Monique’s Chocolates

So … this has been replaced by Timothy Adams Chocolates! I LOVE the décor and one of the owners (I couldn’t remember if it was Timothy or Adams) was present when I stopped by. He was super nice! Check it out if you haven’t already! :)

Wow. pretty late in writing this review but then it’s always here should they return and open another store.
So, the Chocolates were ok, better than a lot of other Chocolatiers I had tried but then not as impressive as I was lead to believe they were. I’m also pretty sure I was overcharged as based on the prices the girl in the shop told me for each item (and in line with what others reviewers have said) as I calculated my total would be $ 10 yet was charged $ 14. Whatever, I guess I should ask for a receipt in future.
Where I did enjoy the White Chocolate Truffle the most what I found about them all were that they had this waxy texture and the Caramels were overly chewy. When I think of Caramel I think creamy too yet these were very sweet and very small.
The young server was friendly and the Hot Chocolate did look enticing but eh. not for me.

Whattt, I can’t believe this place closed! In hopes that the owners will reconsider their move to Paris and open up another chocolatier in California, I’ll write my review anyways!
Monique’s has the prettiest chocolates! They offer a wide range of blends from 35% milk chocolate to 100% cocoa with varieties from all around the world, including countries like Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and Ghana!
Chocolates:
— Hawaiian 35% Milk Chocolate — This chocolate comes from Waialua, Oahu. It was printed with a cute yellow plumeria pattern! This chocolate was super smooth and creamy! It had just the right amount of sweetness.
— White Chocolate — Printed with a pretty rose outline pattern. The white chocolate was surrounded by a darker chocolate that created the perfect combination of light and dark. This piece had an intense richness to it!

Good, but special? Good luck in Paris!

NOOOOO! I’m so sad that Monique’s is closed! I worked right by Monique’s for almost a year, and only was able to go twice. However, their hot chocolate selection was to die for [and there was such a variety!], and those freshly torched s’mores…
Yes, it was a bit pricey & on the sweeter side, but so so so amazing. I guess I’ll have to find another place to get hot chocolate.

Three words: Freshly Torched Smore. Like literally, they torch the marshmallow in front of your face, so the marshmallow gets that sexy brown, and tastes amazing all gooey in your mouth.
Yeah, I swear I’m still talking about smores… and marshmallows. Give it a try, you’ll see what I mean! ;)

Last change to get your 100% and 99% truffles:
They close on June 15^th. However, the truffles have a very waxy mouth feel, if you like that style.

having only recently discovered this chocolatier, i was very sad to learn that they are closing their doors for business in just a couple of months. i had heard about how great their «liquid chocolate» aka hot chocolate was, but i didn’t know that they had such a vast assortment of chocolate truffles! being the dark chocolate lover that i am, i just had to try a few of their beautifully created chocolates.
i chose the following dark chocolate truffle remnants: madagascar, hawaiian, and french roast, all of which were 60−70% cocoa, deep dark chocolate without being overly bitter. the truffle center for each was smooth and creamy, and each one had a paisley decoration on top, truly works of art, edible art!
prices are very reasonable, $ 2 per truffle or $ 1 per remnant. remnants are smaller versions of the regular truffles, maybe ¹⁄₃ to ½ the size, since these are the leftover ingredients after the regular truffles have been created.
the staff is very kind and friendly and they even use an ipad with square technology to process credit card transactions. way to do business in silicon valley!
definitely looking forward to coming back again… and again… and again before they close their doors for good!

**They’re moving to Paris on June 15^th, 2014**
Check this place out before they move away forever!

I had the ghana hot chocolate with 2% milk. It was great for a few sips but got way too rich for me in the end.
also had the white chocolate madagascar? the one with white floral prints. Delicious. It was so good I bought a box of regular truffles ($ 2 ea.) and some remnants they sell for $ 1 each.
Gary explained to me the different types of chocolates they have. Don’t be fooled because all the exterior is uniformly a type of milk chocolate, the variation lays within the ganache inside. ^_^

Outstanding customer service! Girl at the front was awfully sweet and the guy who made my hot chocolate was very sweet also.
Did I mention that I had a hot chocolate?! OMG. Delishhhhhhhhhh milk classic.
And they’re truffles are also great! Can’t complain when treating a pregnant woman to sweets :)

