You know what I love? I LOVE me some fine tasty desserts! But people are always filling their tasty sweets full of dairy and gluten and things that are on the ick list, and so I have a long standing dessert deficit... I mean, if it weren't for soy ice cream and gelato, I don't know what I would have done this long! But some days a frozen desert just isn't what you're looking for. What's a girl to do? Two words: Chi Cake.

Location

When I started working on the edge of Gastown in the early spring, I had noticed Nuba across the street--kinda hard to tell what was going on there from the outside, but my workmates insisted it was a good place. But you see, I can hardly eat ANYWHERE. I've got a shwack (yes, a schwack) of food allergies, and it is incredibly difficult for me to find any restaurants where I can eat more than just salad.

So I saw it there across the street on a daily basis, but thought surely it can't be any more accomodating than the usual places. In May, Beyond Robson featured an article on Nuba, and a great article at that, full of praise. And still, I thought, surely I will just be disappointed if I go in...

Locations

There are a good number of local chocolate companies around here, most specialize in chocolate bars, many have dairy free options. But my favorite find in the last couple years is Bad Girl Chocolates. These chocolates are AMAZING, in particular the truffles, and not only that, a lot of them are vegan (ie. dairy free so I can eat them, yay!). My favourites so far are the pomegranate truffle, and the the chai truffle (which I don't think is actually available anymore), but the five-spice is also really good.

Bad Girl Chocolates are handmade by local gal, Kelly Boyd, a graduate of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, and it shows in some of her more unusual combinations, such as the hot chocolate truffle, which has a hint of cayenne in it, the stout truffle which actually contains Guiness, and the olive oil truffle, which she explained at last weekend's farmers market, has a very mild taste but an incredible texture.

Kelly frequently sells her chocolates at local farmer's markets (see eatlocal.org for schedules), and many holiday markets (dates are listed on her site) and she also does mail order through the site.

If you a chocolate lover, it's well worth tracking her down and investing in some of the best chocolates you'll ever eat!