I do think that’s a mistake, though, because the caramel does in fact tend to dominate a bit much (and because it’s so creamy and in such a large quantity, it sticks all over the mouth and teeth). The complexity is nice, though, as you start with a nice bitter chocolate taste that only gradually gives way to the sweet honey flavor. 3.9
19. Grenada Truffle (single source chocolate ganache with a dash of rum and nutmeg, dusted in cocoa powder): The flavor on this one is somewhat straightforward/light, but it’s still delicious because the quality of the chocolate is so excellent. The single origin chocolate is extremely flavorful and balanced—not overpowering you, but rather leaving you with a nicely smooth, bittersweetness. The rum and nutmeg are extremely subtle, but you do get a bit of spicy wetness from the combo. Still, this is practically a plain chocolate truffle, and a great one at that. 4.2
20. Honey Caramel Truffle: This is extremely intense and may be a bit cloying for some. As soon you bite into it, you get this great caramelized honey layer just gushing out. It’s smooth and rich, contrasting intensely with the hardened, perfectly crisp exterior. It’s a great effect. And the sweetness runs the gamut of very sweet to bitter, as the honey attacks you but is gradually moderated by the dark cocoa, especially present in the dusted powder. It’s way too sweet in the beginning, but it does moderate very nicely. 4.1
21. Lemon Pepper Truffle: Very nice. It’s a great subtle flavor that’s not too sweet at all. Because it’s dusted in dark cocoa, the sweetness that you pick up gradually softens until you’re left with a nice bittersweetness in the end. And the lemon and pepper add a slight fruity spiciness. Still, a bit too subtle for me. 4.4
22. Cardamom Salt Caramel (wrapped n dark): I really prefer this format to the caramels with honey, since the salt helps to balance out the roughness of the caramel, which can become overly sweet very quickly. The dark chocolate adds to that balance, and the cardamom helps with a fresh herby flavor that takes your mind off the candy-like, gooey, syrupy sweetness of the caramel. Really nice combo. 4.2
23. Vanilla Salt Caramel (wrapped in milk): Probably the most complex of all the caramels I tried. There is a very heavy vanilla influence throughout, so that the actual caramel in this one tastes drastically different, as it constantly has a vanilla tang to it that makes it a lot more interesting than it would otherwise be. And the salt comes in at various points to constantly counterbalance both the vanilla and the caramel. The milk chocolate only adds a nice layer of creaminess and a balanced sweetness that brings everything together. 4.6
24. Dark Chocolate Mouse: Incredible Presentation. It even comes complete with a ribbon tail, and it even has eyes. It’s a great gift option, needless to say. And the mouse itself is delicious. The exterior is a bit hard, and there are large chunks of nuts included in the mix, so it has a very satisfying crunchiness that contrasts nicely with the dark milk ganache. There’s a slight alcohol tang, too, but really it tastes like a plain ganache  with some really good nuttiness. 4.2+
25. White Chocolate Mouse: A bit more interesting than the last. You have the same fantastic texture with the crunchy surface and nuts, but here you have much more flavor. First, the white chocolate is sweet, but not cloying. In fact, the main sweetness comes from a really nice touch of honey in the filling. And it seems like there is a subtle herby flavor in there, too. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate, but this is well-done. 4.4
26. Milk Chocolate Mouse: Another success. The milk chocolate creaminess just can’t be beaten in this one, and the contrast in texture with the nuts again pops out. Here, though, there is a touch of liquor that helps to give the milkiness some flavor, so that it’s not too sweet. 4.3
27. Chocolate Penguin: Really kind of an odd flavor. It seems as though there is an intense lavender or orange liquor flavor that really dominates with an herby tanginess. The texture is the same as the mice, with the emphasis on a crunchy exterior, but here, you don’t get the nice balance, largely because the tanginess dominates and becomes a bit too much. Still, it’s nice, and I have to say I love the presentation—dark chocolate on the outside, white chocolate chest, just like a penguin. 3.5

Scores

Presentation: 3.5/5.0. Special kudos for the mice and penguins.
Taste: 4.7/5.0. Gets bonus points for consistent excellence.
Flavor (How well flavor is integrated): 4.8/5.0.
Selection: 4.8/5.0.
Value: 5.0/5.0. The absolute cheapest price you can pay for chocolate of such high quality.
Verdict: 4.8/5.0. Hands down, both the best tasting and best value of American chocolates.

