When I’m in the mood for incredible chocolates or a painfully delicious light meal I often head to Locolat Cafe. Owned and run by Belgian pastry chef whiz Niel Piferoen, formerly of Citronelle and the Willard, Locolat Cafe is home to some fantastic traditional Belgian creations. Just one bite of their candies or waffles and you can tell this food is unmistakably different from the norm. So what’s the difference? A near fanatical devotion to purity, process, and products.
For a shop that’s both small (only seven tables) and strangely shaped, Locolat has real character. Located at the bottom of Adams Morgan, you can see the kitchen on your way in, filled with Wonka-esque foods and machines and manned by either Niel or his wife Ada. The other is usually behind the register and both are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable when ordering. Niel’s more than happy to discuss the creation processes (as in-depth as you’d like), how business is and what foods are coming next.
Locolat Cafe's interior
I prefer Locolat for a smaller casual brunch where I can choose between a slew of different waffles while drinking their homemade hot chocolate. Since waffles in Belgium aren’t a breakfast food but rather a mid-afternoon snack or dessert, Locolat’s waffle selection is more similar to crepes than American waffles. For a distinctly breakfast-like waffle, try the traditional Brussels waffle ($6.60), served with homemade whipped cream, a fresh strawberry, powdered sugar, and a strawberry and raspberry compote. Pictured below, the waffle is incredibly light, fresh and satisfying. Better yet, it’s also available with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream ($7).
Toppings aside, the waffles here taste nothing like your average American-style Belgian waffle. So what’s the difference? Yeast. Locolat’s waffle batter is flour, whole eggs, milk, sugar and yeast; whereas American waffle batters generally come from a bag of flour and processed ingredients mixed with milk or water (and sometimes eggs). Yeast reacts differently in each type of waffle, but here it lets the Brussels waffle be airier and allows the Liege waffle to be cakier. Try it and you’ll see immediately.
Locolat also has traditional European foods including homemade quiches, pates, and puff pastry sandwiches. I haven’t tried them yet, though I’d be surprised if they were anything but good.
But the real heart and soul of their business is their confectionaries. Their truffles are made of hazelnut butter cream rolled into hand-scraped belgian chocolate shavings - the only real truffle according to Locolat. Swiss truffles are similar but come filled with a ganache, while the mass produced American truffle is made from a mold and injected with most anything you want. Locolat also makes ganaches and pralines and other candies like the Swiss and American versions, but they are clear - they are candies not truffles. With rough shavings all around, their truffle ($1.40-$2) might not look quite as pretty as the Godiva truffle, but it easily wins on taste.
I prefer Locolat for a smaller casual brunch where I can choose between a slew of different waffles while drinking their homemade hot chocolate. Since waffles in Belgium aren’t a breakfast food but rather a mid-afternoon snack or dessert, Locolat’s waffle selection is more similar to crepes than American waffles. For a distinctly breakfast-like waffle, try the traditional Brussels waffle ($6.60), served with homemade whipped cream, a fresh strawberry, powdered sugar, and a strawberry and raspberry compote. Pictured below, the waffle is incredibly light, fresh and satisfying. Better yet, it’s also available with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream ($7).
Brussels waffle with whipped cream and fruit compote
For a more substantive waffle, Locolat has a selection of savory: a red or green vegetable waffle served beneath the choice of grilled vegetables, prosciutto and parmesan or smoked salmon. All are served with an arugula salad and a drizzle of spicy mayo. This waffle is thicker, heartier, and partly vegetable-tasting, but still crisp and no less satisfying. Try the green vegetable waffle with smoked salmon on top ($8.75), it will not disappoint for any meal.
For a more substantive waffle, Locolat has a selection of savory: a red or green vegetable waffle served beneath the choice of grilled vegetables, prosciutto and parmesan or smoked salmon. All are served with an arugula salad and a drizzle of spicy mayo. This waffle is thicker, heartier, and partly vegetable-tasting, but still crisp and no less satisfying. Try the green vegetable waffle with smoked salmon on top ($8.75), it will not disappoint for any meal.
