I have not heard of many great places for chocolate and desserts in the area - granted I have lived abroad for a few years so have some catching up to do. Anyone out there have recommendations?

It can be a bakery, cafe, deli, restaurant, boutique etc. I am wanting to explore and find out Thx.

SBS

I love Jin Patisserie in Venice. A bit pricey but worth it.
http://www.jinpatisserie.com/

In OC, there's Heidelberg Pastry Shop in Laguna Hills. No chocolates but their pastries practically sell out every day. The place is small and nothing fancy but their quality is excellent.
http://www.heidelbergbakery.net/

Below are a few more suggestions. Jin Patisserie is far better than any of the following, but they're still better than average for SoCal (you're right, there's not much around here for really, really great chocolates).

LA area:

Edelweiss Chocolates
http://www.edelweisschocolates.com/index.php

L' Artisan du Chocolat
http://www.lartisanduchocolat.net/Mainpage.html

Mignon Chocolate
http://www.mignonchocolate.com/shop/

Compartes Chocolatier
http://www.compartes.com/

There's also Leonidas chocolates and Teuscher Chocolates (one in Beverly Hills and another in Newport Beach).


OC area:

Valentino Chocolatier Cafe (Tustin)
http://valentinochocolatier.com/index.html

For crepes and desserts -
Lulu's Creperie Cafe (Laguna Hills)
www.lulus-cafe.com

If you want to splurge on wine, cheese and chocolates -
Eno wine, cheese and chocolate bar
at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Proper...no/Default.htm
http://www.enowinerooms.com/


If you're really into chocolate like I am, you might want to check out the LA chocolate salon in October:
http://www.lachocolatesalon.com/

All this writing about sweets is making me hungry ... I just might tag along with you if you go "patisserie-hopping"!

Thx much Globetrotterxyz - the myriad of options should keep me busy for a while

SBS

Globetrotterxyz,

I was thinking about coinciding a trip to NYC for the Salon du Chocolat in NYC/Paris in the Fall but ur info on the salon in LA in October might be double/triple the pleasure

Thx and I will definitely let u know if I go patisserie binging...

Thx again.

SBS

That sounds like fun! I've considered the NYC Salon but I'm always afraid that time of year in the city would be too cold for me, even if I tried to keep warm by eating nothing but chocolates. Make sure to report back if you do end up going to NYC and/or Paris.

I love See's. I can't help it. http://www.sees.com/index.cfm/about_us/history

Thanks for the Laguna Hills recommendations, as I often am in need of a treat when I'm visiting my mom in the area.

I really like the LA Chocolate Salon website. I have a travel philosophy/religion I call "Guided By Chocolate" and it sounds like others do too.

The LA Salon is much smaller in scale compared to other chocolate festivals I've attended but it's starting to grow now that it's in its third year. Your travel philosophy is definitely one to live by!

Definitely try Jin's Patisserie. Their calamansi chocolate is my favorite!

There are also good cupcake shops, such as Frosted in Long Beach and Vanilla in Santa Monica.

I love The Farm for cookies and muffins.

Katella Deli in Cypress is incredibly popular for both the restaurant/deli and bakery. I love their cakes and bread.

The Cake Box in Huntington Beach has great pastries. I've heard mixed reviews on their cake, but I always buy the $2 pastry slices in the case. My favorite is the Orange Triangle. It's not overly sweet or rich and is just perfect. The guy who owns the place is a master baker from Europe and he makes the best German baumkuchen. It's definitely the most hole-in-the-wall of the places I've listed, but because of that it's also one of my favorites. www.cakeboxpastries.com

Also, be sure to check www.yelp.com for local reviews. Yelpers love their food, especially their dessert. You can always count on good, honest feedback on the site. Have fun!