(chocolati.com) – Wallingford
How I heard of this place: The first time I ever found myself at Chocolati was about four years ago when three Persian friends and I wanted to celebrate the Persian New Year together. We found ourselves at Chocolati after tying knots in the sabzeh (sprouts) and tossing the entire batch into Greenlake.
Type of cuisine: A cafe focused on everything chocolate, from truffles to hot cocoa, to espresso beverages and pastries (cookies, brownies, etc.). You want chocolate, you have at least this one cafe to choose from in various Seattle neighborhoods.
Ambiance: This Wallingford location seems small when you enter. And then you realize that there are two loft spaces upstairs. The intimate spaces are shared with others who are working on their computers or cuddling on the couch. Wooden tables with wooden chairs are placed on either side of the entry way. Bar seating is available at the front in the floor-to-ceiling window spaces. The dark browns and wood give the space a feeling of warmth, comfort and tranquility.
What I ordered: I always order one of the specialty hot chocolate concoctions at Chocolati. On this trip, I went with a 12-ounce Peppermint Patty hot chocolate ($4.50); real chocolate melted into twelve ounces of steaming, hot non-fat milk and a generous taste of peppermint flavor. One of my dining companions also ordered the Peppermint Patty (16-ounce). We were both surprised to taste our beverages, only to find that we were both enjoying, not peppermint, but raspberry (the Vader). Among the rest of us, we had a 12-ounce signature hot chocolate, a 12-ounce latte, an 8-ounce hot chocolate with a shot of espresso and a 16-ounce Vader. The two of us on the same bill couldn’t pass up the *new* peppermint chocolate chocolate chip cookie, so we ended up with two…Which still seemed not enough. Another of our dining companions ordered four cookies for our party to sample and share: chocolate dipped peanut butter, snickerdoodle, gingersnap, and chocolate cherry chocolate chip.
What I loved: The real chocolate used in the hot cocoas is hard to beat. Chunks of soft chocolate continue to melt in your mouth and float around the cup as you sip your drink to the last, rich drop! But I have to say the new peppermint cookies won it. The cherry chocolate was also nicely and softly flavored of cherries, baked into the chocolate cookie. We all agreed that the snickerdoodle deserved extra points for its melt in your mouth cookie dough consistency and sweetness!
Why I loved it: This spot is perfect as a place to catch up with friends visiting from out of state and out of the country, has a cozy setting, tasty beverages and a peaceful atmosphere. The hot chocolate is consistently good and a wonderful way to spend a cold, winter day indoors.
Cost: Average to high ($3-$6 per beverage)