Pacific Puffs, Marina, San Francisco

Pacific Puffs was created by two brothers who were looking to make a career change and celebrate their mom’s cream puff recipe with their niche store. We popped by the Marina location after a friend said this was where it is at for a solid cream puff.

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Pacific Puffs cream puffs cost $3.25 each and mini puffs $2.00 each.  An adorable little girl with her mom ordered the Classic freshly baked choux pastry puff filled with a madagascar bourbon vanilla cream, topped with a thick chocolate glaze and she exclaimed mmm. She did the happy dance. Although the Chocolatier covered with rich chocolate glaze and filled with a light chocolate cream looked very tempting, we were looking for something more exotic.

_MG_4477What looked very interesting was the Peanut Butter Cream topped with bits of nuts._MG_4476

This specific cream puff reminded us of a Reese. The filling was dreamy, light and fluffy the chocolate coating was the perfect ratio and the puff was equally light and exterior crisp. We were also doing the happy dance._MG_4478

We will definitely stop by the Westfield Center location or find the Pacific Puff truck whenever we have a craving for the special flavor cream puffs. For more Asian style flavors, we will be visiting Beard Papas.Pacific Puffs on Urbanspoon

LA Burdicks, Back Bay, Boston

L.A. Burdicks Chocolate is an absolute favorite. We have enjoyed sipping the rich hot chocolate in the Harvard Square, Cambridge location and purchasing chocolate from the relatively new Burdicks on the corner of Clarendon and Newbury.

 

We love giving individual pieces of chocolate as gifts and the beautiful wooden boxes as well. Such a fun treat.

Our favorites are Richeleau, Honey Caramel Truffle, Fig (fig and port wine), Trinidad and Ginger.

Not to mention the little mice!

Bocadillos, Financial District, San Francisco

We went to Bocadillos for a group dinner and “set up”. The cavernous restaurant with red brick walls was quite inviting and cool. We shared a communal table with other groups and each of us ended up enjoying the tapas for $30 each person. Our server was very friendly and thorough.

The Mission figs, paired with humboldt fog and wrapped in thin serrano ham for $3 each were really lovely. Sweet, savory, salty and just delicious. Must get. We enjoyed the thickly cut and seasoned patatas bravas with a thin romesco sauce for $9.

We ordered several Bacalao (cod fritters) served with spicy tartar sauce and lemon for $13. The fritters were nicely fried and went well with the zing from the spicy sauce.

The lamb burger was super tender and very flavorful and served with a lightly dressed salad. We enjoyed the accoutrements of aioli, shallots, tomato for $6.

We enjoyed the tender albondigas surrounded by sweet sherry tomato sauce and sprinkled with queso fresco for $14.
The warm chocolate cake with banana ice cream was nothing special and “arm of gypsy” with hazelnut mousse was a jelly roll with a light mouse for $7 each.

Bocadillos on Urbanspoon

Recchiuti, Ferry Building, San Francisco

Recchiuti is a special place in the Ferry Building and needless to say quite dangerous. The chocolate selection of artisan chocolates, truffles and chocolate bars are tremendous.

Recchiuti’s s’mores bites are on a whole other level. A package contains 4 s’mores bites for $8. The fluffy marshmallow, graham coating and chocolate coating is absolutely delectable and is hard to just enjoy one.

Recchiuti on Urbanspoon