Eclipse Chocolate « Look what's on the horizon for Eclipse... Eclipse Chocolate

May 24th, 2013

Introducing EC:Supper Club!

With three months under our belts, we’re still working hard to work out the kinks from the new bistro… but WOW are there a lot of kinks. “Part chocolate factory, part restaurant” looks a lot easily on paper! We’ve been excited to hear all the constructive feedback & are happily incorporating many of your suggestions. Keep an eye out for exciting evolutions to come!

In the mean time, our monthly tasting dinners are returning in late June! We’re excitedly opening our doors to guest chefs so that we may host pop-up menus from some of San Diego’s finest. Of course the EC Team will continue creating our signature cuisine, but in months to come we’ll also be highlighting the chocolatey-creations of many other talents folks! We’re calling the new concept EC:Supper Club. We even have a frequent diner card. Check it out!

That’s right! Join us for 8 dining events to complete the lunar cycle & we’ll treat you to one one the house. Fun, no? Check out the first two events:

“heirloom celebration”

$35 for a three-course meal

june 28th & 29th at 5, 630, & 8pm. menu by the ec team.

“death by chocolate”

$40 for a three-course meal

july 26th & 27th at 5, 630, 8pm. menu by guest chef chad white.

Full menus are pending. Both dinners are on Friday & Saturday evenings with seatings at 5, 630, & 8pm. Space is limited! Call the bistro at 619.578.2984 to reserve your seat!

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May 18th, 2013

More Gluten Free & Vegan Brunch Yum-Yums!

If you joined us for Mom’s Day Brunch, you would have sampled a lovely limited edition menu with all sorts of new plates. This weekend, we took your feedback & folded many of these new treats into our regular Sweet & Savory Brunch menu. We’ve kept our tantalizing “3-Plate” set price, which means guests can dive into any three plates for only $16! Now that we serve brunch every day from 9am-2pm, its the best deal in town weekend or not. The best part? Many of our new menu items are lighter & healthier, with various gluten-free & vegan options. Check out the new items:

Gluten-free Items:

chocolate chip pancakes

chile spiced pecan buttermilk pancakes

blackberry dulce de leche buttermilk pancakes

strawberry & creme crepe

polenta eggs benedict

stuffed corn tamal

Vegan & Gluten-free:

mushroom quinoa fritter

crispy potatos with brute cocoa mole

bruleed banana & oats

beet & green apple salad

chile spiced pecan salad

berries & granola

To view full menu, click here!

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May 2nd, 2013

Mom’s Day Brunch

We’ve been serving brunch daily now for about a month & while the new spring menu brought us some yummy treats like Lemon Ginger Stuffed French Toast & Strawberry Shortcake, its time to shake it up! After all, Mom’s Day is just around the corner! Exclusive for the holiday, we’ll be servin’ up some new treats perfect for any family. Our familiar favorites aren’t going anywhere, but we’re dreamin’ up some new yum-yums that might even be too delicious to discontinue. There are new benedict flavors in the works & some new GLUTEN-FREE pancakes! But enough chatter, why don’t you be the judge? And since its a holiday & all, we’ll treating EVERY MOM to a Box of Two Truffles ($5 value) when they attend our Sweet & Savory Brunch. This offer is only good for Sunday, May 12th of course, but perhaps some of the tastier treats from the day will stick around for good! We typically don’t have more than a 5-10 minute wait now that we have opened our private dining room, but to accomedate the extra guests for the day, we will be serving brunch for an extra 2 hours (9am-4pm).

Check out some of the new menu items we’re showcasing for the big day:

double chocolate chip pancake

blackberry lemon curd pancake

chile hazelnut dulce de leche pancake

crab cake eggs benedict with creamy polenta

strawberry & cream stuffed crepe

and many more!

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April 21st, 2013

Truffle, Beer, & Cheese Threeways Return!

We’ve got so much space in our private dining room at the new bistro that our team is gettin’ all randy to show off our new digs. Join Will & Dr Bill from Stone Brewing for an hour-long experience of three exotic truffles paired with three artisan cheeses paired with brews. Dr Bill has chosen their Russian Imperial Stout, Cali Belique, & Ruination, so the event it bound to be a smack in the face filled with deliciousness! Add that to the truffles & cheeses & it’ll be a sexy evening with plenty of debauchery for all. After all, beer googles make everything happen so much smoother anyway. This will be the first of a regular monthly event featuring a different SD brewery each month!

All nine tastes are just $20 a head on Thursday, May 2nd from 7-8pm! And don’t forget your 10% discount on all other chocolate purchased that evening. We’re closing the event at 28 guests, so don’t hesitate to call us to make an RSVP at 619.578.2984.

