Fifth-annual Chocolate Fest is a sweet sampling

by Mike Orren

GRAPEVINE — I only stumbled on this event because we were already going to Grapevine for the Texas Pinball Festival, but it is apparently a five-year-old staple. A fundraiser for Travelers' Aid DFW, the Chocolate Fest at the Palace Theatre in Grapevine was a series of one-hour tastings, featuring local chocolatiers, bakers and restaurants.

For the $15 admission, you got a passport for ten samples. There were sixteen vendors, some serving three or four different varietals, making decisions difficult. My wife and I teamed up so that we could cover more territory, each getting different items and skipping the purveyors of pre-wrapped chocolates. The only thing I didn't like about this system was that, as an individual, you were not allowed to take multiple samples from one provider, even if they had multiple items. That seemed a little restrictive, but as a pair we were able to try everything we wanted and then some.

Although I'm a veteran chocoholic, I was surprised to learn that there is a limit to the amount I can eat -- by the end, I was sated beyond my fill, even having to force down my last couple samples. (Buying the palate-cleansing bottle of water was the smartest move we made.) My only complaint was the lack of fondues and chocolate drinks. That said, almost every vendor was great and some provided surprising twists. Among the standouts:

• Our favorite overall booth by far was Chocolate Secrets. Their knowledgeable staff steered us towards a remarkable truffle, complex with cinnamon spice and multiple chocolate flavors as well as a ganache.
• Euless' Delicious Delights Bakery provided an amazing chocolate-covered cake ball -- the cake remained moist (something others failed to achieve) and finished as smooth as a mousse.
• Dino's Steak and Claw House had a spoon of white chocolate mixed with Parmesan reggiano cheese, producing a sharp, sweet treat.
• Schakolad Chocolate Factory had a toffee that provided a great crunch without too much stickiness.
• The award for enthusiasm had to go to the folks at Ferrari's Italian Villa who all but assaulted us with their white chocolate shooters in milk chocolate cups.

This was my first visit to the recently-renovated Palace Theatre Arts Center -- it is indeed a beautiful venue, maintaining the historic exterior while feeling thoroughly modern inside. It's also roomy enough to hold an event of this size, including a room for artists and craftsmen, without even using the theater space.