Jade Chocolate\u2019s Chinatown location has been serving themed high tea for a little over a year now. The current theme is \u201cIn the Dining Car: The Golden Spike Era,\u201d and in the short introduction by our server about the theme she explained that we would be having a meal inspired by the cuisines of the Chinese and Irish who built the railroads and foods served in Pullman dining cars.<\/p>\n
First tea<\/h2>\n![\"Tea](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Tea-brewing-in-anticipation.jpg\")
Tea brewing in anticipation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe were first served tea because of course \u2014 it\u2019s in the name. The tea, Irish Breakfast, was a blend of Ceylon and Assam teas. It was a non-bitter black tea with a little floral in it.<\/p>\n
First course: Railroad worker savories<\/h2>\n![\"That\u2019s](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Thats-a-lot-of-food-for-2.jpg\")
That\u2019s a lot of food for 2 people!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhen the server brought out the first course I think I found out why it\u2019s called high tea \u2014 the food was stacked on a 3-tier tray. It included items inspired by all 3 cuisines mentioned in the intro.<\/p>\n
The Corned Beef Hand Pie with Dipping Gravy was Irish inspired with the pie filled with corned beef, carrots, and potatoes. Chef Scott McTaggert elevated this classic work pail lunch by flavoring the cornmeal crunch crust with rosemary and adding fennel (or maybe star anise for a Chinese inspired addition?) to the dipping gravy for a pleasant licorice bump.<\/p>\n
It was suggested we start with the warm options on the tray so we proceeded to the Potato Cheddar Soup next. While this was also Irish inspired it had a mushroom flavor in addition to potato and cheese.<\/p>\n
Our server had told us that when they were building the railroads the Irish were paid $35\/month while the Chinese were paid $30\/month plus they were responsible for their food and lodging. So rehydrated mushrooms are featured in some of the dishes because the Chinese brought a lot of dried foods with them to their worksites.<\/p>\n
Moving on to the cold dishes we tried the Cucumber Cream Cheese & Winter Mushroom on Pullman Brioche Tea Sandwich. The cucumber mushroom filling was a tasty cool contrast to the warm soup and hand pie but I have to do a shout out to that Pullman brioche \u2014 it was a very light textured mild flavored bread but nothing like WonderBread \u2014 it was the best white bread I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n![\"Cafe](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Cafe-area.jpg\")
View from the cafe area to the bonbon display case (left) and Apothecary Bar (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI also want to make an aside about how comfortable the seating was. The cafe is not a large space but we didn\u2019t feel crowded. The ceilings are high which made it seem more spacious and the chairs were so comfy they felt like they were made for lingering.<\/p>\n
With the cool cucumber sandwiches we also ate Chop Suey Cabbage Salad. Inspired by the old school American Chinese dish, the cabbage salad contained crunchy noodles, 2 types of cabbage, yellow bell pepper, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and slivers of ginger on top. It was a good combination \u2014 crunchy and refreshing \u2014 with cracked pepper adding some heat.<\/p>\n
Cacaopod remarked on a commonality between the 2 cuisines: Both include root vegetables \u2014 Irish uses potatoes, Chinese uses ginger \u2014 but one is mild while the other is spicy.<\/p>\n
Topping the tower were Buttermilk Scones with Whipped Butter and Rhubarb Ginger Jam. The server told us that rhubarb is one of the most popular ingredients in Irish desserts \u2014 and we already talked about ginger.<\/p>\n
The jam was a slightly greenish golden color. It tasted a little floral but mostly ginger. It wasn\u2019t tart like I expected, the flavor reminded me of ginger ale. The scone was excellent and had a crunchy sugar top. It was a nice mild combo.<\/p>\n
Some of the food items were available for takeaway like the soup and scones. I wish they sold the ginger rhubarb jam too. I haven\u2019t seen that combination before and I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n
Pullman Dining Car Palate Cleanser\u200b<\/h2>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/The-wee-Tea-Collins.jpg\")
