414 SW 13th Ave
Portland, OR 97205
(503) 241-0656
http://cacaodrinkchocolate.com/
Chocoholics, we have found nirvana. Cacao is a lovely cafe tucked behind the American Apparel store on SW 13th and Burnside. The cafe has a few tiny tables near the front for chocolate lovers to savor their drinks while the rest of the shop has neatly arranged tables of chocolate. The counter was constantly crowded by people looking at their chocolate display case. That backs up the line considerably but the servers are adept at maneuvering around to take orders. As much as I was tempted by the beautiful chocolates in the display, my goal for the trip was to try the wonderful drinking chocolate that everyone raves about.
Cacao offers two types of chocolate–one is a lighter hot chocolate that I grew up drinking and the other is a rich, velvety, liquid ganache-type drink. I chose the latter of course and was presented with a choice of cinnamon, dark chocolate, or spiced chocolate. I couldn’t decide so I tried all three!
The cinnamon chocolate was my favorite. It is light and smooth with just a subtle hint of cinnamon. I ordered the standard cup ($4) and savored the delightful taste and texture of it.
The next chocolate we tried was the dark chocolate. Just look at the beautiful color! This drink was like liquid ganache–very rich and indulgent. We ordered the standard cup but it was probably better suited as a shot ($2). As rich as it was, the drink was well balanced and was not too sweet.
The last one we tried was the spicy chocolate. It tasted like the dark chocolate with a subtle cayenne kick that hits the back of your throat. It’s not too spicy but I prefer the cinnamon drink best.
I can’t think of a better way to enjoy a Saturday evening than to order a cup of hot chocolate from Cacao and nestle down at Powell’s with a good book to read. I read on Cacao’s website that they now have a second location inside the Heathman hotel too. Next time I go back, I will have to pay more attention to the rest of their chocolate offerings! Come to think of it, the chocolate covered cacao beans are calling my name. Cheers!