New York has always been on the flashy side. With so much money floating around, it’s all about finding what’s bigger, trendier, and more fashionable.

I would have never thought, however, to find that New York mentality so perfectly encapsulated in chocolate as I did when I stepped inside MarieBelle Fine Chocolates. I was immediately transported into a fairytale world—a land of sky-blue walls, doll house-like furniture, spotless displays perfectly arranged, and (a bit more to my taste) even some large raunchy chocolate bars with pin-up girls on the wrapper.

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I’m not really one for hyperbole, but in this case it’s merited, as MarieBelle truly is a creature of its own, for better or worse. Everything has an aura of idyllic, yet sophisticated, hyper-cleanliness to it. It’s nice to see the attention to detail, but personally I was a bit disturbed, the way anybody would feel, for example, after walking into a store decorated for Valentine’s Day in the middle of June. To be fair, MarieBelle is very much catered to a female clientele, so I was out of place—and that’s probably a fair judgment, since I didn’t see another male walk into the store for about half an hour.

The same type of fairy-tale, over-the-top feel only continues with the chocolates, which come packed in a very sophisticated, sleek, and very sturdy red box, tied simply with an old-fashioned ribbon. Each piece is placed into its own little plastic compartment to keep everything in perfect condition. The kicker, though, is the design of the chocolates themselves. Each square comes with a bright, colorful hand-drawn image painted on it, transferred using a silk screen. It’s a process I’ve never seen used anywhere else, and it serves numerous functions. First, it helps identify each flavor, as each receives its own special image. That’s not a big deal, but it’s nice to see each flavor symbolized with its own caricature. Second, the process allows for extremely bright colors to be used. In turn, the whole surface of the chocolate can be decorated in a rainbow of colors. Finally, the process is extremely precise, and there is never mixing or smudging of any colors to be found. The net result of all this: The chocolates are easily the most elaborately decorated I’ve ever seen in my life, making them perfect for gifts.

That refined presentation, however, also covers up some fundamental problems with the taste of the chocolate, though it is in general rather good. The main problem is in the inconsistency of the flavors, as some are too subtle and some far too strong. Often, the reason lies in how the ingredients are actually integrated into the chocolate. In some pieces the ingredient is transformed into its own paste, while in others it is simply infused into a chocolate ganache. I find the former to be especially susceptible to problems, as the ingredient will often overpower the taste of the chocolate itself (e.g. in the Kona Bean). When the flavor is blended into the ganache, though, the bonbon can actually be quite delicious as long as the flavor isn’t too subtle.

Just as problematic as MarieBelle’s flavor integration, though, is its control of the basics. The chocolate is typically creamy, very milky, and very rich. That’s not necessarily a bad quality, but the creaminess and richness of the chocolate can at times overshadow the ingredient, so that numerous chocolates taste nearly identical. That richness can also make the chocolate overly heavy. Even worse, the sweetness tends to be unbalanced, verging on cloying at times.

On the more positive side, MarieBelle’s bonbons are about as smooth as chocolate can get. Moreover, the selection of 27 different flavors, while not mind-blowing, is more than enough, especially since the chocolates utilize completely different flavors, never overlapping at all. Some of the more unique options include fennel, kona bean, and even rosemary, an ingredient I’ve never seen transformed into chocolate anywhere else.

Those aspects aren’t enough, however, for me to give MarieBelle’s bonbons a recommendation, particularly at the price point. MarieBelle is all an image—trendy, but not quite as nice on the interior as on the exterior. While I love the out-of-this-world designs, it’s not enough to justify paying more than $3 for a piece of chocolate.