The wee Tea Collins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAfter eating all that food, we were pretty full \u2014 and there was still a dessert course to go. In-between they served us a palate cleanser inspired by Pullman Dining Car menus.<\/p>\n
Pullman was the luxury American train service. The National Park Service has a nice overview<\/a> if you are unfamiliar with Pullman and their dining cars.<\/p>\nThe overview doesn\u2019t talk about the fact that Pullman porters \u2014 the people who hauled travelers\u2019 luggage, assisted them on the train, and served their meals \u2014 were Black. While the jobs started with low pay and bad working conditions, once the Pullman porters formed a union, the job became a prestigious one in African American communities and helped build the Black middle class in America. They even have a Pullman Porter Museum<\/a> in Chicago.<\/p>\nThe palate cleanser was called a Tea Collins and described as a non-alcoholic version of a Tom Collins. It was served in a tall shot glass decorated with a slice of lime. It was a bubbly sweet lime and ginger ale experience which Mindy told us was made with simple syrup flavored with juniper and rosemary to mimic the flavor of gin.<\/p>\n
Second tea<\/h2>\n
Before the second course, our server brought out the dessert tea selection: Lychee Rose Green Tea. It was distinctly lychee and rose but mild. The floral taste evoked memories of summer vacations. And me \u2014 the no florals please foodie \u2014 thought it was so yummy I bought a bag of it to go.<\/p>\n
Second course: Pullman dining car sweets<\/h2>\n![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Happy-Birthday-strawberry-shortcake.jpg\")
Happy Birthday strawberry shortcake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBefore the second course tray appeared, Chef McTaggert and the staff brought me a strawberry shortcake with a candle on top to celebrate my birthday. Once I blew that out, the second course proceeded with 3(!) desserts.<\/p>\n
We were totally full from the first course but as they say there\u2019s always room for dessert so we soldiered on.<\/p>\n
We started with the small Water Crackers with Cheese, Fruit, & Jam. The fruit was mango and it was topped with a few shreds of fresh mint. It was a nice light combination that encouraged me that I could finish this meal.<\/p>\n
The next dessert, Apple Tapioca Pudding, was a warm tapioca pudding with chunks of cooked apple, soft tapioca pearls, and cinnamon sprinkled on top \u2014 a nice variation on warm apple pie.<\/p>\n![\"Dessert](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Dessert-courses.jpg\")
Golden Spike dessert courses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA tour came in while we were eating \u2014 they didn\u2019t come into the cafe space, they hung out in the shop and the back of the space. Mindy gave them a little run-down on Jade Chocolates and the building, and then people in the tour shopped while asking a lot of questions about the chocolate.<\/p>\n
We asked Mindy about it later and she said that they welcome tours and have been getting more and more tours the longer they are in the space. Since they are on Grant Ave., tours pass by everyday. Just another reason the move to Chinatown was the right one for Jade.<\/p>\n
Our final dessert was the very large Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake. A fun fact we learned at tea was that Bisquick was invented by a porter in a Pullman dining car. And while I usually prefer things made from scratch I have to say the Bisquick biscuit was really good with a light crumbly texture.<\/p>\n
The Strawberry Shortcake was delicious with lots of whipped cream drizzled with macerated strawberries and stuffed in the crumbly biscuit \u2014 a classic dessert that was just a shade too much for me to finish but I enjoyed as much as I could before admitting defeat.<\/p>\n
When both of us had reached the end of the line we sipped our Lychee Rose Green Tea and agreed how nice it was to end the meal with a light tea. Kudos to Mindy for the tea selections \u2014 they were the perfect accompaniment to the meal.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Apothecary-Bar.jpg\")
Jade\u2019s Apothecary Bar with live edge wood slab counter to right<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nApr\u00e8s la f\u00eate<\/h2>\n
After the meal Mindy showed us around the rest of the space and told us about what else they are doing\/offering.<\/p>\n