I came in to sample some of Monique’s handcrafted truffles and treats while I was up in Palo Alto. Monique’s was born out of one man’s desire «to recreate an old world Parisian chocolate shop» with all the personal care and comforts of a mom and pop shop. Chocolate purists and chocolate enthusiasts should head to Monique’s for a truly elevated gastronomic experience.
Monique’s specializes in globally sourced cocao beans from the far reaches of the world, including the Caribbean, Hawaii, South American and Madagascar. Chocolates and treats are crafted on site by Mark and Cathy West with special care and attention with absolutely no additives or preservatives.
Choose from a variety of single origin chocolates here at Monique’s, which come from one country, region or farm –as opposed to a blend of cocoa beans from different countries or regions. This gives the chocolate a distinctive flavor and a unique flavor profile. This is some high-​grade production if you ask me!
I love the s’mores and the Hawaiian milk chocolate and House Blend chocolate truffles. I tend to lean towards milk chocolate but the Mexican dark chocolate really imparts a smoky, bold and rich finish. All the truffles are infinitely creamy and luscious. I brought a box to work and ate them all up in one sitting… no joke. Can’t wait to try their hot chocolate or build a truffle sundae next time.

Best place in town for artisan hot chocolate! Possibly the only place in town. But still the best! And still hot chocolate worthy of five stars! It’s super-​rich, although customizable in terms of how cocoa-​dense it is. I got the milk chocolate with caramel, which was absolutely fantastic.
The serving size is manageable, meaning it’s a bit small to balance the richness, and a reasonable price at $ 3.50. Man, I’m just making myself want more and more!
The truffles look pretty, but I didn’t find them super exciting. The only thing differentiating the truffle varieties is the amount of cocoa… I’d like to see some interesting mix-​ins, like almonds or caramel or peanuts or pretzels or raspberry… I know it’s not See’s, but I’d still prefer some more interesting choices.

My fellow Unilocal buddies recommended this place, my goodness the hot chocolate here rocks! There are a wide variety of hot chocolates and so many options with choices for soy and almond milk (for lactose intolerant folks). Their chocolate choices are phenomenal, the rocky road dark chocolate & their sea salt dark caramel YUM!
Normally after consuming hot chocolate I get all gross and pasty mouthed… this place has natural ingredients so I didn’t feel grossly full after, however I was wired

«Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.»
― Joanne Harris, Chocolat
«Every now and then, I’ll run into someone who claims not to like chocolate, and while we live in a country where everyone has the right to eat what they want, I want to say for the record that I don’t trust these people, that I think something is wrong with them, and that they’re probably — and this must be said — total duds in bed.»
― Steve Almond, Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America
If Steve Almond is right, then the people who love Monique’s really must like to fly that freak flag high ;)
Monique’s Chocolates was opened in January 2010 by Mark West and his wife Cathy (and named after their now high school aged daughter). As he said in a 2010 Palo Alto Weekly article about his goals for the shop: «The idea was to recreate an Old World, Parisian chocolate shop, using just great chocolate and organic cream, with no additives or preservatives. A place where confections are made right in the place where they are sold — you can see them being made. Most importantly, I can interact with customers and friends to create new concoctions.»
As the reviews and my initial experience can attest, he has more than succeeded with his dream. I stopped in with a gaggle of Unilocalers after a meal at Vino Locale especially based on the recommendation of the lovely Jennifer L (Who should be Elite again Unilocal!). The drill here is to pick from a variety of ingredients (Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Cream, optional spices) and create the hot chocolate just for you. I went with a caramel milk, 85% Colombian, whole milk as my cream but no spicies. It was an excellent, excellent hot chocolate although I wish it was a bit larger in size and just a bit creamier as the thickness seemed a bit thin. But those are minor complaints and when I return, yes there will be a return, I will mix and match and maybe go for a different cream base.
Even more impressive was the artisan chocolate truffle made with 100% Dark Valhrona chocolate. This was mighty tasty goodness in a very small package and I only wish that I still had some more red wine left to go with this. Yowza, I needed another one of these too to go with some more hot chocolate.
Highly recommended and definitely future potential for a 5^th star as I come back to try more items and different hot chocolate combos.

I got some treats for some very nice folks at the office — actually for their kids on Hollowen. The pieces of chocolate look like chocolate covered sushi :-). Yummy. I hope the good folks to whom I gave the treats love it.
Chocolate covered sushi topped with caviare; now that would be heavenly and wash them down with champaign — perhaps the owners would consider adding these items on the menu :-).
The shop is nice and the staff is friendly and knowledgable.

