Portland Chocolate

This list illustrates the wide range of innovative chocolate desserts available at Portland area restaurants, cafes, and bakeries. It is for inspiration and comparison only, as dessert menus change frequently. In addition, the desserts listed here span multiple seasons, thus may not all be available in the current season. (Call ahead if you are counting on experiencing a specific dessert, at a specific restaurant, on a specific occasion.)

You will notice several key chocolate dessert themes across the current Portland restaurant landscape. For instance, despite overexposure the past few years, the molten chocolate cake and it’s close relatives (warm, flourless chocolate cake and fallen chocolate souffle) are alive and well, thank you very much. These are almost always accompanied by ice cream, which seems a necessity to reliven the palate after each super-rich chocolate bite.

Another trend seems to be the reemergence of the classic mousse, which I was beginning to wonder if pastry chefs had either forgotten or purposely abandoned. Bravo! Donuts (churros and beignet) are also well represented, as are puddings, pot de cremes, and panna cottas, which effectively combine the luxury and elegance of the finest couverture chocolate with homey comfort and nostalgia. Not exactly pudding the way Mom made it, but pudding nonetheless.

Trends that don’t appear to be hitting Portland in any significant way are deconstructed desserts (such as those that appear in Demolition Desserts  by Elizabeth Falkner and across much of the Boston dessert landscape), Verrines (colorful desserts layered in glasses), and unusual flavor pairings. Are these too cerebral, too chichi for Northwesterners? (I don’t see much of this in Seattle either.)

NOTE   Orange text indicates desserts we have sampled thus far. We have a LONG way to go! 🙂

23 Hoyt (NW district)

• Warm Chocolate Pudding Crepes with Coffee Ice Cream, Salt Caramel & Candied Pecans
• German Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream & Toasted Coconut
• Chocolate Caramel Parfait with Hot Fudge Sauce
• Chocolate Molten Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

50 Plates (Pearl district, closed)

• Faux Hos: Cocoa Sponge Cake with White Chocolate Cream & Dark Chocolate Shell
• Mile-High Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting & Brown Sugar Ice Cream
• S’More Fondue: House-Made Grahams, Molten Marshmallow & Valrhona Hot Fudge

Andina (Pearl district)

• Torta De Chocolate with Decadent Chocolate-Cinnamon Cake Served with Lucuma Ice Cream & Toasted Corn Praline
• Lucuma & Espresso Semi-freddo with Chocolate Ganache, Crushed Cocoa Nib Meringue & Espresso Shortbread
• Authentic Handmade Peruvian Truffles
  • Cusco: Yellow Hot Pepper, Spiced Citrus Peel in Milk Chocolate
  • Loreto: Passion Fruit And Apricots in Milk Chocolate
  • Capuli: Dark Chocolate Ganache Infused with Anise

Bluehour (Pearl district)

• Cordillera Chocolate Torte with Pumpkin  Chai Ice Cream & Black Sesame Honey
• Chocolate Layer Cake with Turkish Coffee Ice Cream & Pecans
• Chocolate-Glazed Hazelnut & Almond Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream & Espresso Caramel Sauce
• Chocolate Caramel Torte with Praline Ice Cream

Castagna (SE Hawthorne)

• Dark Chocolate, Caramel & Cashew Tart with Rum Mousseline
• Chocolate Mousse, Almond Streusel & Frozen White Chocolate

ClarkLewis (NE River district)

• Gianduja Profiteroles with Chocolate Gelato, Chantilly & Gianduja Sauce
• Gianduja Gelato Terrine with Candied Hazelnuts and Chantilly
• Flourless Milk Chocolate Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Chestnut Honey
• Black Bottom Pie with Hot Fudge, Caramel & Candied Pecans
• Chocolate Chestnut Torte

Clyde Common (Downtown)

