During our most recent visit to Seattle, we had to stop by Fran's Chocolates. As the official chocolatier of the White House (we had to visit, since this is Barack Obama's favorite chocolate store), Fran's Chocolates is known for their salted caramels.
The store closes relatively early, but we made it in at 7:20 p.m. (right before they closed at 7:30 p.m.). The parking situation here is a beast, as the store doesn't have its own parking. It's adjacent (or slightly within) The Four Seasons Hotel. Since we had a wheelchair, our driver just stayed in the loading zone for a few minutes (there's a three-minute loading zone) since we knew we couldn't be in the store for very long. If we went there earlier, I would have parked in the parking lot by Target, picked up water from Target and then walked to Fran's Chocolates; it's an easy walk across the street.
We were immediately greeted with free samples of their chilled drinking chocolate, which was different ... I'm used to drinking chocolate being hot, so this chilled option was different to experience. It was still really rich, like drinking a chocolate bar that had been melted, then stuck in the fridge. It's super super sweet, meant to be enjoyed in small doses. Neat!
The sheer amount of chocolates available can be overwhelming, but the helpful staff walked us through everything. The displays were impeccable in presentation and clearly labeled, too. The hardest part was actually deciding what to order. Each piece is $2.25, so you can't get too carried away.
Since we had to rush (the store was closing in a few minutes), we ended up getting three of the signature caramels and one chocolate bar. But, it was really neat to be in the actual Fran's store, and I marveled at all their chocolate assortments. If you get a box of these, you know you are loved, since these chocolates cost a pretty penny.
Here's what we got, as well as what I want to try next time:
Gray Salt Caramels: Of course, we couldn't walk out of Fran's without those famous salted caramels, so we got three - one for each of us. I had these caramels from the Starbucks Roastery (I think they're the exclusive Starbucks location that carries these), so I had tasted them before and know how addictively good they are. What a treat it was to get our hands on these again! These salt caramels are slightly different from the smoked salt version because these have a soft, buttery caramel center dipped in dark chocolate and finished with gray salt (instead of smoked sea salt). The smoked salt caramels are also dipped in milk chocolate (not dark chocolate). I love dark chocolate, and this sported the perfect blend of sweet meets salty. I enjoy dark chocolate, and it provided the ideal hint of sweetness to balance the slightly salty topping. My favorite part is the luscious caramel that comes oozing out once you pop the caramel into your mouth and start to chew. If you're getting one treat from this store, be sure to try the grey salt and smoked salt caramel.
Macadamia Gold Bar: These bars are sold in boxes, but the different bars are also available individually. This one features plentiful macadamia nuts, buttery caramel and dark chocolate. We got this for a family member who really likes macadamia nuts. The mac nuts are ample within the bar and add a great crunch to the otherwise silky smooth texture from the caramel and velvety dark chocolate.
Almond Goldbites: If I were ordering a chocolate bar for myself, this is one I would choose. This bar features toasted almonds that add a subtle crunch to a mixture of buttery caramel and rich dark chocolate. I love almonds more than mac nuts, so I would want to get this bar. I'm sure it tastes similar to the Macadamia Gold, in that there's bits of crunch interspersed within the bar, but with slivers of almonds instead of mac nuts. Yum!
Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Diamonds: I was eyeing these truffles because they featured one of my favorite flavors - hazelnut. These diamond-shaped truffles cannot be missed because of their distinct shape. They feature finely ground Oregon hazelnuts that are blended with rich, creamy milk chocolate. I like Nutella and anything that has to do with hazelnuts, so this presents the perfect blend. I also do like the richer taste of milk chocolate, so I'm sure these diamonds give "diamond in the rough" a new meaning.
Chocolate Imperials: This was a dark chocolate truffle that looked positively delightful. It featured a soft, dark chocolate center with a dark chocolate encasing and a topping of crushed cacao nuts. I love it when desserts have crushed cacao on top for that earthy, nutty flavor. I also would love that dark chocolate center that reminds me of a molten chocolate cake. read more