Cacao Tree Cafe (10/31/10)

Wow!!! I waited impatiently for what seemed like weeks for Cacao Tree Cafe http://www.cacaotreecafe.com to open and boy, did they deliver. Finally made it over to Royal Oak today to check it out for myself. What a lovely, intimate cafe. When we visited, the mid-afternoon sun was streaming thru the windows and there were people popping by to sample the goodies. Because we were heading off to a family birthday celebration, we couldn't partake of an entree but had to settle for nibbling on the delectable handmade chocolates. My boyfriend and I both agreed that the Chocolate Pudding rocked. The chocolate base was rich, complex and not overly sweetened. However, the topping was the perfect accompaniment and added just the right amount of sweetness. We also tried the peppermint mint patty and the orange flavored chocolates which were amazing. Think of an almost bittersweet chocolate with an intense orange zest. To top it off, the owner/manager informed us that most of the items in the store are gluten-free, including all of the above-referenced yummies. This place is a find and we'll definitely be back.

Holly Hotel (10/28/10)

OK, so it's been a WHILE since my last post and a lot of things have changed, most significantly (for this blog at least) my diet. Due to a number of health issues over the past year, there are some new dietary restrictions in effect; i.e., I am now gluten-free (and largely dairy-free). Try pulling that off outside the 4 walls of your own home and you'll soon discover that, forgive the pun, it's a pretty tall order. In order to provide some wheaty balance, I've invited Mystery Guest Blogger Tom to chip in with his two cents on non-gluten meals.

Anyway...we dined for the first time at Holly Hotel tonite. The waitstaff was very accommodating about the whole gluten-free (GF) thing and also doublechecked with the chef to make sure everything that was served was indeed compliant, which I gratefully appreciate. The Hotel, for those of you who've never been, is historic and dates back to the late 1890's. It has an intimate candlelit feel to it, although it was a bit on the chilly side. I had a delicious pumpkin bisque, a tasty salad with cranberries, pears and walnuts and a sea bass entree. I would love to be able to rave about this place and don't want to leave anyone with a bad impression but I tend to favor dishes featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients where the flavor of the ingredients show through. Someone in the kitchen had a heavy hand with the salt shaker and as I write this, I am still recovering from the resulting sodium buzz. The bisque was oversalted and I can't adequately express how overbuttered and oversalted the bass was. I'd love to be able to offer some commentary on the fish but I literally can still taste nothing but salt (and butter). I don't object to seasoning, but come on.... all in moderation.

Here's Mystery Guest Blogger Tom's take on his meal:

I started with a carrot and parsnip bisque that was quite flavorful, but oversalted. The salad was very fresh. My entree was a tasty salmon steak served on a potato pancake with sweet potato fritters. That said, the chef really needed to pull the salmon off the heat a little bit sooner. A tad overcooked. The wine selection really needs to be reviewed by a sommelier. It's weak. Overall, the entrees are probably overpriced.