What I Tasted

1. Fennel: Really nice. Not too milky, but you get an incredible creaminess anyway, like a very good whipped cream. The fennel is very subtle, giving just a hint of herbiness, especially in the finish. It’s too subtle for me. 2.0/5.0
2. Rosemary: A lot more oomph here. You really get a verypronounced, but soft, rosemary touch that is incredibly interesting and surprisingly delightful. Nor is it overpowering at all. It synergizes well with the dark chocolate and leaves the mouth feeling zesty. 4.5/5.0
3. Dulce de Leche: Not a dulce de leche filling, just a slight infusion. I find that to be a great choice, considering how strong and sweet dulce de leche can be. Also, I like that they chose a dark chocolate here to get an interesting contrast for the sweetness. The dulce de leche still overpowers a bit, but that’s just the nature of the beast.4.0/5.0
4. Passion Fruit: I didn’t think I’d like the taste, but it’s just so uniquely tangy, instead of sweet, that it’s hard not to be interested at least. That tang contrasts nicely with the heavier, milky, creamy chocolate. The problem is that it comes through mostly in the finish, and there’s a horrible transition point b/t the sweet and sour flavors.3.8
5. Toffee: Nice and subtle, as it should be, since toffee is so strong it can overpower the chocolate easily. But here you get just a hint—enough to give you real flavor without becoming cloying. 3.2
6. Pistachio: This is an interesting take on pistachio, as the pistachio is infused into the chocolate ganache, rather than crushed into it. The nuttiness comes through very strongly, but it doesn’t interrupt the smoothness of the chocolate at all. It still has an odd overdose of sweetness to it. 4.2
7. Kona Bean: I can actually see rich kona bean paste in this (it has a strong coffee taste, if you’re wondering what kona bean is). But it’s cloying and unsatisfying, in addition to being so pasty that it throws the texture and melt off. 0.7
8. Cilantro: Another really weird, but interesting flavor. It has an odd green paste inside that is just far too overpowering, leaving you with a sharp herbiness that counters practically the whole richness of the chocolate. This is just a jumble of flavors and is very unsatisfying.0.8
9. Saffron: This should be a very strong flavor but it just doesn’t come through in the overly rich, creamy chocolate so much. Very fresh, herby, spicy, and refreshing, but overpowering, and the milk has too much of a heavy cream taste. 2.0

Scores

Presentation: 5.0/5.0
Taste: 2.6/5.0
Flavor (How well flavors are integrated): 2.3/5.0
Selection: 2.2/5.0
Value: 1.7/5.0
Verdict: 2.7/5.0. A very beautiful gift, though.

I’ve recently reviewed the chocolates by Jacques Torres, a Frenchman who has, quite surprisingly, become the face of American chocolate (or at least chocolate in NYC). He isn’t the only Frenchman in town, however, as world renowned chocolatier Michel Cluizel, a staple in Paris, has also set up shop in NYC in recent years.

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While both share the same heritage, though, their styles of chocolate couldn’t be more different. Though Jacques Torres actually resides and works in America, Michel Cluizel is centered in Paris, shipping his chocolate across the seas (a big con, by the way, since the chocolate isn’t as fresh). While Torres integrates American flavors and targets American tastes, Cluizel is unabashedly French, offering a much more bitter, generally darker chocolate with fewer untraditional or wacky ingredients. Cluizel is, unsurprisingly, not known so much for his flavors as for the general quality of his chocolate, especially his single origin varieties, made with cocoa beans from single plantations around the world.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t translate too well into bon bon production. While Michel Cluizel offers tons of varieties of chocolates, most of them are rather similar. Nothing breaks the mold. You do get a few bold flavors, such as the Earl Grey, Grand Cru, Crème Brulee, and the Single Origin pieces, but you also get an overrepresentation of nutty flavors and of pure chocolate pieces (i.e. with no filling or flavor).

Even worse, the chocolates come off as quite bland. Many of Cluizel’s pieces have the same type of consistency, and in general he doesn’t integrate the flavors well. The plain chocolate pieces are rather good, as you’d expect from one of the most renowned producers of gourmet chocolate bars in the world, but some of the stronger flavors, like the Grand Cru and Crème Brulee, don’t show the balance that you’d expect from French chocolate. Finally—and this is really the part that destroys Cluizel’s finely tempered chocolates—the sweetness never seems to be right, as the bon bons are either overpoweringly sweet or bitter.

