Chocolate Maven a haven for more than bakery items
The Chocolate Maven cafe has been serving uncompromisingly rich pastries, tarts and cakes — and equally indulgent breakfast and lunch fare — for years and years now, and has won Best of Santa Fe ratings consistently over the past decade and a half. It’s a favorite, and for good reason, as we reaffirmed on a recent brunch visit.
Unpretentious in location, Chocolate Maven is hidden off San Mateo Road in a nondescript warehouse. Hardly the exterior you’d expect for one of Santa Fe’s best bakeries — purveyors of European-style pastries, from croissants and bear claws to fruitladen turnovers and tarts, and exquisitely decorated decadent cakes.
We were in search of more substantial fare, however, and Chocolate Maven provides that, too. Breakfast is one of the big meals in our day and we ordered accordingly. My guest chose eggs Benedict ($14), the classic version from the three variations offered. I opted for Chocolate Maven’s aptly named eggsadilla — a quesadilla bulked up with scrambled egg ($13). For something sweet, we split an order of blue corn-blueberry pancakes ($14).
The eggs Benedict were classic and excellent: toasted English muffin halves, a slice of Canadian bacon and a perfectly poached egg, all bathed in a lightly lemony hollandaise sprinkled with the barest scattering of hot red ... paprika? Cayenne? We weren’t sure but, whatever it was, it was perfect — just a hint, no more, of heat.
But the accompanying “smashed” potatoes were a dud. The problem wasn’t the potatoes themselves — little red ones that had been boiled and then, as advertised, smashed open (not mashed).
But they cried out for a little extra flavor. A generous toss of fresh parsley or chives, maybe. Fresh pepper? Alternatively, they might have been sautéed with a little butter for some richness and crunch. The Maven serves these potatoes as a side to any number of its breakfast standards, so improving them would pay a big dividend.
The eggsadilla was very good: a generous serving of scrambled egg sandwiched between two very fresh, hot flour tortillas with cheddar cheese, a little onion and strips of roasted poblano chile. I would have appreciated a little more cheese, although I have many acquaintances who would have pronounced this dish fine as served. And the poblano strips were flavorful but (and properly) lacking in heat — another thing that may not have universal appeal here in the capital of green.
The accompanying garnishes were especially good, most notably the roasted red ancho chile “salsa.” Drizzled over the quesadilla wedges, it added a smoky flavor and just the right amount of heat. And we detected a subtle tang — a hint of vinegar, perhaps?
Unusually, Chocolate Maven serves this dish with a small and delicious cup of black beans garnished with crumbly cotija cheese, an addition that notches the eggsadilla up to big-breakfast status.
But the pancake plate was the showstopper. The blue corn added texture (and earthy flavor) to what otherwise might have been just competently fluffy cakes. The blueberries were hard to see in that dark blue batter, but made their presence known to the taste buds. What really made this dish special was the scattering of piñon nuts and the maple syrup drizzled overall.
On the spot, we decided piñon nuts are the perfect accompaniment to blue corn anything. And we wondered if the syrup had been heated with butter. It certainly tasted like it: There was a richness here that plain syrup doesn’t provide. We attacked the stack from both ends until only a slender island remained between us.
The brunch menu includes omelets and huevos rancheros, as well as more pancake and waffle variations and a quiche. Sandwiches, including a burger, and a small sampling of substantial salads are included, too.
Chocolate Maven’s dining spaces are small and crowded, but not unpleasantly so. Despite the steady mobs of customers that descended on this place the weekend we tried it, the pace inside is smooth and unruffled. We admired the wait staff for patience and dance-quality moves between crowded tables.
Special note: At the height of Saturday brunch, we didn’t have any trouble conversing across our small table.
Try to garner a seat next to the big window facing the pastry kitchen, the better to watch Chocolate Maven’s pros at work. Even if you’re an accomplished baker, that’s a humbling (yet exhilarating) experience!