Chocolaterian Cafe, which opened late last year on Atwood Avenue, seems to have something for everyone, with its wines, Just Coffee, a window into the kitchen and weekly live music. And of course, the main attractions–the “sweet” and “savory” items on the menu. Ready to indulge?
The Ugly Cookie ($2.25) is a fantastic mixture of toffee, pistachios, cocoa nibs and oats. Calories aside, I could have eaten 10 of them had it not been for the relatively high price for its size. I also tried the brownie ($3; moist and had the right sweetness), the lemon ricotta ($1.50; not much flavor), the lemon tart ($5; tasty because it wasn’t tart) and the Badger Bait ($2.50; a wonderful nexus of chocolates).
What came as a surprise to me was that my favorite item at the patisserie was salty, not sweet. I ate perhaps the best quiche ($8) I’ve ever had. The egg was perfectly fluffy, the crust perfectly flaky, and together they were harmonious. I also enjoyed the turkey panini with asparagus and morel ($9), though it was a tiny sandwich.
Some parting thoughts: Apparently it’s not much of a destination for the breakfast crowd, as the cafe was once open at 8 a.m. Tuesday to Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday, but now it opens at 10 a.m. those days. Also, the staff makes a big fuss if you try to pay with a credit card for any tab less than $20. At least there’s an ATM on site.
Chocolaterian Cafe is open Tuesday-Sunday. I’ve found more parking on the Winnebago Street side, where there’s also an entrance.
Finally we come to Menchie’s, located in 
