Restaurant of the Month: Cafe Chocolate

Each month Yucatan Today visits a restaurant in order to describe what it has to offer. This is not a review; it is a summary of the menu, service, ambience, prices, and opening hours.

January 2010

You may already know about the delicious and affordable buffets at Café Chocolate: varied and enticing breakfasts for 49 pesos, and lunches with soups, salads, and main courses, including house specialty Mole de Chocolate, for 59 pesos. But did you know that Café Chocolate serves the MOST delicious dinners? Read on…you are in for a treat!

Café Chocolate is a space where the concept of café blends with an art and antiques gallery. It is the fusion of gastronomy and art in all of its expressions, with the beauty of the past; a boutique café where all of the beautiful objects on display are also for sale.

The menu is designed with healthy and fresh products; carefully selecting the ingredients of each dish. The restaurant owner personally shops for the vegetables each day, selecting each tomato, potato, and carrot one by one. Everything is prepared at the moment of ordering, and the salad vegetables are cut an instant before being served. The breads and pastas are all made by hand in their kitchen, with no preservatives, which guarantees exquisite taste.

You could begin your dinner with a Caesar Salad: crunchy lettuce, tomato, freshly grated parmesan cheese, with the Chef’s perfect Caesar dressing, served with browned croutons. Delicate, fresh, simply delicious. Continue with the Grilled Vegetables Bruschetta: grilled slices of vegetables, scented with Italian herbs and roasted garlic, served on buttery toasted focaccia bread and topped with goat cheese. Perfectly prepared, piping hot, and full of flavor. And then choose a homemade pasta such as Fettuccine with Crystallized Tomato, made with baked crystallized tomatoes, scented with garlic, thyme, and olive oil, and topped with soft goat cheese. There are no words to describe the delicious flavor of this dish…each ingredient present but with a harmony that you can’t imagine. The dinner menu also includes sincronizadas, chimichangas, crepes, gourmet panini and baguette sandwiches, and several house specialties with chocolate mole. Every Thursday they offer Red Pozole, Jalisco style. The desserts are original…with names like Cheesecake Lollipops, Coffee Flan, Banana Reverse Tart, Ravioli with Chocolate Mousse, and Café Chocolate Gift…come and discover what they are! Cold beverages include frappés, smoothies, and natural juices; and hot drinks include capuccinos, expressos, and teas. And…obviously…café chocolate and hot chocolate!

The service is warm and attentive. All the staff are young people who study and work to support themselves; Café Chocolate gives them the opportunity to get ahead.

Café Chocolate is located in an antique house on Calle 60 at 49 in Centro Histórico. The soft blue building with chocolate color lettering houses four different environments which range from intimate to relaxing. Let yourself unwind to the sounds of the fountain on the patio, or simply enjoy the quiet open spaces.

Café Chocolate is open Monday to Saturday, from 7 am to midnight. They also have free wireless Internet. Free parking. Tel. 928-5113. www.cafe-chocolate.com.mx