If a tea service is not your thing or you can\u2019t make a reservation you can come and enjoy a drink anytime from Jade\u2019s Apothecary Bar. In addition to tea, they serve coffee drinks, house-made soda drinks, lassis, and their newest beverage: Halo Halo, a shaved ice drink from the Philippines. They also make a variety of unique sundaes using their teas and other drinks as flavorings. And they have house-made baked goods like cookies, brownies, and scones.<\/p>\n![\"Origami](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Origami-cranes-in-a-cage.jpg\")
Origami cranes in a cage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMindy told us that lots of Europeans come in for coffee and they get visitors from all over the world \u2014 a prime spot in Chinatown 2 blocks from the Dragon Gate will do that. She has noticed that even though they offer a wide variety of drinks, people tend to want what they had before, like the Europeans ordering coffee.<\/p>\n
Mindy loves mango lassi so she decided to offer it at the bar. Lots of Middle Easterners order it, she said, but not many other visitors. People do venture out of their comfort zone sometimes: Dalgona coffee \u2014 the whipped coffee that went viral on TikTok\u2014 got popular at the bar during COVID. She is hoping people will give Halo Halo a try too.<\/p>\n
The space is very pretty and calm inspiring with color blocked walls of yellow and green, and gold stencils of lotus flowers and chrysanthemums. Mindy designed the whole space with special attention to the paint colors (another thing we learned at Jade was that yellow was the color of emperors \u2014 even forbidden for a time for other people to use \u2014 so Mindy wanted to incorporate a lot of yellow in the space) and all the finishes \u2014 like the live edge wooden counters and gold stencils. She also did some of the work herself like hand stenciling the flowers on different surfaces throughout the space.<\/p>\n
Downstairs tour<\/h2>\n
Another special treat for us at Jade was a backstage tour of the downstairs area where their 2 kitchens and a private dining room are located.<\/p>\n
Mindy told us that the building Jade is in was the first built in Chinatown after the 1906 earthquake. It was completed in 1907. They had to build it fast Mindy said because SF wanted to move Chinatown waaay out to Hunters Point. Glad that never happened.<\/p>\n![\"Jade\u2019s](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Jades-shared-basement.jpg\")
The coal chute in Jade\u2019s shared basement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBefore showing us where Jade magic happens, Mindy took us on a quick detour. As a pre-central heating building, the basement included a coal cellar. The coal is long gone, but the coal chute from the street above into the basement still exists. We could hear people walking on the sidewalk above.<\/p>\n
Underneath the store\/cafe proper is storage space, a private party area, and Jade\u2019s 2 kitchens: one for chocolate and the other a hot kitchen for food preparation. The 2 kitchens are separated by plexiglas so the hot side stays hot and the cool side stays cool.<\/p>\n![\"Jade\u2019s](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Jades-bathroom.jpg\")
Even Jade\u2019s bathroom\u2019s are beautiful<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMindy was happy with the good sized kitchens where she has room for all her chocolate gear including a chocolate panner and a brand new enrober that was currently sitting upstairs in the cafe because they hadn\u2019t figured out yet how to get it downstairs. I suggested they use the coal chute, but Mindy says it no longer opens to the street.<\/p>\n
In front of the hot kitchen is a large area that can host private parties of up to 22 people. The space has a different, more energetic vibe than upstairs what with the views of the working kitchens and paintings by Mindy\u2019s daughter who inherited her mom\u2019s creative genes.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next<\/h2>\n
As we wrapped up the tour we asked Mindy what\u2019s new\/coming soon. She told us the next tea service theme would be Hawaiian Cowboys, which sounds fun.<\/p>\n![\"Paniolo:](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Jade-Chocolates-Afternoon-Tea-Paniolo-Coming-Soon.jpg\")
