Chocolate and wine pairings
Before launching into the places in the Upper East Side of NYC where chocolates, desserts and wine are all the rage, it would be wise to go through a few of the chocolate and wine pairings that you can enjoy in any restaurant that offers such menus.
1) Dark Chocolate, Red Wine and High grade Ports
Dark chocolate and red wines have a reciprocal effect on each other. Dark chocolate causes the tannins in red wine to flourish, which also leads to the increase in sweetness of the dark chocolate. At times, the fruits in red wines also lead to the coming out of the bitter undertones and smokiness that is usually found in higher grade dark chocolate. An example of a meal setting would be dark chocolate with Pistachios, Cointreau and dried cherries, coupled with wines like the famous Cabernet.
2) Milk Chocolate with a cream cordial
Since milky chocolate has a sweet creamy taste, you can pair this chocolate with creamy cordial to bring out the inherent sweetness. Orange liquor would be perfect for this, or any whiskey based drink.
3) White Chocolate
Since white chocolate has a sweet, nutty creamy taste, you can pair it with a full bodied sparkling wine, or other wines such as the Eiswine or Berenauslese.
Places on the Upper East Side to Enjoy Chocolates, Wines and Desserts
There are many places on the Upper East Side in NYC where you can indulge your appetite in chocolates, desserts and wines. Some of these places include:
1) La Maison du Chocolat
This is one of the best high-end Parisian Chocolatier in the city, with branches in Midtown, Wall Street and the Upper East Side. This luxury chocolate boutique offers unique combinations of chocolates and wines, allowing you creative license to explore and stimulate your taste buds. You can be assured of a highly titillating experience in this chocolatier.
2) Dylan’s Candy Bar Shop
This is another fun place that is worth a visit or two whenever you are in the Upper East Side. it is the best shop in the Upper East for chocolate bars that are strategically placed on a giant spinning rack. You will find many different flavors like Brownie Batter and Red Velvet Cake that you can use to experiment with selected wines at home or in other shops.
3) Serendipity
A place that would take you two to three months to book a reservation is definitely worth a try. This is the to-go place for desserts in the Upper East. There is a wide range of frozen desserts and sundaes that would go down really well in a sweets and chocolate connoisseur.
