Cacao 70

By ChrissyAugust 14, 2018

Cocoa yeg edmonton blog review chocolate dessert

Tim Burton’s remake of the 1971 classic novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is amazing for many reasons. Starring Johnny Depp as the incredible Willy Wonka, Burton’s film utilized the latest state-of-the-art special effects, to help in realizing author Roald Dahl’s surreal vision. One aspect that is particularly noteworthy was the use of one actor, Deep Roy, to portray all 165 Oompa Loompas. Roy’s actions were not duplicated – rather, each Oompa Loompa is an individual performance that was later digitally compiled. It is spectacular to watch. Oompa Loompas were apparently paid in their favorite food, cocoa beans (not the worst form of payment, if you ask me- cocoa beans make chocolate, and chocolate makes the world taste good).

One place spreading their love of chocolate across this part of the world is Cacao 70. This Montreal-based chain started as a chocolate drinking bar (yes, you read that correctly), and now serves everything from sweet and savoury brunches to ice cream with all the fixings. Cocoa yeg edmonton blog review chocolate dessert

Here are the eight things you need to know about Cacao 70:

The Montreal chain’s first location in Edmonton is at 10111 – 104 Ave in the Ice District. Two more locations are set to open this year, on Whyte Ave and in West Edmonton Mall. There are several outlets across Canada. Click here for a list of their locations.
You will still find Cacao’s signature drinkable chocolate on the menu, available in two flavours – traditional Americocoa, or the spicy Mexicocoa which incorporates cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne. They’re served hot or cold.
If the thought of sipping on pure chocolate is too much for you, they all have their signature mochas, available in milk or dark chocolate. If you prefer not to drink your chocolate at all, they all have a full espresso bar. We are part of the latter group, and ordered Americanos, which was a good choice because it helped cut some of the richness of our desserts. All drinks are also available with soy or coconut milk.
Not all Cacao locations are created equally. There are three different “concepts”- Cacao 70 eatery, sweet house, and dip shop. The menus differ slightly between concepts. We visited the sweet house, which serves chocolate drinks, desserts and brunch. The eateries are geared more towards lunch and brunch, and the dip shops serve artisanal ice cream cones. All concepts use chocolate as the star ingredient.
Waffles are common to all of the menus. You can choose from sweet, salty and savory combinations. According to other reviews I’ve read, the “Choco-Nut Waffle” is one of the most popular menu items. I am a sucker for roasted s’mores, so I ordered “The Camp-Out”. My waffle came topped with a chocolate dipped vanilla ice cream cone, whipped cream, torched marshmallows, brownies and caramel sauce. We also had the “Cacao 70 Cheesecake” which was topped with whipped cream, graham crackers, raspberries and chocolate sauce. Waffle and dessert prices start at around $9.
The portion sizes of the individual desserts are very generous, and could easily be shared between two people. If you’re going with a small group, they also have more shareable plates that include things like sweet pizzas and fondues. One that caught me was the “Grilled Marshmallows”, where you roast your own marshmallows on your own grill to make s’mores. If we go back, it will be specifically for that.
Brunch is served all week long at the eateries and sweet houses from 10 am to 4 pm, in the form of omelettes, crepes, salads, paninis and waffles. We were too focused on the desserts to eat brunch, but there was a good selection to choose from. Depending on what you’re in the mood for, meals prices start at around $10.
This place is not for the sweet averse or anyone concerned with blood sugar levels. That being said, the menu is diverse enough that there is something for almost everyone. The plates are an Instagrammers dream, almost too pretty to touch (almost, being the key word here).