As a side note, I also thought it’d be smart to try some of Cluizel’s liquor-filled white chocolates. They were intriguing as much for the beautiful crystal shapes in which they came as for the fact that Cluizel is perhaps the only producer I saw in NYC that took white chocolate seriously enough to give it a whole line of its own. Unfortunately, the white chocolate shells at first went almost unnoticed as the overpowering alcohol gushing underneath them burst forth into my mouth, only to emerge later with a cloying sweetness. They were too much to bear, and I didn’t like that the pieces were more alcohol than chocolate. Don’t be tempted by their outward beauty.

I do have to give Cluizel some credit, though, for the presentation, which is simple but professional and elegant. The pieces come in a small plastic box, and the chocolates themselves are cast into simple geometric shapes (circle is a favorite of his) with perhaps an inscription or the name of the ingredient written across the top. Sometimes he does get quite unique, though, especially with his larger pieces, crafting them into near-perfect images of golf balls, wine corks, crystal rocks (for his white chocolates), gigantic truffles, and more. In this sense, the designs are mixed: some are very unique, while others are as bland as can be. Unfortunately, the smaller pieces tend to fall into the latter category.  Still, you can tell just by looking at the chocolates just how well-crafted they are—everything is clean, slick, and properly formed.

Overall, though, I just can’t recommend Michel Cluizel’s assorted chocolates. They’re decently priced, but with so many competitors in New York, it’s possible to find so much better just a few blocks away.

What I Tasted

1. Earl Grey (Dark Chocolate): Really subtle. Flavors not too pronounced, but they meld well with the dark chocolate. Not too creamy either—just a bit hard on top, for a crunch. Really just like a plain dark chocolate. 3.0/5.0
2. 99% Cocoa: This is 99%? It’s so smooth you wouldn’t believe it. Obviously it’s not too creamy, but it goes down surprisingly easily. You really have to bite into this to break it, and the ganache is a bit hard. But I think that hardness works here.  4.3/5.0
3. Grand Cru (Red Wine Dark Chocolate): I love the presentation—it comes in the shape of a cork wrapped in foil. The flavor is off, though. The red wine bitterness completely dominates. 0.5/5.0
4. Chestnut Honey (Dark Chocolate): Nice presentation, as it comes in the form of a butterfly. Nice for a dark chocolate but the flavor is very subtle, giving a small touch of natural sweetness and nuttiness, which balance the intense cocoa well. Very balanced, but boring. 3.0/5.0
5. Crème Brulee (Dark Chocolate): Way overdone. Crème Brulee is too rich here—too much heavy vanilla and sugar here, especially when the chocolate is so dark and bitter. Instead of balancing each other, the flavors clash. 1.0/5.0
6. Cappuccino (Milk Chocolate):  It’s beautiful: A chocolate cup is topped with a cappuccino foam. The chocolate has strong coffee notes, but it’s cloyingly sweet. The milk chocolate in this tastes like it’s from a candy bar. 0.5/5.0
7. Plum and Armagnac (White Chocolate): Really too sweet. Starts out with a burst of flavor, as the liquid Armagnac inside moistens the chocolate and helps to balance out the sweetness, but it has a drier aftertaste. As soon as the gritty, crispy crunch of the white chocolate hits in, this becomes sickeningly sweet. 0.0
8. Cassis (blackcurrant) and liquor (White Chocolate): Lots of liquor in here, to the point that you can’t even taste the white chocolate till the end, where it becomes sickening and leaves a residue of sugar. 0.0
9. Pear Liquor (White Chocolate): Same as the last one, but the alcohol is even more bitter. I had to spit it out. 0.0/5.0
10. Pure Hazelnut Praline (Milk Chocolate): Finally, a flavor that’s done really well. The hazelnut is very thick and pasty, but it’s not too sweet and creamy, like a gianduja would be. Instead, the focus is on the heavy nut flavors, balancing out the over-sweetness of the milk chocolate. 4.3/5.0
11. Single Origin Chocolate, Maralumi: Masterly! Soft, but it holds its form well when you bite in. Very smooth, too. And the dark chocolate is incredibly balanced—you don’t even notice any bitterness. Very easy to eat. 4.6/5.0
12. Rocher (Almond and Hazelnut Praline in Milk Chocolate): Really nicely balanced. The milk chocolate is, as always, too sweet, a problem compounded by the praline’s sweetness. But the nuts are really nice, merging to form a unique flavor and to neutralize some of that sugar. 3.5/5.0
13. Tonka Bean (Milk Chocolate): Out of the whole batch, this is the one extremely rich, creamy, milk flavor that just melts in your mouth, and it’s so creamy and sweet that it’s practically cloying. Moreover, there’s no added flavor, so it comes off as plain. It’s good, but it’s overdone. 2.5/5.0
14. Milk Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Cookie (with hazelnut in the middle): Again, good balance. Some nice sweetness from the inner layer of milk chocolate is counterbalanced by the dark chocolate cookies. Nice, lengthy cocoa aftertaste. Still, it’s kind of bland. 3.0/5.0
15. Icare (Almond and Hazelnut Cooked Intensely): Same type of flavor as the other almond and hazelnut bon bon, except it has a much stronger roasted flavor to it, suiting the bitter dark chocolate. 3.7/5.0
16. Dark Chocolate and Salted Caramel: The caramel is very gooey and sticky, clinging to the mouth, so it’s somewhat unpleasant to eat. But the texture is nicely viscous, and the caramel isn’t overly sweet. There’s just not enough chocolate here. 2.7/5.0