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April 19th, 2013

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

Who loves a hot, saucy street taco? We do! After all, TJ is practically within spittin’ distance, what kind of foodies would we be if we couldn’t throw down & make some delicious taco treats! Well, Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, so what better time than the present to dig into some spicy yum-yums? If you join us on May 3rd or 4th, you can, too! For just $30 a chair, our guests will enjoy three course of latino cuisine filled with chocolatey flair. Seatings are at 5, 6.30, & 8, but space is limited so don’t wait to claim your stake. Call us at 619.578.2984 to reserve your spot. In the mean time, check out this menu & commence salivation:

fajita nachos with sundried tomato guacamole (optional appetizer)

black bean tortilla soup with caramelized onion & vanilla bean lime crema

choice of entree: cocoa crusted carne asada -or- roasted yucca root & veggie street tacos

both served with house made tortillas, pickled shallot, & vanilla bean corn pudding

cinnamon brown sugar fried ice cream with sea salted caramel

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March 15th, 2013

The First Annual Eclipse Chocolate Ball & Cotillion

The new Bistro has been rockin’ with new guests ever since we opened just before Vday. Now that things are FINALLY getting settled & our staffed has nearly DOUBLED, we are ready to open our arms to embrace all the exciting growth that South Park has to offer. As we pledge 10% of our net profits as in-kind donations to local charitable causes, we’ve decided to throw ourselves a “Coming Out” party to celebrate the new space & raise money for a worthy cause. For just a $10 admission, guests can attend an evening of tray passed goodies & 100% of the admissions will go to Baja Dog Rescue.

The whole event has a formal cotillion theme, so guests who dress in formal attire will receive a FREE small chocolate bar ($4 value). South Park’s own Gina Benedetto, recent winner of the “lifetime of chocolate” we awarded at our Grand Opening, will be crowned as “Chocolate Ambassador” in addition to the general frivolity of music & dancing. RSVP is not required, but there is a Facebook invite if you’d like to join in on the guest list:

http://www.facebook.com/events/543642212346995/?notif_t=plan_user_joined

Check out these adorable pups & help us give them a good home: http://www.bajadogrescue.org

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March 12th, 2013

The Return of the Aporkalypse

Last fall we featured a pork-laden multi-course meal to commemorate the possible ending of the world (a la Mayan Calendar) as well as the potential pending pork shortages of 2013 (which, of course, would have also been the essential end of the world). Well neither seems to have happened, but the event sold out so quickly that we’ve decided to host a similar menu again for those who couldn’t grab a reservation fast enough. Check out our upcoming feast of all things pig:

chocolate glazed bacon wrapped dates [optional starter]

roasted mushroom bisque with bacon bits & candied cocoa nib

choice of entree:

spiced apple & fennel stuffed pork chop with rosemary panko crust or

cinnamon brown sugar braised pork short rib

both served with cheesy twice baked potato with caramelized shallot & herbs

bacon crusted chocolate chunk ice cream cookie sandwich with salted caramel

Seats are $30 a person for the three courses. There is also an optional starter ($12 for 2) & a three course beer pairing for $15. This event is exclusively Friday & Saturday April 19th & 20th with seatings at 4, 6, & 8pm. Call the bistro at 619.578.2984 to reserve your space!

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February 16th, 2013

Indian Delight Dinner

The new bistro has been open for only two weeks & my team has been working overtime to accommodate the throngs of new guests. Vday came & went like a hurricane! If you joined us for our maiden dining event, we hope you enjoyed the tasty vittles. Our first event was sold out with 105 RSVPs two weeks early, so we’re already underway on for our March event. Take a look at what’s coming up next: Indian Delight!

Exclusively on March 15th & 16th, with seatings at 4, 6, & 8pm, guests will enjoy three courses of cocoa-clad creations with an Indian flare. Our resident curry-authority, Autumn, is particularly excited. The last time we showcased this theme, she took the menu on as a side-project & did not disappoint. Take a look at two of the platings from way back when in 2011:

Looks good, no? As these events typically sell out, don’t hesitate to call to save your spot: 619.578.2984. In the mean time, I will close by tempting your tastebuds with the entire line-up. Check it out:

Garlic Naan with Coconut Shrimp & Mango Chutney [optional starter]

Spiced Indian Squash Soup with White Chocolate Blood Orange Olive Oil Drizzle

choice of entree:

Creamy Spinach with Pan-fried Cheese Curds -or- Chicken Tikka Masala

both served with Candied Cocoa Nib & Pumpkinseed Basmati Rice

Farina Pudding with Chile Burnt Caramel Hazelnut, Bruleed Banana, & Vanilla Bean Gelato

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February 4th, 2013

Platinum Ticket Finale Results!

