All aboard, chocolate lovers. The Chocolate Depot's got your ticket.
The small shop in Trail Dust Town sells lots and lots of the sweet good stuff. Fans of nostalgia candy will groove on the shelves and racks lined with brightly colored treats that will ship you straight back to childhood. But let's focus on the chocolate.
It comes in many different forms — from a dipped frozen banana ($1.85) to truffles by the pound ($24) and coated maraschino cherries (four for $1.25). Some of the more creative ways the Depot uses chocolate: slathering Rice Krispies treats and Red Vines (both $15.25 a pound).
Yes, we thought the Red Vine thing was odd, too. But give it a try. Thick, premium milk chocolate nearly coated the entire red licorice twist, so you've got the melt-in-your-mouth sweetness paired with the chewy, subtle-tasting licorice. Delish.
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But, back to the banana. Now, in our opinion, this is the perfect guilt-free dessert. Really, since a whole banana's involved, this counts as a fruit helping, not a diet-buster. Don't you think? The Chocolate Depot dips 'em on the spot, and you have to wait 30 seconds before taking a bite. We suggest you use that time to find a nice out-of-the-way place to hunker down and eat it.
The banana, in frozen form, has a smooth, ice cream-like consistency. The chocolate coating is so thick, though, that it splinters into shards with each bite. We never thought we'd say this, but perhaps a thinner coating would help?
The Depot uses smooth, imported Belgian chocolate for its confections, including the decadent truffles. If you're one of those adventurous types, the chipotle truffle will tingle the taste buds. With the first bite, you taste the dark chocolate followed by the muskiness of smoked chile. The finishing touch is the barest hint of heat.
But our new fave might be the chocolate-dipped honeycomb ($15.25 a pound). With its crunchy texture — think malted milk Whoppers — and the thick outer coating of dark chocolate, it's a good hit when you're jonesin' for something sweet.
The Chocolate Depot
6541 E. Tanque Verde Road, in Trail Dust Town, 886-9203
● Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 4-9 p.m. Sundays.