Paniolo: Jade\u2019s summer 2023 Afternoon Tea Service<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSince they have been doing themed teas for a year now Mindy told us that while it was slow after Valentines Day, the teas are getting more popular. And they were very popular in winter, especially the Chocolate Winter Wonderland.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to repeat menus,\u201d Mindy told us. \u201cI have a lot of ideas but preparing the themes takes a lot of time. We will mostly will likely repeat a Christmas theme and a Native Peoples theme for fall and winter, but the menu will always be different.\u201d<\/p>\n
She is always looking for new concepts in addition to her own ideas. She told us that the Golden Spike theme was her husband\u2019s idea. And she is currently planning a\u00a0wine based theme because Chinese workers built the original wine caves in Napa. Mindy said while the Chinese connections are meaningful to her not all the teas will have Chinese influences.<\/p>\n
She mentioned the Ohlone Land, Chocolate Winter Wonderland, and I Left My Heart in San Francisco (centered around SF food inventions like tetrazzini and Green Goddess dressing) as non-Chinese themes they\u2019ve done. She wants to expand themes to include other Asian cultures and other types of themes like the literature inspired \u201cAlice in Chinatown\u201d she is developing which sounds fantastic.<\/p>\n
Chocolate shopping<\/h2>\n![\"Jade\u2019s](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Jades-bonbon-case.jpg\")
Jade\u2019s bonbon case<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe also wanted to know if there was anything new chocolate-wise at Jade. Mindy told us she was working on a new line of bars with San Francisco themes. The first 2 were already available for sale at the shop even though she was still working out the packaging.<\/p>\n
The 2 bars \u2014 Sourdough and Fortune Cookie \u2014 looked similar. They both used bittersweet chocolate and they both had visible baked goods inclusions, but one was savory and the other sweet.<\/p>\n
The Sourdough bar was the savory one. In addition to bits of crunchy sourdough it included a lot of seasonings: garlic, onion powder, marjoram, thyme, basil, oregano, and sea salt.<\/p>\n![\"Fortune](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Fortune-Cookie-bar.jpg\")
Fortune Cookie bar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOregano was the dominant flavor initially and the croutons gave it a sourdough yeasty taste. The bar also tasted garlicky. The many savory flavors didn\u2019t go over well with the group I shared it with. The consensus seemed to be that the inclusions should be simplified. There were too many savory flavors and that wasn\u2019t something they would look for in chocolate. This seems like it could be a fun bar for adventurous foodies.<\/p>\n
The other bar, the Good Fortune, was more of a crowd pleaser. In addition to broken fortune cookie bits, the bar was flavored with the Lychee Rose Green Tea we enjoyed with the tea service.<\/p>\n
It had that same good distinct lychee rose flavor but this time in chocolate. It was a nice mix. The crowd liked it but some wanted it in a different darker chocolate.<\/p>\n
Mindy didn\u2019t tell us how big this line of bars will become but she did tell us the next ones will be one inspired by SF\u2019s native Blum\u2019s Coffee Crunch Cake (a lemon chiffon cake coated with coffee flavored whipped cream and pieces of honeycomb coffee candies). And a bar called Laughing Sal\u2019s Pink Delight inspired by the bricks of bright pink popcorn that used to be sold around SFBA at places like the zoo and Playland at the Beach. While changing tastes led to the demise of this iconic local childhood treat, Mindy is planning to use the newest chocolate, ruby chocolate, and popped sorghum to make something newer generations will like.<\/p>\n
I wonder what other SF iconic foods might be included. It\u2019s-It ice cream treats? The Buena Vista\u2019s Irish Coffee? Tommy\u2019s Margarita? Rice-a-roni? \u00a0I am so curious about this new line! And it\u2019s a great idea for a chocolatier in a prime SF tourist location.<\/p>\n
In addition to the bars we bought a box of bonbons and some Jade snacks \u2014 I think Jade makes some of the best chocolate confections around. We got our favorite \u2014 Rice Paddies \u2014 which are chocolate covered bundles of rice crispies, toasted almond pieces, and chunks of chewy dried mangos. So good they are dangerous.<\/p>\n