Scores

Presentation: 3.8/5.0. 4.7/5.0 for the more unique treats in the shop.
Taste: 1.8/5.0. Extremely inconsistent.
Flavor (How well flavors are integrated): 1.5/5.0
Selection: 4.3/5.0
Value: 2.0/5.0. I just wouldn’t pay for these chocolates, even though they’re cheap.
Verdict: 2.0/5.0. 2.5/5.0 for a gift.

Location: 80 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012-5112.
Country of Production: USA.
Price: $28 for 12 Truffles.

Lately, I’ve eaten a lot of chocolate from New York, and trust me, my wallet hasn’t been thanking me. Places like MarieBelle and Martine’s may have some pretty decent/good chocolate, but the prices are just outrageous. Thankfully, Kee’s Chocolates takes a stand against the inflationary spiral that’s enveloped fine chocolate, showing that not only can good chocolate be cheap, but it can even be better than the more expensive varieties.

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Kee’s Chocolates is all about flavor and quality, not looks. Forget all the wild decorations, the fancy shapes and sizes, the nice boxes, and even the typical chocolate storefront. Those are all smoke and mirrors, and Kee’s won’t have anything to do with them. Instead, what you get is an unassuming tiny shop in the middle of a neighborhood that really doesn’t look like it would have good chocolate. Nor does the store itself impress. As you look around you see yourself in a cubicle of drab monocolored walls with a small display case of about 20 varieties.

Not even the chocolate, which is undoubtedly some of the biggest on flavor I had in New York, appears to be any good, at least on the surface. My truffles came in a plain, boring brown box that was just plain ugly, and the truffles were even uglier. Not only did they all look nearly identical (making good taste buds essential if you hope to identify the flavors), but 3 out my 12 had huge cracks running across their shells. Good chocolate is good chocolate, but for a chocolatier to serve you truffles with cracks—that’s just not right.

What’s even more surprising, though, is that none of it really matters, because Kee’s, while not fancy, delivers. The flavor profiles of its truffles are all very balanced, pronounced, and integrated well, which is really all you can ask for from chocolate. The truffles also hit the right texture with a creaminess that is just enough so that it doesn’t become nauseating at all. The creaminess doesn’t overshadow any of the flavors, either. Instead, Kee’s hits you right over the head repeatedly with each ingredient, not only placing each ingredient in small little chunks throughout its respective truffle but also infusing the ingredient into the cream itself to give you an added jolt.

This is all the more impressive because Kee’s pushes the limits of the truffle. Instead of producing one or two truffles as most chocolatiers do, Kee’s produces 44 different varieties (if my count is right), although probably only half are available in the store on a given day.