Well cocoa kiddies, its been a wild ride, but our old home is gone & the new Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro is settled in the quaint neighborhood of South Park. Our Grand Opening & Platinum Ticket Finale was packed full of fun; I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

After 2 hours of grueling chocolatey games, Gina won the “Lifetime of Chocolate”, a 20 year supply of chocolate bars valued at $20,000. Two other big prizes were awarded, one to the winner of our costume contest & another from our opportunity drawing. They each received a “Year of Chocolate” & many other prizes were awarded to those in attendance. Check out the photos! If you participated in our Candy Photo Booth, download your pics on our Facebook page here.

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January 25th, 2013

Only One Week Left To Claim Your Platinum Ticket!

Our Grand Opening Celebration is only one week away which means there’s only one week left for someone to claim the last Platinum Ticket! Seriously! Seven folks found one hiding in their chocolate bars & another won in our free raffle, but that’s still one short. We have a collection of contest games fit for eight, so whoever holds that last ticket better hurry up & claim it! Perhaps it’s laying quietly in amongst sorry many other holiday treats. Well the clock is ticking. If the last ticket is not claimed by 11am on Saturday morning we will be filling the empty spot with a winner from our raffle. All you need do to be applicable, is show up & be present when we call your name. We’ll make the final call at 3pm to see how many folks are present. Of course, we’ll be drawing names all day long for fun prizes, so many will walk away with awards!

Until then, we’ll hope our eighth Platinum Ticket is found, & of course you’ll hope that its not. Either way, we’ll see you there on Saturday February 2nd from 11-7pm. Here’s a sneak preview to tempt your senses.

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January 15th, 2013

Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Dinner

Our Grand Opening Celebration is only weeks away which means that Valentine’s Day is comin’ up soon. For years, we’ve served a monthly dinner of savory plates infused with chocolate, vanilla bean, or caramel, & we aren’t gonna stop just because we moved. In fact, our new home in South Park has both a craft beer bar & a private dining room, taking us to seating for 54! And with a fresh setting, our dinners will be more delicious than ever. Mark your calendar’s cocoa-kiddies, our first big event at the new Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro is already in the works. Join us exclusively on Thursday, February 14th, for 4 courses of cocoa-clad faire. Seats are only $45 each with an optional 4-course wine pairing for an additional $20. Check out the menu… its collection of some of our best platings from our last five years:

cocoa-glazed bacon-wrapped dates [optional starter]

beet & green apple salad with vanilla bean vinaigrette & candied cocoa nib

french onion soup with white chocolate garlic-glazed crouton

choice of entree:

pink peppercorn crusted pork tenderloin or

quinoa-stuffed red bell pepper with pine nut & gorganzola

both served with roasted veggie bread pudding with pomegranate cocoa gravy

chile burnt caramel rocky road & vanilla bean gelato bombe

for reservations, call 619.578.2984 or email info@eclipsechocolat.com

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January 6th, 2013

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Costume Contest

February 2nd, 2013… mark your calendars, cocoa kiddies! Tremendous things are in store for you…

Seriously! Our South Park Grand Opening is less than a month away & my whole team is busy preparing for a complete day of chocolatey indulgence. By now you’ve heard about our Platinum Ticket competition & the LIFETIME SUPPLY OF CHOCOLATE we are awarding, but the yum-yums don’t stop there. The big Grand Prize is worth $20,000, but we have another $5,000 in tantalizing treats to award. What would you do with a case of large chocolate bars every day for a year?

How, you ask? Come dressed as your favorite Charlie & the Chocolate Factory character & you might just win. We’ll be polling the crowd to see which costume will win, but as “honorary” Willy Wonka, I reserve the right to choose which fan will walk away with the our “Year of Chocolate” custom contest grand prize. Various other delicious prizes will be awarded via raffle, so anyone in attendance can win!

But you’ve only a month to prepare… so what are you waiting for? Get your green hair dye, purple suit, or inflatable blueberry costume & meet us there!

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January 4th, 2013

Last Chance to Win a Platinum Ticket!

Our big day is less than a month away! On February 2nd, the all new Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro located at Fern & Ivy in the heart of South Park will open to the public. Better yet, at the opening event, one lucky chap will win a LIFETIME SUPPLY OF CHOCOLATE! Check out the details here.

