Best Dessert - Chocolat, Chocolat, Chocolat

After some time sampling desserts at various restaurants, I think that these three are presently the best on the island. I’m not the chocolate lover in the family, but I wouldn’t say no to any of these. In Alphabetical order:

Dark Chocolate Soufflé from Tamarin - What’s not to like about a warm melty chocolate dessert?



Entremet Chocolat Noir from L’Esprit - I had to Google Entremet. I found “ For modern pastry chefs, an entremet is a multi-layered mousse-baked cake with various complementary flavors and varying textural contrasts.”



Tout Chocolat from Hôtel Manapany - Tout chocolat (Chocolate biscuit, chocolate mousse 65%, creamy chocolate 70%, chocolate puffed rice with chocolate 85%, cacao jelly and tonka ice-cream)




I have my own opinion of the ranking of these three desserts, and I’m not even the person who ordered them. Pick any one and you won’t go wrong. Enjoy all three and marvel at what a good pastry chef can do with quality ingredients. Eat an early dinner (or lunch for Manapany) elsewhere and slide in to one of these restaurants for dessert and “deux coupes”, two glasses of champagne. (Perhaps two seats at the bar at Tamarin, which is still one of the hottest tables in town).

For me, I’m wondering if I need to step up my game at home. My Fondant au Chocolat may no longer be the star that it once was. I’m not a French Pastry Chef, so the Entremet and the Tout Chocolat may be outside of my comfort zone. But a Chocolate Soufflé, that doesn’t scare me, and I can work on it. The best effect comes from a surprise, so I just need to borrow a friend’s kitchen while I experiment...

Wow..I have to rethink my skipping dessert so often. It was nice to have lost 8pounds this winter but now I hear the chocolate creations calling my name.

that Esprit concoction is screaming for me.... what's in the middle layers, Kevin?

elgreaux said:

that Esprit concoction is screaming for me.... what's in the middle layers, Kevin?

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The larger layers are mousse, mostly chocolate, but last night’s had a schmear of raspberry too. The thinner layers are crunchy.

I want all three! It's one of the many reasons we enjoy the island so....it's wonderful food

OMG chocolate heaven soon awaits us, may have to re-think my fave from Langouste, the ile flottante, but I can still have that in the non-chocolate category when choosing desserts !

I am a big flottante fan too. Emmanuel’s Was the very best but Langouste also does a good job.

I miss the ile flottant from Wall House. So good!

I miss Franck. Good memories abound.

If you talk to Jean Claude in advance, he will especially prepare a chocolate souffle at L'Esprit. It is to die for!

Emmanuel ?

Had it there too, Langouste my winner. Have never made it, would think difficult to do on SBH or anywhere in Caribbean with the temps, humidity. I'm not much of a baker, but can do credible cheese souffle, chocolate too.

Emmanuel=previous host Manu at Santa Fe in Lurin

Ah...he would personally make or a pastry person would ? Many on the forum have spoken so highly of him, we always found him to be not very friendly or welcoming. Husband ordered a main there once that had mussels on top/mixed in with pasta, the top mussel had not opened, told the server who smiled & said a surprise & shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea, the chef should not have sent that dish beyond the kitchen.

We quietly agree, we never feel very welcome at L'Esprit and goodness knows we try to be friendly, quiet, and not too "American". I even practice my restaurant French. We get a whirling turnover of rushed wait staff, never know who really is covering our table, and always seem to be on the outside looking when we need something - however, the food is lovely.
And we also agree, La Langouste's Ile Flottante is epic. Everything from the slivers of almonds, to the cream, and the meringue - perfection.
While we're going down memory lane, can anyone there report on any progress at Santa Fe? We return in two weeks, and we would love to visit with David et al.

The last I heard was that they were hoping for June, Beth. I too am disappointed as we return in May.

bethwoff said:

We quietly agree, we never feel very welcome at L'Esprit and goodness knows we try to be friendly, quiet, and not too "American". I even practice my restaurant French. We get a whirling turnover of rushed wait staff, never know who really is covering our table, and always seem to be on the outside looking when we need something - however, the food is lovely.
And we also agree, La Langouste's Ile Flottante is epic. Everything from the slivers of almonds, to the cream, and the meringue - perfection.
While we're going down memory lane, can anyone there report on any progress at Santa Fe? We return in two weeks, and we would love to visit with David et al.

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We are here now and have ridden by Sante Fe a few times, work going on, but it still looks like it’s a little ways away from opening.

We had our first American “shun” yesterday. Tried Barts Food Lounge for the first time. They were taking credit cards from French tables, but not American ones. We had euros with us, but another couple was eating there on a cruise ship stop and desperately had to run to an ATM and get $ to pay; they were racing to get back to their boat in time. No sign up or anything about the issue, just telling you no cards when it was time to pay. When we asked about them taking a card from the table beside us with no issue, they said the phone line to the American banks was down. ? Whatever. We won’t go back. Plenty of better places here to get a 60 euro lunch.

I’ve used American credit cards all over the island, including today at lunch. All three of the desserts at the beginning of this thread were paid for with American credit cards. BS on Barts assertion.

Beth, agree about being friendly etc, after all we are South Carolinians ! Went to SF many times over the many years, Manu seemed like a deer in headlights to me, seemed out of element. On the other hand at Christmas we had dinner at Hall's in CHS & a bit too friendly from the owners/hosts on hand. Going to L'Esprit next month so we'll see. Are you in my area of Bluffton by chance ?

KevinS said:

I’ve used American credit cards all over the island, including today at lunch. All three of the desserts at the beginning of this thread were paid for with American credit cards. BS on Barts assertion.

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We haven’t had problems anywhere else either. All other places have been more than happy to take our cards. Thank goodness we came prepared with a few euros. We’ve never encountered that attitude here before.