Moreover, while Kee’s produces traditional flavors, the real draw is in its use of Asian ingredients to create some of the most unique flavors I have ever seen. It is, in fact, the only place outside of France I’ve seen flavors like yuzu, honey kumquat, black rose, and black sesame, and I have never seen such flavors used in truffles. Kee’s, then, not only produces fantastic chocolate, but it has a virtual monopoly over its product—that is, you just can’t get a Kee’s-style truffle anywhere else.

The best part, though? The bill. While it was still a bit less than $30 for 12 truffles, that’s a pretty fair/average price for truffles, and for the New York area, the price is actually excellent, especially for the quality that you get. Sure, the chocolates are not flashy, but they are still a great personal eat. Just don’t give them away as a gift.

Kee’s Chocolates is, overall, a fantastic pick. It doesn’t have the aesthetics of its competitors, but it more than makes up for that by creating some of the best chocolates in NYC with some of the lowest prices around.

What I Tasted

1. Tiramisu: Interesting. Strong, coffee taste to it, as it’s dusted with coffee, which I thought was a nice touch. But it’s too intense—the coffee and super dark chocolate ganache make it too bitter. The smoothness of the cream makes up for it, but the flavor is still a bit odd. 4.0/5.0
2. Pistachio: Delicious. So soft you can just cut through it as you bite. Cream is rich—it’s a sweet vanilla-ish cream, a perfect complement to the heavy, slightly salty, very strong Italian pistachio crunch. I love that it’s literally coated in pistachios. 4.8/5.0
3. Almond: Delicious. It’s very similar to the pistachio, with a filling of light, rich, perfect vanilla cream that has a lot of sugar. The heavy coating of nuts balances the sweetness, gives crunch and texture, and adds nuance. It’s just a bit sweet. 4.5/5.0
4. Black Rose: Actually, a bit too intense of a dark chocolate for me, as it verges on the bitter. It does work, though, because the truffle is so creamy and smooth that it doesn’t go down harshly, meaning you can savor it. 4.1
5. Crystallized Almonds: This one has some oomph. The problem with crystallizing is that you risk over-sweetening the treat (almost always). Kee’s does a great job moderating this combo, though it’s not perfect. The integration of the almonds (which are practically minced) into a rich paste, rather than the use of larger whole pieces, helps balance out the sugar. Great, gritty texture, too. 4.2
6. Green Tea: Another success. So soft it melts in your hand. The white chocolate coating is smooth and rich, and it is a bit sweet for my taste. The cream is also on the sweet side. The very marked green tea flavor, moreover, contrasts sharply with the sweetness—and I mean in a bad way. But it still shows a lot of technical excellence. 3.8
7. Honey Saffron: This is a very subtle flavor but in a very good way. It has a dark chocolate ganache filling, but the honey sweetness doesn’t overpower. Both the honey and saffron are nuanced , so you get the richness of the dark chocolate combining with a very natural sweetness and spice that leaves you refreshed. Very complex mix of big flavors. 4.2
8. Mousse: Plain as can be, but oh so good! It’s just a really solid dark chocolate filling. It’s subtle, without an overpowering bitterness, but the flavor shines regardless. The creaminess makes it so easy to enjoy. 4.2
9. Turtle: This one’s actually in the shape of a turtle. It’s basically half pecan and half chocolate, but surprisingly it’s not overly nutty because it has exactly the right amount of caramel and chocolate to balance it out, forming a sweet, nutty, crunchy, and gooey combo. 4.3
10. Blood Orange: Kind of neutral. I’m not a fan of blood orange in general, but here you really don’t taste it too much. It’s just a slight orange tang that really boosts the flavor without interfering with the chocolate. Instead, the blood orange balances out the bitterness just a bit. 4.2
11. Fennel: Really odd flavor. Not horrible, though. As with all the truffles, the cream is so good, you almost ignore the flavor problem. It’s very sweet at first but has a quick, abrupt change to really tangy and zesty. It’s too abrupt and wild for me. 3.5

Scores

Presentation: 0.0/5.0
Taste: 4.4/5.0. Extra points for consistency—not one chocolate was disappointing.
Flavor (How well flavors are integrated): 4.6/5.0
Selection: 4.4/5.0.
Value: 4.2/5.0.
Verdict: 4.3+ for personal use, but 2.5 for a gift.