San Francisco, Dipped in Chocolate

Ben Horvath, Contributing Writer, Food Culture

The City by the Bay takes food very seriously. Let me rephrase that – they take good food seriously. Not to say they are food snobs -- nothing could be farther from the truth. Since I have arrived I have found four foods that you should experience: chocolate, bread, seafood and dim sum. I am a firm believer in eating dessert first, and by first, I mean chocolate. For anyone that loves chocolate – whether milk or dark, bitter or sweet, bar or truffle – San Francisco is a must-visit. I love it all. Okay, that is a lie. I like it dark and sweet. Here are four places you shouldn't miss.

See's Candies (http://www.sees.com/)

Founded in Los Angeles in 1921 but now headquartered in South San Francisco. See's is as much about the store as it is about the candy. From the white-tiled floor to the clerks dressed in crisp white uniforms, it is like stepping back in to the 1920s. Each chocolate is displayed in a small class dish on the counter. If you go, the store on Market Street's Flat Iron Building is the best. You can sit and people-watch on one of the city's busiest streets. Try the bridge mix and dark and milk chocolate-coated pieces of caramel, nuts and brittle. Here is a well-known secret: you can try any candy in the case.

 

XOX Truffles Inc. (http://www.xoxtruffles.com/)

Chef Jean-Mar Gorce and his wife Casimira do one thing and those are truffles (see photo above). The small store in the North Beach neighborhood with the blue awning in gold letters announces you have arrived at a chocolate mecca. Each small, irregular, hand-shaped ball is smooth ganache coated in either white or dark chocolate, then dusted in cocoa powder. I recommend the Honey-Vodka, a la Orange Truffles, or the Coconut Truffles. Grab a cup of coffee and a box of truffles and sit outside this neighborhood store and meet locals and their four-legged buddies. 

Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop at Ghirardelli Square (http://ghirardelli.com/)

At one time the company headquarters and factory, Ghirardelli Square is full of shops and restaurants today. Inside the cafe you can see the original equipment used to make the famous squares embossed with an eagle. Have a seat in the ice cream parlor, circa 1890s, and enjoy an ice cream sundae with homemade dark chocolate hot fudge. Thick, dark and rich, this hot fudge is the best I have ever had. Grab a few squares of chocolate and watch the cable cars go by. 

Recchiuti Confections (http://www.recchiuti.com)

Located in the historic San Francisco Ferry Building, a food lovers' destination in itself, here chocolate is art. Each piece is treated like a fine minimalist sculpture. My favorites are the Candied Orange Peel, firm with that essential orange flavor then coated in bittersweet chocolate. Also try the Ginger Heart, dark chocolate ganache married with fresh ginger then coated in white chocolate. Not to be missed are the homemade vanilla marshmallows, dense and rich cubes with pieces of vanilla bean mixed in.  If you go to only one place in San Francisco, head to the Ferry Building. It is worth the trip.

Writing this article made me crave something dark and sweet. Next week my article will be a carb lovers dream -- all about bread.

Comments

[D. Fite]

Ben,
Thank you for these "Tasty Tidbits." Like you, I love dark, sweet chocolate and am craving a piece after reading this. I love your bits of history and travel destination suggestions married with delicious foods. I can't wait for next week's bread article.
PS Send me some...