While we were enjoying beautiful California weather, strolling around hand in hand, we walked past this chocolate shop. The chocolates caught the corner of my eye. I immediately stopped and yanked my boyfriend back while he was trying to go in a forward motion. I told him, «I am buying chocolates!»
The store is pristine! The display of chocolate truffles is beyond beautiful; they were little pieces of art! The employee that assisted us was extremely helpful and friendly. The service was not intrusive, rather very informative and the gal has a great ease to her presentation.
With her guidance, I ended up picking two darks, one 100% dark (crazy!), and one milk chocolate truffle. After ringing us up, she gave me a handy guide that reminded me what was what.
The 100% dark truffle reminded me of eating cocoa powder. It was chalky and without an ounce of sweetness. It wasn’t bad but I wouldn’t ever order it again; I eat chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth. He liked it a lot, but he isn’t much of sweets guy.
However, my God, the medium dark chocolates are velvety smooth. It had right amount of sweet and bitterness — it was worth every penny. The milk chocolate was right on point as well! I usually prefer milk chocolates, but it seems my palette has changed a bit and is now leaning towards darks.
While we were sitting and enjoying our chocolates, he noticed every couple that walked by did the exact same thing that we did. Couples will be walking whilst holding hands, the moment they past the chocolate shop, the girl comes to a complete dead stop and yanks the boy back. Hilarious.

I love this place, but it doesn’t seem like it is for the same reasons as everyone else.
Sure, they have hot chocolate here. You can choose the type of chocolate and the type of dairy (or non-​dairy if that’s your thing). They turn out great I suppose, but they’re just not my thing. I didn’t really get what all the reviews were goin’ on about. The chocolate truffles weren’t all that impressive to me either.
What really hooked me was when I watched their facebook. Apparently they make experimental chocolates/​ice cream every week. I loved reading their updates on what new weird combination they are making each week.
Some examples I’ve seen:
–64% dark chocolate, Chicken, Bleu cheese, Hot Sauce (aka:Buffalo Wings)
–Salmon, White Chocolate
–Carrot, White Chocolate (ice cream)
I actually made it in to try the Buffalo Wings truffle. Although I didn’t actually like the thing, I thought it was really fun trying something with such a strange mix of ingredients.
I just know one of these times, I’m going to fall in love with an experimental, and then be upset when I can never find it anywhere again.

****support the mom and pop joints*********
Mark is a little quirky, but the guy makes chocolate what you expect?
The couple of times I’ve walked in I’ve seen the owner-​Mark-​mixing the chocolate, working behind the counter, explaining his passion and love for cacao.
Want a unique gift for a loved one? Try some chocolates from Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Madagascar, or some other exotic location.
Hot Chocolate. Iced Chocolate. Truffles. Milkshakes on SUNDAYS and S’mores.
Yeah the S’MORES.
I come here for the elegant, refined, truffles, the experiments, the special flavors, and the S’mores. How many times can I mention S’mores? Don’t tempt me.
The S’mores are freshly made and torched. They are amazing. AMAZING.
I don’t recommend buying one cold and taking it home, not quite the same effect.
Either way, order, eat, sit, and be merry. Have a quiet moment wondering who Monique is…

Small place with amazing products. Their s’mores and hot chocolate are unlike anything I’ve ever had.
There’s a board with all the steps of how to order your hot chocolate ($ 3.50-$ 4). First, pick your chocolate. Next, pick your milk. Lastly, add any toppings, optional. I went with Ecuador 72% (Dark Chocolate), 1% milk, with raspberry topping. My friend went with Valrhona 80% (Dark Chocolate) with Almond (non-​dairy) milk. I don’t know how they make the hot chocolate, but they taste incredibly unique. They are at the perfect room temperature/​warm so you don’t have to wait forever or burn your tongue. They have a silky yet thick consistency, little frothy. I could’ve skipped the raspberry, seemed to take away much of the chocolate flavor, but at the same time, it’s more like an after-​taste. Valrhona is the darkest of the dark chocolates, hence, it was more bitter than my Ecuador Chocolate, but still enjoyable. The percentage indicates the amount of cocoa.
In addition to the rich hot chocolate are the rich French S’mores, $ 3.50 each, which are a great combination with the hot chocolate. Having it toasted makes it look like a fried egg, but with the consistency of a marshmallow, tasting sweet and thick. It also looks caramelized, much like crème brûlée.
I’d like to see how delicious the white chocolates or milk chocolates taste if I ever get another opportunity to visit again. The hot chocolate is definitely novel. It’s always the hole in the walls that are true gems.