Toronto's Xococava (choco-cava), an offshoot of popular tapas bar Cava, has been a hot spot in the city since opening in 2008. A "candy store for adults," as owner/chef Chris McDonald put it in a review shortly after opening, Xococava is known for its unique truffle flavours. Their most well-known chocolate combination, the chorizo truffle, is what first drew me into Xococava about a year ago. I remember the taste of that truffle being definitely uninque, though rather unreminiscent of the Spanish spicy sausage and therefore disappointing.
Still, when I found myself in the neighbourhood again this week, I decided to give the place a second chance. The store's 25 truffle offerings include black olive, Pedro Ximenez, black trumpet mushroom, Szechwan peppercorn and preserved lemon. After careful consideration, I opted for salted caramel, rosemary and honey, birch syrup, fennel pollen, and - the reason I came back - another taste of chorizo.
Here are my impressions of each:
Rosemary and honey: Amazing flavour balance. The honey provides a silky, sweet base without being overpowering, and the rosemary kicks in the perfect amount of herbal undertones.
Birch syrup: I can't say I know what birch syrup is supposed to taste like, but my mouth is expecting boreal forest in a chocolate. That's definitely not what I get. The dark chocolate that envelopes the truffle is good and rich, and the syrup inside is sweet without being cloying. It’s also unmemorable. (after tasting this, I read that birch syrup is somewhat similar to maple syrup).
Salted caramel: There's a nice hit of sweet and salt initially with this one, but it fades quickly. Like the birch truffle, this is again made with dark chocolate. I've had other, more successful salted caramel chocolates made with milk chocolate, which doesn't mask the flavour of the caramel as much.
Fennel pollen: Having recently started experimenting with fennel pollen in my own cooking, I was excited to try this one. I've used fennel pollen in soups, on grilled chicken and fish, and in ice cream, and I find that the flavour is either really pronounced or completely hidden. In Xococava's truffle, the pollen is contained in the sweet cream inside the chocolate. I would have liked to taste just a bit more of the fennel pollen, but the balance of flavours is impressive.
Chorizo: Holy pork-chocolate, Batman! Here’s the flavour I was expecting from this a year ago. Smokey, a little spicy, a little salty – all the flavours you’d expect from a piece of good chorizo. And for those who are wondering, no, there are no actual pieces of meat in the chocolate.
Verdict: Of the five truffles I tasted, two (rosemary and honey, chorizo) wowed me. While that’s not good enough for me to make a special trip across town, it’s reason enough for me to vow that my third trip to Xococava will happen quicker than my second one did.