We also got the Pearls of Wisdom which are caramelized hazelnuts coated in dark chocolate then given another coat of chocolate this time a pearlized white chocolate. These were a big hit with my tasters. They thought the pearls were visually stunning (so shiny) and they liked the crunchy caramelized hazelnut in a generous amount of chocolate.<\/p>\n![\"box](\"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/box-of-Jade-bonbons.jpg\")
Box of Jade bonbons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe passed around the bonbons and the ones the group liked best were the Kalamansi Lime with its light, citrusy flavor; Sunflower which was crunchy and salty with a nut butter taste; Miso Caramel, a savory, soft caramel with a ganache-like texture; and the Olive Oil and Yuzu, a very aromatic citrus with bits of zest in a white ganache.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t get to Jade in Chinatown, you can buy their chocolates and teas online. Chocolate Covered<\/a> carries some Jade bars, and Jade still does a few special events like the Pixar holiday event for their employees. But if you want the full Jade experience you\u2019ve got to make the trip to Chinatown.<\/p>\nAnd of course I can\u2019t recommend their tea service enough. \u201cIn the Dining Car: The Golden Spike Era\u201d menu is available until July 2. The next theme, \u201cPaniolo: Hawaiian Cowboy Life,\u201d will run until September 4. In the fall \u201cOhlone Lands\u201d returns with a new menu, and for the holiday season \u201cA Victorian Christmas\u201d debuts. You can make reservations online on Jade\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Make reservations for a unique fun experience in an iconic SF location<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,169,41,1078],"tags":[210,1208,97,1074],"class_list":["post-11529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-chocolate","category-reviews","category-san-francisco-chocolate","category-veteran-sfba-chocolatier","tag-cafe","tag-chinatown","tag-jade-chocolates","tag-veteran-sfba-artisan-chocolatier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11529"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45629,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529\/revisions\/45629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
We were first served tea because of course \u2014 it\u2019s in the name. The tea, Irish Breakfast, was a blend of Ceylon and Assam teas. It was a non-bitter black tea with a little floral in it.<\/p>\n
First course: Railroad worker savories<\/h2>\nThat\u2019s a lot of food for 2 people!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhen the server brought out the first course I think I found out why it\u2019s called high tea \u2014 the food was stacked on a 3-tier tray. It included items inspired by all 3 cuisines mentioned in the intro.<\/p>\n
The Corned Beef Hand Pie with Dipping Gravy was Irish inspired with the pie filled with corned beef, carrots, and potatoes. Chef Scott McTaggert elevated this classic work pail lunch by flavoring the cornmeal crunch crust with rosemary and adding fennel (or maybe star anise for a Chinese inspired addition?) to the dipping gravy for a pleasant licorice bump.<\/p>\n
It was suggested we start with the warm options on the tray so we proceeded to the Potato Cheddar Soup next. While this was also Irish inspired it had a mushroom flavor in addition to potato and cheese.<\/p>\n
Our server had told us that when they were building the railroads the Irish were paid $35\/month while the Chinese were paid $30\/month plus they were responsible for their food and lodging. So rehydrated mushrooms are featured in some of the dishes because the Chinese brought a lot of dried foods with them to their worksites.<\/p>\n
Moving on to the cold dishes we tried the Cucumber Cream Cheese & Winter Mushroom on Pullman Brioche Tea Sandwich. The cucumber mushroom filling was a tasty cool contrast to the warm soup and hand pie but I have to do a shout out to that Pullman brioche \u2014 it was a very light textured mild flavored bread but nothing like WonderBread \u2014 it was the best white bread I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\nView from the cafe area to the bonbon display case (left) and Apothecary Bar (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nI also want to make an aside about how comfortable the seating was. The cafe is not a large space but we didn\u2019t feel crowded. The ceilings are high which made it seem more spacious and the chairs were so comfy they felt like they were made for lingering.<\/p>\n