• Chocolate-Bourbon Ice Cream Baked Alaska, Chocolate Pudding & Walnuts
• Double Chocolate Whoopie Pie with Peanut Butter Pudding & Cream
• Chocolate Mousse, Whipped Cream, Toasted Marshmallow & Graham Cracker
• Cardamom Cocoa Nib Creme Brulee with Chocolate Crinkle Cookie
• Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake with Sherry Raisin Ice Cream, Coco Fudge Sauce & Hazelnuts

Fenouil (Pearl district, closed)

• Beignets au Sachet: Chocolate Fritters with Lemon Sage Creme Anglaise
• Les Soufflés: Duo Of Chocolate Soufflé & Honey Tangerine Soufflé with Rum Caramel & Cognac Chocolate Sauce
• Chocolate Soufflé Cake with Mint Ice cream & Peppermint Cacao Lollipop

Giorgio’s (Pearl district)

• Warm Soft Chocolate Cake with Homemade Caramel Ice Cream

Heathman (Downtown)

• Black Forest Chocolate Cake with Bing & Rainer Cherries, Chantilly Cream & Chocolate Shavings
• Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake with Guittard Chocolate Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream
• Triple Chocolate Pot De Creme: White, Milk, and Dark Chocolate Puddings

Higgins (Downtown)

• Chocolate Sundae with Fudge Brownie, Malted Milk Ice Cream, Hot Fudge & Butter Toasted Almonds
• Chocolate Mousse Bombe Filled with Raspberry Sorbet
• Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Tart with Spiced Chantilly Cream
• Chocolate Pizzelle Filled with Mint Ice Cream & Cherry Compote

Jo Bar (NW district)

• Wood Oven Baked Molten Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce and Crème Anglaise

Lauro Kitchen

• Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake with Coffee Anglaise
• Chocolate Midnight Cake with Crème Anglaise

Little Bird Bistro (Downtown)

• Chocolate Pot De Crème with Buttermilk Doughnuts

Lucca (NE 24th)

• Flourless Chocolate Cake with Espresso Anglaise & Chocolate-Hazelnut Bark
• Profiteroles with Caramel Ice Cream, Warm Chocolate Sauce & Toffee Sea Salt Crumbles

Lucy’s Table (NW district, closed)

• Boca Negra: Moist Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake, Whipped Cream & Nut Florentine

Metrovino (N Pearl District)

• Chocolate Espresso Cake with Rum Mascarpone Mousse & Warm Ganache

Mint (N River district)

• Cinnamon Infused Caramel Chocolate Fondue with Fresh Fruit & Pound Cake
• Chocolate Croissant Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream

Nel Centro (Downtown)

• Valhrona Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse Cake
• Pear & Chocolate Bread Pudding with Brandy Crème Anglaise
• Scharffen Berger Chocolate Soufflé with Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise

Noble Rot (E Burnside)

• Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream & Caramel
• Flourless Chocolate Cake, Coconut, Crème Anglaise & Almond Praline
• Dark Chocolate Mousse, Hazelnut Brittle & Coffee Foam

Nostrana (SE district)

• Chocolate Budino
• Chocolate Sorbetto & Chester Blackberry Sorbetto with Hazelnut Cookie
• Chocolate Almond Marbled Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Nuestra Cocina (SE Division)

• Moist Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate and Caramel Sauces and Cinnamon Ice Cream

Oba! (Pearl district)

• Cinnamon-Chocolate Volcano Cake with Caramel Creme Fraîche Ice Cream
• Baked Argentina with Chocolate Cake, Bananas, Pineapple, Caramel, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Toasted Meringue
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Mousse & Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust with Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Paley’s Place (NW district)

• Warm Chocolate Soufflé Cake with Toasted Hazelnuts & Honey Vanilla Ice Cream
• Chocolate Brownie Cake, Amarena Cherries, Caramel Sauce & Peanut Brittle Ice Cream

Paragon (Pearl district)

• Mocha Chocolate Tart with Cocoa Syrup & Vanilla Ice Cream
• Flourless Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Anglaise, Blackberry Coulis, Whipped Cream, and Fresh Blackberries
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart with Salted Peanuts & Chocolate Sauce
• Chocolate Pot De Crème with Cardamom & Sugar Cookies

