The Chocolate Buffet at Hotel Bel-Air

The Chocolate Buffet at Los Angeles' Hotel Bel-Air is surprisingly small, but still an economical way to sample high-end confections by Madam Chocolat, wife of legendary chocolatier Jacques Torres.

Held every Thursday this summer, the Chocolate Buffet is set in Hotel Bel-Air's elegant restaurant, a recipient of Zagat Guide awards for best décor and service. But the spread itself lacks wow factor. Dreaming of a three-tier chocolate fountain? You won't find it here. This buffet is laid out on a small table with a plastic swan centerpiece. Noticeably absent are any soufflés or crêpes. There is no mousse or sorbet or gelato. Console yourself with dark and white chocolate cakes, a demitasse of creamy chocolate pudding, and a cup of silky rich hot chocolate. If necessary, help yourself to an entire Valrhona chocolate block.

The buffet includes non-chocolate items such as bread pudding, crème brûlée, and choux pastry swans. Sadly, these items quickly go soft and soggy in the warm, humid evening air.

The buffet's big draw is its selection of gourmet bonbons and chocolate-coated treats from Madam Chocolat's factory and boutique in Beverly Hills. Madam, aka Hasty Torres, uses fine Belgian chocolate and French technique to create unique flavors such as Monsieur, an infusion of Classic Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch in dark chocolate ganache. Citron blends creamy white chocolate and fresh lime juice. The Mendiant squares pair milk chocolate with roasted almond, pistachio, and dried apricot. Each bonbon is beautifully decorated and finished by hand.

Purchased online, a 10-piece box of Madam's assorted bonbons is $20. The Chocolate Buffet at Hotel Bel-Air is $28, but lasts three and a half hours and includes Madam's Dark Chocolate Mocca Beans, delicately flavored chocolates in the shape of coffee beans, and Coated Delights such as warm and spicy ginger dipped in dark chocolate and dusted with hazelnuts; malt balls; and chocolate-covered orange peels, macadamias, and almonds. It's a sweet bang for the buck.

If You Go