With the cool cucumber sandwiches we also ate Chop Suey Cabbage Salad. Inspired by the old school American Chinese dish, the cabbage salad contained crunchy noodles, 2 types of cabbage, yellow bell pepper, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and slivers of ginger on top. It was a good combination \u2014 crunchy and refreshing \u2014 with cracked pepper adding some heat.<\/p>\n
Cacaopod remarked on a commonality between the 2 cuisines: Both include root vegetables \u2014 Irish uses potatoes, Chinese uses ginger \u2014 but one is mild while the other is spicy.<\/p>\n
Topping the tower were Buttermilk Scones with Whipped Butter and Rhubarb Ginger Jam. The server told us that rhubarb is one of the most popular ingredients in Irish desserts \u2014 and we already talked about ginger.<\/p>\n
The jam was a slightly greenish golden color. It tasted a little floral but mostly ginger. It wasn\u2019t tart like I expected, the flavor reminded me of ginger ale. The scone was excellent and had a crunchy sugar top. It was a nice mild combo.<\/p>\n
Some of the food items were available for takeaway like the soup and scones. I wish they sold the ginger rhubarb jam too. I haven\u2019t seen that combination before and I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n
Pullman Dining Car Palate Cleanser\u200b<\/h2>\nThe wee Tea Collins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAfter eating all that food, we were pretty full \u2014 and there was still a dessert course to go. In-between they served us a palate cleanser inspired by Pullman Dining Car menus.<\/p>\n
Pullman was the luxury American train service. The National Park Service has a nice overview<\/a> if you are unfamiliar with Pullman and their dining cars.<\/p>\nThe overview doesn\u2019t talk about the fact that Pullman porters \u2014 the people who hauled travelers\u2019 luggage, assisted them on the train, and served their meals \u2014 were Black. While the jobs started with low pay and bad working conditions, once the Pullman porters formed a union, the job became a prestigious one in African American communities and helped build the Black middle class in America. They even have a Pullman Porter Museum<\/a> in Chicago.<\/p>\nThe palate cleanser was called a Tea Collins and described as a non-alcoholic version of a Tom Collins. It was served in a tall shot glass decorated with a slice of lime. It was a bubbly sweet lime and ginger ale experience which Mindy told us was made with simple syrup flavored with juniper and rosemary to mimic the flavor of gin.<\/p>\n
Second tea<\/h2>\n
Before the second course, our server brought out the dessert tea selection: Lychee Rose Green Tea. It was distinctly lychee and rose but mild. The floral taste evoked memories of summer vacations. And me \u2014 the no florals please foodie \u2014 thought it was so yummy I bought a bag of it to go.<\/p>\n
Second course: Pullman dining car sweets<\/h2>\nHappy Birthday strawberry shortcake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBefore the second course tray appeared, Chef McTaggert and the staff brought me a strawberry shortcake with a candle on top to celebrate my birthday. Once I blew that out, the second course proceeded with 3(!) desserts.<\/p>\n
We were totally full from the first course but as they say there\u2019s always room for dessert so we soldiered on.<\/p>\n
We started with the small Water Crackers with Cheese, Fruit, & Jam. The fruit was mango and it was topped with a few shreds of fresh mint. It was a nice light combination that encouraged me that I could finish this meal.<\/p>\n
The next dessert, Apple Tapioca Pudding, was a warm tapioca pudding with chunks of cooked apple, soft tapioca pearls, and cinnamon sprinkled on top \u2014 a nice variation on warm apple pie.<\/p>\nGolden Spike dessert courses<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nA tour came in while we were eating \u2014 they didn\u2019t come into the cafe space, they hung out in the shop and the back of the space. Mindy gave them a little run-down on Jade Chocolates and the building, and then people in the tour shopped while asking a lot of questions about the chocolate.<\/p>\n
