The Chocolate Room

[SethG]

On Saturday, I happened by this new shop on Brooklyn's Fifth Avenue, between St. Marks and Prospect Place.

I had a chat with the owners, a couple who seem very nice, and who seem to have a commitment to good chocolate. They talked about trying to make their own chocolates, but after learning more about the field they decided to team up with a partner who has an established track record. They explored teaming up with Kee in Manhattan but eventually settled on Knipschildt Chocolatier out of Connecticut.

I tried the classic truffles they were giving away and I thought they were very good. The shop promises to be another great addition to a street that continues to bloom with new life. Anybody know much about Knipschildt's chocolates?

[alacarte]

Love the slogan: "there's always room for chocolate." I agree.

[SethG]

Here's the only prior thread I could find in which Knipschildt's chocolates are mentioned. One poster found them to be the only decent chocolates at the New York Chocolate Show.

[peter_nyc]

Since I just recently moved to an apartment down the street from the Chocolate Room, I felt it was my civic duty to sample their offerings in my humble attempt to support neighborhood business (and who can resist when chocolate is on the menu, let alone the ONLY thing on the menu?)

I was there on their second night, only after discovering at around midnight or so on opening night that they close at 11pm. My companions and I agree that a place like this should stay open much later than 11pm, perhaps to 1 or 2 am. But we can only hope that sometime down the road this will actually happen.

Okay, so regarding the offerings: there are 7 choices currently:

-Chocolate Layer Cake

-Frozen White Chocolate Raspeberry Mousse

-Espresso Chocolate Flan

-Chocolate Crepes

-Chocolate Trio

-Chocolate Fondue for Two

-Lemon Buttermilk Soufflé

Besides the fondue ($12) and the Chocolate Layer Cake ($5), everything is $6.50. I sampled the Chocolate Trio (a ridiculously rich chocolate ginger tart, a somewhat dry chocolate pear financier and a shot of ridiculously rich, soupy hot chocolate), the Chocolate Fondue for Two (very good), and the Lemon Buttermilk Soufflé (which I found to be delicious, if not a bit too airy for my taste).

I must mention the hot chocolate. In addition to the shot that comes in the Chocolate Trio, I sampled what they call a "Hot Chocolote" (made with 60% bittersweet Belgian chocolate), a "Classic Hot Cocoa" (made with a blend of Michel Cluizel 45% milk chocolate and pure Tahitian vanilla), and, a special that evening, a "banana hot chocolate" (made with banana puree). All three were incredibly rich and thick. It was like drinking melted chocolate. The homemade marshmallows were puffy and also quite good.

I intend on going back after they acquire a beer and wine license as they intend on doing wine pairings.

And for the curious, the Classic Hot Cocoa and the Hot Chocolate are $4.50 and $4 respectively. They also serve coffee for $1.50, a cappuccino for $3 and an espresso for $2.

[Moopheus]

I was there on their second night, only after discovering at around midnight or so on opening night that they close at 11pm. 

←

Are they actually open now? I walked by the other night and there was a sign in the window saying they would open on the 14th, but possibly I misread.

[zeitoun]

Thanks for the notice. It's always nice to see small businesses such as these open in the neighborhood. I'll check it out when i get a chance.

[peter_nyc]

They are open now, yes-- that is, unless they haven't closed again, but I can't see why that would have happened.

[chocophile]

On Saturday, I happened by this new shop on Brooklyn's Fifth Avenue, between St. Marks and Prospect Place.

Anybody know much about Knipschildt's chocolates?

←

They're also written up in today's (Feb 2, 2005) NYTimes Dining section.

Fritz Knipschildt (www.knipschildt.com) is Danish and works out of a converted catering kitchen in Norwalk, CT. He has achieved some success in providing bulk chocolates to small shops like The Chocolate Room as well as catalog distribution and wide Internet distribution. He appears to employ 4-5 people full time plus some seasonal help.

One way to characterize Fritz is as a journeyman chocolatier. He makes several very nice pieces with some unusual and good flavor combinations (white chocolate w/ cardamom, raspberry w/ pink peppercorn, tangerine lime chile) but has some challenges with being consistently good (well, pretty much everyone does -- and it's that aspect of the craft that separates the merely very good from the great). One thing that I do admire about Fritz is that he works very hard at his craft and keeps improving - his flavors, his technique, his consistency. He also has some nice packaging and works very hard to present a unique and identifiable look - I brokered a corporate gifting deal over the holidays with Fritz's work and the client (and the recipients) were very happy.

:Clay

[Habeas Brulee]

Their chocolate sorbet is the best I've ever had.