This may be the first of its kind in Southern California—a coffee house program that not only offers five single-origin espressos from which to choose, but also four single-origin liquid chocolates to pair with them.
This immersive coffee and chocolate program introduced at ChocX0 Coffee & Cacao locations—in Costa Mesa and Lake Forest—is in a league of its own. The Irvine company’s approach is simple, but the options are endless, allowing you to choose exactly what you want to craft your drink.
Seem a little overwhelming? The man behind the Costa Mesa counter, Brett Mohr, makes the process approachable and will ask you a few questions about your tastes to get you started. Anything you want to know, this man can answer, his passion for coffee evident through his extensive knowledge and willingness to help you play with flavors and combinations.
If, like me, you’ve experience that 3 p.m. caffeine hankering, gone to a coffee shop to cure the craving only to walk out feeling compromised, this is what you need. With the opportunity to explore these espresso and chocolate choices, I can confidently tell you that there is no such feeling when leaving ChocX0. Bonus: All the espresso is roasted at their Lake Forest location, and the chocolate is made fresh from the bean at their Irvine chocolate factory.
For a hint of what awaits, here are some of the drinks we’ve tried and love:
1) House-made, cold-brewed coffee made with Kenya Gondo single-origin espresso, and one ounce of white chocolate ganache. This is easily my favorite of the bunch, with its unique toasty caramel taste.
2) Mexican Hot Chocolate made with 99 percent dark chocolate, the Kenya Gondo single-origin espresso, milk, and a bit of vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper.
3) Costa Rican Carrizal single-origin espresso with steamed whole milk, and 72 percent Camino Verde single-origin chocolate. Try it with almond milk too!
4) Another favorite was the signature ChocXO mocha made with their espresso blend, milk, and the dark-chocolate ganache. This is a great foundation drink. Play with it and, over time, try it with all five of the single-origin espressos to see how the overall flavor transforms!
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