We asked Mindy about it later and she said that they welcome tours and have been getting more and more tours the longer they are in the space. Since they are on Grant Ave., tours pass by everyday. Just another reason the move to Chinatown was the right one for Jade.<\/p>\n
Our final dessert was the very large Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake. A fun fact we learned at tea was that Bisquick was invented by a porter in a Pullman dining car. And while I usually prefer things made from scratch I have to say the Bisquick biscuit was really good with a light crumbly texture.<\/p>\n
The Strawberry Shortcake was delicious with lots of whipped cream drizzled with macerated strawberries and stuffed in the crumbly biscuit \u2014 a classic dessert that was just a shade too much for me to finish but I enjoyed as much as I could before admitting defeat.<\/p>\n
When both of us had reached the end of the line we sipped our Lychee Rose Green Tea and agreed how nice it was to end the meal with a light tea. Kudos to Mindy for the tea selections \u2014 they were the perfect accompaniment to the meal.<\/p>\nJade\u2019s Apothecary Bar with live edge wood slab counter to right<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nApr\u00e8s la f\u00eate<\/h2>\n
After the meal Mindy showed us around the rest of the space and told us about what else they are doing\/offering.<\/p>\n
If a tea service is not your thing or you can\u2019t make a reservation you can come and enjoy a drink anytime from Jade\u2019s Apothecary Bar. In addition to tea, they serve coffee drinks, house-made soda drinks, lassis, and their newest beverage: Halo Halo, a shaved ice drink from the Philippines. They also make a variety of unique sundaes using their teas and other drinks as flavorings. And they have house-made baked goods like cookies, brownies, and scones.<\/p>\nOrigami cranes in a cage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMindy told us that lots of Europeans come in for coffee and they get visitors from all over the world \u2014 a prime spot in Chinatown 2 blocks from the Dragon Gate will do that. She has noticed that even though they offer a wide variety of drinks, people tend to want what they had before, like the Europeans ordering coffee.<\/p>\n
Mindy loves mango lassi so she decided to offer it at the bar. Lots of Middle Easterners order it, she said, but not many other visitors. People do venture out of their comfort zone sometimes: Dalgona coffee \u2014 the whipped coffee that went viral on TikTok\u2014 got popular at the bar during COVID. She is hoping people will give Halo Halo a try too.<\/p>\n
The space is very pretty and calm inspiring with color blocked walls of yellow and green, and gold stencils of lotus flowers and chrysanthemums. Mindy designed the whole space with special attention to the paint colors (another thing we learned at Jade was that yellow was the color of emperors \u2014 even forbidden for a time for other people to use \u2014 so Mindy wanted to incorporate a lot of yellow in the space) and all the finishes \u2014 like the live edge wooden counters and gold stencils. She also did some of the work herself like hand stenciling the flowers on different surfaces throughout the space.<\/p>\n
Downstairs tour<\/h2>\n
Another special treat for us at Jade was a backstage tour of the downstairs area where their 2 kitchens and a private dining room are located.<\/p>\n
Mindy told us that the building Jade is in was the first built in Chinatown after the 1906 earthquake. It was completed in 1907. They had to build it fast Mindy said because SF wanted to move Chinatown waaay out to Hunters Point. Glad that never happened.<\/p>\nThe coal chute in Jade\u2019s shared basement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBefore showing us where Jade magic happens, Mindy took us on a quick detour. As a pre-central heating building, the basement included a coal cellar. The coal is long gone, but the coal chute from the street above into the basement still exists. We could hear people walking on the sidewalk above.<\/p>\n
Underneath the store\/cafe proper is storage space, a private party area, and Jade\u2019s 2 kitchens: one for chocolate and the other a hot kitchen for food preparation. The 2 kitchens are separated by plexiglas so the hot side stays hot and the cool side stays cool.<\/p>\nEven Jade\u2019s bathroom\u2019s are beautiful<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMindy was happy with the good sized kitchens where she has room for all her chocolate gear including a chocolate panner and a brand new enrober that was currently sitting upstairs in the cafe because they hadn\u2019t figured out yet how to get it downstairs. I suggested they use the coal chute, but Mindy says it no longer opens to the street.<\/p>\n
