Chocolate is one of my four basic food groups, so I had high expectations when I sat down to taste the menu at the new Willy Wonka-like Toothsome chocolate factory at Universal CityWalk.
The new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen debuted on Friday, Jan. 27 in the outdoor shopping mall next door to Universal Studios Hollywood. Toothsome has other outposts at Universal Studios theme parks in Orlando, Florida and Beijing, China.
The Universal-backed chocolate haven leans heavily into theme park theatrics with animated digital windows offering glimpses into the sweets factory, walk-around meet-and-greet characters who run the place and employees dressed in steampunk finery. Steampunk gadgetry and inventions fill nooks and cabinets throughout the two-story restaurant formerly occupied by the Hard Rock Cafe.
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Out front, an animated clockwork marquee with spinning gears hangs over the front door. Water vapor spewing from the 97-foot-tall factory smokestack rains down on the outdoor tables that might not be the best place to sit depending on the prevailing weather.
The new restaurant has plenty of soups, salads, burgers, flatbreads, pasta and steaks on the menu — but I wasn’t interested in any of them.
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I went to Toothsome with the sole goal of eating chocolate during every bite of my meal. Toothsome didn’t let me down and left me comfortably cocooned in the chocolate coma I was longing for when I walked in the door.
There are nearly two dozen chocolate-centric foods on the Toothsome and many more drinks — so it was hard to narrow down my choices.
Here are my seven favorite chocoholic specialties on the new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal CityWalk.
Chocolate Almond Bread at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
1) Chocolate Almond Bread ($5.95)
I started with the Chocolate Almond Bread from the appetizer menu — which was way more chocolatey than I expected. If you’re at Toothsome for the chocolate, then there’s no better way to kick off your culinary journey.
Chocolate Brioche S’mores at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Universal)
2) Chocolate Brioche S’mores ($18.95)
You’ll have to figure out where to place the Chocolate Brioche S’mores in your order. It can work as an appetizer, entrée or dessert depending on your dining pleasure. The chocolate-forward French toast with marshmallow, graham cracker and fluff is available on the brunch menu.
Another brunch option that fills the same niche is the Nutella & Banana Crepes that also looked scrumptious.
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Chocolate X5 Milkshake at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
3) Chocolate X5 Milkshake ($16)
The Chocolate X5 was everything I wanted in a milkshake — chocolate upon chocolate to the fifth power. There was chocolate ice cream, chunks, sauce and spirals in the shake that only seemed to get richer the more I sipped on the boba-sized straw.
The waitress asked me if I needed a glass of water, but I told her I didn’t want anything that would dilute the chocolate intensity. This was going to be a “go chocolate or go home” adventure.
There were plenty of chocolicious shakes to choose from on the Toothsome menu. My second option: The Cookie Jar with vanilla ice cream, Oreos, oatmeal cookies, chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
Coffee & Chocolate Stout Wings at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
4) Coffee & Chocolate Stout Wings ($15.95)
For my entree, I chose the Coffee & Chocolate Stout Wings from the appetizer menu. The wings had virtually no coffee, chocolate or stout flavor, but the chocolate stout glaze was certainly sticky sweet and finger-licking good.
The other chocolate-infused entrees on the menu: Braised Short Ribs with cocoa gremolata and the chocolate-crusted Cocoa Pork Tenderloin medallions — but neither of those seemed particularly chocolatey either.
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Chocolate Creme Brulee at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Universal)
5) Chocolate Creme Brulee ($11)
As you might expect, the Toothsome dessert menu can be a bit daunting. The creme brulee offers a chocolate custard twist on the classic caramelized sugar encrusted treat.
The other enticing choice on the desserts menu: Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding.
Brookies, Cookies & Cream Sundae at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)
6) Brookies, Cookies & Cream Sundae ($13)
The Brookie Sundae — brimming with cookies wrapped in brownies — was on the edge of insane-looking when it arrived at the table. By that time, I had chocolate coming out of my ears — which only meant I had finally reached my version of foodie nirvana.
As you might expect, you could make a meal out of the Toothsome dessert menu if calories and a balanced diet were of little importance. The Chocolate Brownies Bark Sundae looked good, too.
Candy Smith grab-and-go counter at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen in Universal CityWalk. (Universal)
7) Candy Smith (Prices vary)
If you’re like me, there’s always room for a little more chocolate. The Candy Smith grab-and-go counter inside Toothsome offers dozens of different flavors of truffles, macarons, cake balls and marshmallow towers that are perfect for the drive home. Or as a finishing touch to go with your leftovers.
I didn’t dive into the boozy side of the menu during this visit, but there were plenty of chocolatey choices to pick from — including a Cacao Nut Margarita, Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey and a Too Chocolate Stout. But there’s alway next time — as soon as I recover from my chocolate hangover.