But theres a flip-side to every coin. We’ve had a good run on the historic El Cajon Boulevard, but its time for us to move on to bigger & better things. Sadly, there is only one week left here at the cafe before we close our doors permanently. Now there… stop whimpering… the bistro will be four times larger which means four times more chocolatey deliciousness. Plus, how about that LIFETIME SUPPLY OF CHOCOLATE, eh?!?

To date, two tickets have yet to be claimed. Perhaps they are hiding in amongst someone’s unopened holiday gifts, but what kind of person would leave a possibly winning chocolate bar unwrapped? I have it on good authority that both tickets entered our inventory at least a week before Xmas, but just in case they are still somewhere in the shop we’ve decided to discount ALL remaining 5th Anniversary chocolate bars to just $5 ($2 off). After all, we’ve only got 6 days left at our El Cajon Boulevard location. Better yet, stop by to enjoy our last weekend of brunch & get yourself a 10% discount on your chocolate for dining with us!

So come & get em folks. We’d love to see your lovely face added to our list of winners. There are still two spots left!

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December 31st, 2012

Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro Grand Opening!

Its been nine exciting years since the birth of Eclipse Chocolate, & tremendous things are in the works for many, many more! But all good things must come to an end; in a week our sign will go forever dark at our original El Cajon Boulevard location. But fret not, cocoa kiddies, in only a month we will re-open to the public in our new home in the heart of the neighborhood of South Park in central San Diego. The new Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro has many surprises in store for everyone including:

Daily service for our Sweet & Savory Brunch
Full kitchen accommodations for a larger, enhanced brunch menu
Available grilled panini & seasonal soup menu for all hours of operation
Private dining room seating for 45
Craft beer bar seating for 30
Rotating selection of 8 local brews on tap & the West Coast’s best wines
Larger retail area with new pastries, chocolates, & confections

Can you imagine it? My little chocolate company went & got all grown-up. Well it couldn’t have been without the enduring support of my team, friends, family, mentors, lenders, Kickstarters, & of course the regular patronage of our guests. And for that, I am truly & most humbly thankful. I couldn’t have done it without all of you!

And with only a month before our big opening, its time to start talking details! Mark your calendars, folks, because Saturday, February 2nd, 2013 is a day you will not want to miss! Check out all the exciting things going on:

Tray-passed samples of the new winter menu for our Sweet & Savory Brunch (12-4pm)
Platinum Ticket Finale Competition (4-6pm)
Build-a-Bar Workshop (12-4pm)
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Costume Contest (3pm)
A Year of Chocolate Raffle (12-6pm)

We’ll be open from 12-7pm & as you can see there will be a plethora of exciting things going on all day! Of course, our eight Platinum Ticket Bearers will compete to see who wins our LIFETIME SUPPLY OF CHOCOLATE, but many other prizes & awards will be given out throughout the day including a raffle that runs from 12-6pm. We’ll be drawing winners all day long for fun prizes & the winner of our costume contest will receive a one year supply of chocolate bars ($1000 value)! In total, we’ve got over $25,000 of delicious prizes to award. So come hungry, dressed as your favorite character from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, & ready to dive into a complete day of indulgence. Cya soon, choco-philes!

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December 23rd, 2012

Platinum Ticket Raffle Drawing

Xmas is only days away & the cafe has been bustling with activity. Surely by now you’ve heard of our big move to South Park. If you live in our new hood, you’ll see things are progressing quickly! In fact, we’ve only got a few weeks left at the cafe before we move. Aside from Xmas & New Years Day, we will have hours as normal, including brunch service up until Wednesday, January 9th. After that, we will be closed to the public as we move from space to space. Did you hear that folks? Get your chocolate & brunch fix in before we go dark for three weeks! Our South Park Grand Opening including the Platinum Ticket Finale is scheduled for Saturday, February 2nd. More deets soon! Until then…

Xmas is before us! And the world didn’t end! That means we actually ARE giving away a LIFETIME SUPPLY OF CHOCOLATE. If this is all new to you, take a moment & catch up here. Otherwise, stop into the cafe & get yourself some of those 5th Anniversary bars. To date, 5 of our tickets have been found, which means 2 remain hidden within chocolatey deliciousness… maybe there’s one in your holiday stocking! But don’t forget our raffle entry, too! The last & finale Platinum Ticket will be drawn at the cafe on Saturday, December 29th at 4pm. Due to a clerical scheduling error (something about the world not ending I think), we’ve extended the raffle an extra week! How do you enter? Drop by the cafe & fill out a FREE entry. And if you can join us next Saturday for the live drawing of the finale ticket, you can enjoy a 15% discount on ALL packaged retail chocolate. Oh yeah, we’ll also be celebrating, so there will be some experimental secret flavor drinking chocolate & other tray passed goodies for all who are present.