By OWEN MORRIS
The first time I ever had Christopher Elbow Chocolates, I was living in Lawrence and rarely traveled to Kansas City, much less downtown. If I did, it was for a special occasion. And after hearing so much about Chris Elbow's amazing chocolates, I decided to make a special occasion.
I had trouble finding the store at first. While everybody talks about the amazing interior and the cool bathroom, nobody had mentioned to me that the outside is very discreet. You're likely to pass the storefront a couple of times before finding it, even if you are familiar with the area.
I knew sort of what to expect, but the experience was still a unique one. It's minimalist inside without feeling cold, deceptively small with no hint of clutter or debris. I couldn't figure out where the chocolates were made -- until I peaked at the glass showing off the back area and saw the massive production and storage area (also free of clutter and debris).
I resisted the urge to ask if I could move in and instead went about my original goal: getting as many different items as I could on my meager budget (in this case, around $30 — these chocolates ain't cheap) and bringing them to share with my father and get his opinion.
My dad worked with chocolates years ago. After a half-hour, a half-box of chocolates and a nearly silent tasting between us, he looked at me.
"I don't like them," he said.
How could that be? How anyone could not be impressed by the taste and feel of them?
"They taste great, but I feel bad eating them. They're like miniature works of art, not chocolate. It seems wrong to put them in your mouth." He pointed to a purple shiny piece. "Look at that. That's like a car paint's glossy finish on there. How did they do that?"
Eventually my father got over his jealousy and the fact that he could not replicate Christopher Elbow, and he admitted that the chocolates were unbelievably good. "They still shouldn't make you feel guilty, though." This from a man who has wolfed down most so-called "gourmet" foods without a second thought.
As for me, I've been awestruck that something like Christopher Elbow exists in Kansas City. That's been the case from the moment I first sipped the hot chocolate. Too rich to just be a liquid and too creamy to be a solid, Christopher Elbow's hot chocolate is its own state of matter. It's an intense experience drinking it, as you try to enjoy it and, at the same time, try to figure out how the hell all that flavor is coming from such a little cup. (The homemade marshmallows are excellent, too, but ask for them on the side because they deserve to be enjoyed as their own separate treat.)
For as much as I gush over Christopher Elbow and try to spread the word about it, I don't go there as much as I should. Part of that is due to price, but the other part is that the experience is almost too much. Picking out the chocolates, trying all the flavors, wondering what I missed -- it can be an exhausting process. One chocolate will have a single strong note of rosemary while another may be a lively bright bunch of spices. It's like the tastebuds' version of a Fellini film.
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This is an awesome top ten list. I think chocolate is good in any city, but I will have to try them if I ever make it KC. You should post this to my buddy's site http://www.toptentopten.com/.
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