Green vegetable waffle with smoked salmon
Inside the green vegetable waffle
Have a sweet tooth or craving dessert? Consider the chocolate chip Liege waffle ($6.25). This is a cakier waffle, thicker and incredibly rich, with a noticeable crackle of sugar at the end of each bite. It’s slightly too sweet for my taste, but if you love sugar or chocolate then have it. Either way, it blows away your average chocolate chip waffle.
Chocolate chip Liege waffle
Have a sweet tooth or craving dessert? Consider the chocolate chip Liege waffle ($6.25). This is a cakier waffle, thicker and incredibly rich, with a noticeable crackle of sugar at the end of each bite. It’s slightly too sweet for my taste, but if you love sugar or chocolate then have it. Either way, it blows away your average chocolate chip waffle.
Chocolate chip Liege waffle
Toppings aside, the waffles here taste nothing like your average American-style Belgian waffle. So what’s the difference? Yeast. Locolat’s waffle batter is flour, whole eggs, milk, sugar and yeast; whereas American waffle batters generally come from a bag of flour and processed ingredients mixed with milk or water (and sometimes eggs). Yeast reacts differently in each type of waffle, but here it lets the Brussels waffle be airier and allows the Liege waffle to be cakier. Try it and you’ll see immediately.
Locolat also has traditional European foods including homemade quiches, pates, and puff pastry sandwiches. I haven’t tried them yet, though I’d be surprised if they were anything but good.
But the real heart and soul of their business is their confectionaries. Their truffles are made of hazelnut butter cream rolled into hand-scraped belgian chocolate shavings - the only real truffle according to Locolat. Swiss truffles are similar but come filled with a ganache, while the mass produced American truffle is made from a mold and injected with most anything you want. Locolat also makes ganaches and pralines and other candies like the Swiss and American versions, but they are clear - they are candies not truffles. With rough shavings all around, their truffle ($1.40-$2) might not look quite as pretty as the Godiva truffle, but it easily wins on taste.
Locolat's milk chocolate truffle
To make the truffles, they heat the liquid chocolate to about 90 degrees and then take it from the chocolate wheel (below) and spread it across a granite surface only to scrape it off with their hands, piece by piece, until it’s all gone. Those shavings make up the outside of the truffle, which the hazelnut butter cream is then rolled in. Who knew that much manual labor could possibly go into making a truffle?
To make the truffles, they heat the liquid chocolate to about 90 degrees and then take it from the chocolate wheel (below) and spread it across a granite surface only to scrape it off with their hands, piece by piece, until it’s all gone. Those shavings make up the outside of the truffle, which the hazelnut butter cream is then rolled in. Who knew that much manual labor could possibly go into making a truffle?
The chocolate wheel
But their detail and dedication extends far beyond just truffles or chocolate. For example, their mojito flavored chocolate ($2) is infused with house-made fresh mojitos. For the pistachio chocolates, they use a pistachio paste so good that it costs $150 for a 20-ounce can. All of the fruit flavored candies are made with fresh fruit, from the banana chocolate to the passion fruit chocolate, made with a fresh passion fruit puree. And as for their hot chocolate, it’s imported from Belgium as chocolate chips and then turned into liquid chocolate - a significantly departure from the usual hot chocolate powder.
As for their future, Locolat will be celebrating it’s first anniversary in June and a new line of chocolates are being unveiled for it, including potentially a bacon and chocolate candy. If they’re anything like their current food, they will certainly impress.
But their detail and dedication extends far beyond just truffles or chocolate. For example, their mojito flavored chocolate ($2) is infused with house-made fresh mojitos. For the pistachio chocolates, they use a pistachio paste so good that it costs $150 for a 20-ounce can. All of the fruit flavored candies are made with fresh fruit, from the banana chocolate to the passion fruit chocolate, made with a fresh passion fruit puree. And as for their hot chocolate, it’s imported from Belgium as chocolate chips and then turned into liquid chocolate - a significantly departure from the usual hot chocolate powder.
As for their future, Locolat will be celebrating it’s first anniversary in June and a new line of chocolates are being unveiled for it, including potentially a bacon and chocolate candy. If they’re anything like their current food, they will certainly impress.
Locolat Cafe
1781 Florida Avenue, NW Suite-A
1781 Florida Avenue, NW Suite-A
Washington, DC 20009
202.518.2570
202.518.2570
www.belgiumlocolat.com
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