L.A. Burdick

I would like to start out with some hot chocolate places I've been to within these past few semesters at BU.

My friends and I could unashamedly say that we are complete chocoholics. To appease our sweet tooths, we visited L.A. Burdick at Harvard Square in Cambridge. This handmade chocolate cafe is a tight space but gives you the serene and sophisticated atmosphere that is perfect for reading and studying--I did some successful reading for some of my science classes here. Once you enter, the warmth of smell from the cocoa and freshly baked pastries welcomes you. The toque-hatted chocolatiers also draw your attention. The menu is up on the wall close to the cashier so you could take a look at it before placing an order. While waiting for your drinks or pastries, you can get a table and wait for the people to serve them for you.

There is a wide array of chocolates and pastries to choose from, but I highly recommend starting out with the basics--single source hot chocolates exclusively at L.A. Burdick that include Grenadian, Venezuelan, Dominican, Bolivian, Madagascan, and Ecuadorian. Be mindful of the thickness of these drinks, as you might prefer higher or less percentage of dark cocoa content, so pay close attention to the description of each before ordering. The drinks can be served either iced or hot. The first time we went, we had Madagascan, Venezuelan, and white chocolate. I had Madagascan, which was 64% chocolate with hints of citrus and vanilla. It wasn't too bitter or thick, as the description might suggest. I was extremely satisfied with my choice--the consistency was just right, and I could really taste the cocoa rather than the sugar and other garnishing favors that you usually get from store-bought hot chocolate. I also tried my friends' Venezuelan and white. Venezuelan was little darker than mine, but certainly not in a better or worse way. I think each drink has its own character that every person can be matched to. 

To finish up our chocolaty excursion, we had croissants, both plain and chocolate. They were crispy on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside, which all croissants should be. They perfectly complemented our hot chocolates.

I must say that L.A. Burdick is my favorite chocolate place in Boston.