Chocolate All the Ways

Uptown Dallas lounge shows us so many awesome ways to eat chocolate

Sablon Chocolate Lounge in Uptown Dallas

Photo courtesy of Sablon

A chocolate lounge specializing in hot chocolate is carrying the sweet banner in Uptown Dallas' West Village. Called Sablon Chocolate Lounge, it's in the spot Pinkberry vacated in October 2015, at 3839 McKinney Ave.

In addition to hot chocolate, it also serves iced chocolate as well as milkshakes, desserts, and coffee drinks.

Hot chocolate comes in nine flavors, including chocolate-mint, nougat, tiramisu, and even a strawberry. The iced chocolate is kind of like a Frappuccino, in flavors that include caramel, nutty chocolate, and iced espresso.

The milkshakes are rich and kitschy, whether in exotic varieties such as Dutch truffle cake and Ferrero Rocher (named for the Italian chocolate-hazelnut candy), or American classics such as Oreo, Snickers, and M&M.

There are Belgian waffles and fondues, cheesecake and creme brûlée. One unusual offering is a trio of chocolate pizzas, in chocolate-nut, banana-marshmallow, and chocolate-peanut flavors. And then there's a sundae with two brownies that goes for $15.

Prices here are not cheap, but the free ganache samples are a nice touch.

Sablon also does its own chocolates, in boxes of nine and 12, in combinations such as chocolate with almond and chocolate with cashew. An employee said that he wasn't sure of the brand of chocolate that was being used.

"It comes in blocks, and our selection is limited because we make it here," he said.

The chocolate lounge was opened in January by Gauri F&B, a company based in Richardson.

Where to Drink

Where to drink in Dallas right now: 5 happy hours for September

Esco Dallas

The best-tasting drinks are blue.

It's time for the September installment of Where to Drink, our monthly column on the best places for cocktails and more. We're looking at our favorite theme — best happy hours — and have found five places taking it seriously in all the far reaches of Dallas: from Frisco to Wylie to downtown Dallas, even to the Park Cities, because they need a drink discount, too.

Here's where to drink in Dallas right now:

Ainsworth
Elevated sports bar at the Shops at Legacy has a weekday happy hour from 11 am-7 pm. And on Fridays, they add two extra hours of joy with an extended happy hour from 11 am-9 pm. Drink specials include $4 drafts, $5 wells, $7 house wines, and $8 signature cocktails. Select appetizers are $5, such as chips & salsa, spinach dip, and mozzerella sticks. The Friday dining deals include $7 flatbreads.

Casa Mia
Frisco Mexican restaurant has a daily happy hour from 4-7 pm with discounts on frozen and rocks margaritas, draft, and bottle beers. Select drinks are $4-$6.50, including house margaritas, exotic flavor margaritas, and domestic and imported beer. There are also deals on bites, including $6.50 tacos and $7.50 nachos and quesadillas.

Esco Dallas
Buzzy tapas restaurant in downtown Dallas from rapper 2Chainz has rotating happy hour specials Tuesday-Friday from 4-7 pm. Tuesdays are $3 well shots and $10 for three tacos. Wednesdays feature $5 wine by the glass, plus rum drinks and shots. Thursdays feature $7 Crown Royal and Dusse drinks. Friday, it's $9 Casamigos drinks.

Ferah Smokehouse
Wylie smokehouse and family-owned concept has a new daily happy hour from 3-6 pm, with an amazing array of items all priced at $4. Here's all the things you can get for $4: mojitos, margaritas, Moscow mules, cosmos, and house cocktails; plus brisket mac & cheese balls, meatballs, creamy elotes, and queso.

Half Shells
Snider Plaza, where Half Shells resides, is under renovation, so the Half Shells is compensating with weekday specials from 3-6 pm, including oysters for $2.50, shrimp nachos for $8, shrimp & crab queso for $8, and a cheeseburger for $10. Drink specials include $6 glasses of house wine, $2 off other glasses of wine, $6 Gold Margarita, and $6 wells. Mondays is happy hour all day.