Park Kitchen (Pearl district)

• Chocolate Nailla with Earl Grey Ice
• Chocolate Figgy Pudding with Pecan Icebox Cookie
• Chocolate Pear Torte with Pear Brandy Sabayon & Crushed Amaretti
• Chocolate Panna Cotta, Blood Orange Granite & Mint
• Chocolate Toast, Stout Sabayon & Fresh Raspberries

PIX Patisserie (SE Division or N Williams)

• Amelie: Orange Vanilla Crème Brulee. Glazed Chocolate Mousse, Caramelized Hazelnuts, Praline crisp and Cointreau Genoise
• Shazam: Chocolate Almond Cake, Caramel Mousse & Salted Almonds

 St. Jack (SE Clinton) (Alissa Rozos, Pastry Chef, 2012)

• Chocolate Napoleon With Chocolate-Pistachio Mousse, Pistachio Ganache & Brandied Cherries

Sel Gris (SE Hawthorne. closed)

• Chocolate Trio: Chocolate Praline Cone with Orange-Chocolate Mousse, Orange Panna Cotta with Dark Chocolate Sauce & Chocolate-Orange Truffle Cake
• Chocolate Overdose: Fallen Chocolate Soufflé, Chocolate Rum Mousse, Chocolate Glaze & Cocoa Nibs

SouthPark (Downtown theatre district)

• Dark Chocolate Crostata: Semi-Sweet Chocolate Ganache Wrapped in Rich Pâte Sucre Crust with Lemon Sorbetto
• Espresso Cake, White Chocolate Mousse & Coffee Gelato

Tabla (SE district)

• Cocoa Caramel Panna Cotta with Whipped Cream, Vanilla Bean, Amaretto & Chocolate Cigarettes
• Chocolate Truffle Cake with White Chocolate Crème Anglais

Ten 01 (Pearl district, closed)

• Flourless Chocolate Cake with Sage Ice Cream and Whiskey Caramel
• Flourless Bittersweet Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis & Chantilly Cream
• Churro Bites with Mexican Hot Chocolate
• Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Raspberry Caramel
• Chocolate Stout Brownie with Bailey’s Ice Cream and Whiskey Caramel
• Chocolate Truffle Cake

Torro Bravo (NE district)

• Churros and Chocolate
• Molten Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

Urban Farmer (Downtown)

• Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla-Champagne Sorbet & Blood Orange
• Mud Pie with Rocky Road Ice Cream, Chocolate Cookies & Hot Fudge
• Valrhona Chocolate Hazelnut Soufflé with Praline Crème Anglaise

Wildwood (NW district)

• Valrhona Single Origin Chocolate Terrine with Cocoa Nib Praline and Muscovado Lace Wafer
• Baked Chocolate Pudding with Ladyfinger Cookie Crumble, Tiramisu Creme Anglaise & Candied Almonds
• Valrhona “Manjari’ Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Stumptown Espresso Granite & Cocoa Whipped Cream
• Creamy Chocolate-Espresso Torta with Caramelized Black Cherries, Almonds & Whipped Cream
• Black Bottom Chocolate Tart with Cocoa Nib Praline & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• German Chocolate Rugelach with Walnuts, Coconut, Dark Chocolate & White Chocolate Ice Cream

Resources

Alma Chocolates
Cacao
Chocolate Academy
Chocolate in Context
Chocolate Meditation
ChocolateSpeak
Chocolati
Chocolopolis
Claudio Corallo Chocolate
CocoAroma Magazine
Cocoa Chai Chocolates
Dagoba Chocolate
Fiori Chocolatiers
Grenada Chocolate Company
Lulu’s Raw Chocolate Alchemy
Kakawa Chocolate House
Northwest Chocolate Festival
Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon
Seattle Luxury Chocolate Salon Awards 2008
Taste Chocolate
Theo Chocolate