561223 Mon Sep 29 20:48:33 -0700 2008 7 49 France 0 4071295 I'm looking for restaurants like Le Bernadin that use fine dark chocolate, of the level of Amedei, Valrhona, Amano, Patric, etc., in their desserts. Has anyone run across any of note? Many thanks. - alissa@chocolatesurveyor.com Mon Sep 29 20:48:33 -0700 2008 229399 ChocolateSurveyor 1 4071474 Chocolate 'puddle' just had at Senderans was exactly what you are looking for. The dark hole of chocolate. However, you have to go through a meal, with rare exception, that was not great to get to it. Chocolate mousse at Chez Denise very dense as well Mon Sep 29 23:13:44 -0700 2008 4071295 71113 Delucacheesemonger 2 4071576 No you don't. Just go for dessert. And don't skip the wine pairing. Tue Sep 30 03:22:36 -0700 2008 4071474 96547 souphie 3 4071681 Senderans served a glass of tawny port with it, good; felt a banyuls would have been even beter. S is corrrect, although many restaurants will not serve just dessert, apparantly this one will. A great suggestion Tue Sep 30 05:26:19 -0700 2008 4071576 71113 Delucacheesemonger 4 4075846 Thanks for the suggestion. Turns out that they use really good Samana chocolate. alissa www.chocolatesurveyor.com Wed Oct 01 20:14:41 -0700 2008 4071681 229399 ChocolateSurveyor 1 4076091 I am intrigued by the question. I had assumed that all "good" restaurants would use high quality chocolate, especially as chocolate like Valrhona is so easy to source and not that expensive (relatively) in Paris. Is it not better to ask which "good" restaurants don't use fine chocolate? We need to be warned! I generally assume the default is good chocolate and it will only be the dodgy ones that use cheap (i.e. low percentage cocoa solids). Wed Oct 01 23:34:50 -0700 2008 4071295 64584 PhilD 2 4081887 That's a really interesting point. In the U.S., I'm finding that only recently are fine restaurants using fine chocolate, and rarely are the chocolate sources listed on menus (perhaps since most Americans aren't familiar with chocolate makers). I hope that US restaurants increasingly follow Paris' lead (in chocolate and in other culinary delights!). Sat Oct 04 14:06:39 -0700 2008 4076091 229399 ChocolateSurveyor 1 4082610 Also you should contact David Leibovitz -- he's our resident expert on chocolate in Paris. Sun Oct 05 02:16:01 -0700 2008 4071295 96547 souphie