Manhattan, New York – The Best Chocolate Cake in the World

Restaurant: The Best Chocolate Cake in the World
Cuisine: Desserts/Bakery/Pastries/Cakes
Last visited: September 9, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (Nolita)
Address: 55A Spring Street
Subway: Spring St
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 4.5 (Just for the cake)
Service: 4
Ambiance: 3.5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• 4 locations in New York
• Dessert chain in Lisbon
• European cafe/pastry shop
• Very quaint/small/cozy
• Artisan cakes/desserts
• Known for the “best chocolate cake”
• Coffee/tea
• Some savoury options
• Other dessert options available
• Gluten free options
• Ships anywhere in US
• Limited seating
• Eat In/Take out
• Sun-Thurs. 9am-12am
• Fri-Sat 9am-1am

**Recommendations: ChocoBolo (Chocolate Cake)

What about the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop!? I could… but I’ve already been there.

Then how about Rice to Riches?! Tried that.

ChikaLucious? Check!

Cupcakes? Yawn…

Or wait! How ’bout “The Best Chocolate Cake in the World“?

That’s a bold statement and to base your entire brand on one thing leads everyone to have high expectations. “The Best” anything in the world is a courageous claim, and I hate saying that phrase myself, but this is one I had to check out.

In a city full of desserts and stores dedicated to highlighting one dessert in particular, there is no way I was about to leave New York without trying “The Best Chocolate Cake in the World”. It wasn’t on my original Follow Me Foodie to New York itinerary, but I discovered it randomly. Fate brought me here and the dessert gods knew I was visiting New York for two weeks, so I had to make it worth while.

It turns out that this place is actually a chain originating from Lisbon, Portugal so immediately I wasn’t as excited. I’ve actually been to Portugal before, but I was more obsessed with finding “the best” Pastel de Nata or Portuguese Custard Tarts (which from what I tried was at Pastéis de Belém). I don’t really think of chocolate cake in Portugal, but they are known for their skills in baking (along with their excellent preparation of pork, cod, and chicken), so I was fairly confident.

In the context of the self-proclaimed “best chocolate cakes” in the world I’ve been lucky to try the Jean-Georges’ Valhorona Chocolate Lava Cake at Jean-Georges, and the world famous Sachertorte in Austria, as well as some lesser known ones. I definitely have a sweet tooth and I do love my chocolate, but I’m also not a chocoholic, and in that sense I mean I don’t have to order the chocolate item on the dessert menu.

I guess you could say the marketing worked and I easily bought into the name: “The Best Chocolate Cake in the World”. It’s a very small, cozy and quaint boutique pastry shop and it doesn’t have a crazy line up. It’s not really hyped up so I didn’t have any expectations beyond the name of the store. But c’mon how good and original can your chocolate cake get? Well there was only one way to find out! Give me!

On the table:

**ChocoBolo (Chocolate Cake) – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• Smooth layers of chocolate mousse with crispy meringue, finished with a luxurious chocolate ganache.
• Bittersweet (80% Cocoa) or Traditional (53% Cocoa) Slice $6.50. $4 for Mini Cake.
• I, of course, went for the bittersweet which is bolder, earthier and more intense while being less sweet.
• First off, it’s not your traditional chocolate cake at all and there’s no actual cake in it.
• It’s not really a cake, but more of an artisan chocolate ganache and meringue like torte.
• It was original and not something you would easily make at home.

• It’s flourless with a creamy ganache alternating with layers of mousse and thin and crispy meringue.
• It was almost like a Parisian macaron made into a “cake” with equal layers of all of the listed components.
• There were nice light and airy textures, but a richness that was luxurious, yet not indulgent.
• It wasn’t a one-biter or even that intense with chocolate flavour and there was a balance of creamy and crispy/crunchy textures.
• It wasn’t hurt your teeth sweet and it wasn’t a typical “chocolate cake”.
• I found the cake overall more of a highlight than say the quality or type of chocolate used, and die hard chocolate lovers may find it lacks chocolate.
• I wouldn’t say it was overrated because at least it was unique and interesting.
• Since I didn’t have to wait in line for it and it wasn’t ridiculously overpriced, I felt like it was worth the try and it was a good experience, but not one I would say is a “must try” in New York if your stay is short.
• If you’re looking for a more traditional chocolate cake then you might want to consider trying Jean-Georges’ Valhorona Chocolate Lava Cake at Jean-Georges (in Vancouver or New York).
• If you’re in Vancouver I actually like the Caramel-Chocolat at Ganache Patisserie, Thomas Haas Chocolate & Raspberry Cake and Miku’s Chocolate & Raspberry Cake better, but they’re really different and perhaps not comparable.

They also have Mini Cakes in boxes of 3 or 6 and other pastries like Portuguese Custard Tarts, muffins and croissants.

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