In front of the hot kitchen is a large area that can host private parties of up to 22 people. The space has a different, more energetic vibe than upstairs what with the views of the working kitchens and paintings by Mindy\u2019s daughter who inherited her mom\u2019s creative genes.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s next<\/h2>\n
As we wrapped up the tour we asked Mindy what\u2019s new\/coming soon. She told us the next tea service theme would be Hawaiian Cowboys, which sounds fun.<\/p>\nPaniolo: Jade\u2019s summer 2023 Afternoon Tea Service<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nSince they have been doing themed teas for a year now Mindy told us that while it was slow after Valentines Day, the teas are getting more popular. And they were very popular in winter, especially the Chocolate Winter Wonderland.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to repeat menus,\u201d Mindy told us. \u201cI have a lot of ideas but preparing the themes takes a lot of time. We will mostly will likely repeat a Christmas theme and a Native Peoples theme for fall and winter, but the menu will always be different.\u201d<\/p>\n
She is always looking for new concepts in addition to her own ideas. She told us that the Golden Spike theme was her husband\u2019s idea. And she is currently planning a\u00a0wine based theme because Chinese workers built the original wine caves in Napa. Mindy said while the Chinese connections are meaningful to her not all the teas will have Chinese influences.<\/p>\n
She mentioned the Ohlone Land, Chocolate Winter Wonderland, and I Left My Heart in San Francisco (centered around SF food inventions like tetrazzini and Green Goddess dressing) as non-Chinese themes they\u2019ve done. She wants to expand themes to include other Asian cultures and other types of themes like the literature inspired \u201cAlice in Chinatown\u201d she is developing which sounds fantastic.<\/p>\n
Chocolate shopping<\/h2>\nJade\u2019s bonbon case<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe also wanted to know if there was anything new chocolate-wise at Jade. Mindy told us she was working on a new line of bars with San Francisco themes. The first 2 were already available for sale at the shop even though she was still working out the packaging.<\/p>\n
The 2 bars \u2014 Sourdough and Fortune Cookie \u2014 looked similar. They both used bittersweet chocolate and they both had visible baked goods inclusions, but one was savory and the other sweet.<\/p>\n
The Sourdough bar was the savory one. In addition to bits of crunchy sourdough it included a lot of seasonings: garlic, onion powder, marjoram, thyme, basil, oregano, and sea salt.<\/p>\nFortune Cookie bar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nOregano was the dominant flavor initially and the croutons gave it a sourdough yeasty taste. The bar also tasted garlicky. The many savory flavors didn\u2019t go over well with the group I shared it with. The consensus seemed to be that the inclusions should be simplified. There were too many savory flavors and that wasn\u2019t something they would look for in chocolate. This seems like it could be a fun bar for adventurous foodies.<\/p>\n
The other bar, the Good Fortune, was more of a crowd pleaser. In addition to broken fortune cookie bits, the bar was flavored with the Lychee Rose Green Tea we enjoyed with the tea service.<\/p>\n
It had that same good distinct lychee rose flavor but this time in chocolate. It was a nice mix. The crowd liked it but some wanted it in a different darker chocolate.<\/p>\n
Mindy didn\u2019t tell us how big this line of bars will become but she did tell us the next ones will be one inspired by SF\u2019s native Blum\u2019s Coffee Crunch Cake (a lemon chiffon cake coated with coffee flavored whipped cream and pieces of honeycomb coffee candies). And a bar called Laughing Sal\u2019s Pink Delight inspired by the bricks of bright pink popcorn that used to be sold around SFBA at places like the zoo and Playland at the Beach. While changing tastes led to the demise of this iconic local childhood treat, Mindy is planning to use the newest chocolate, ruby chocolate, and popped sorghum to make something newer generations will like.<\/p>\n
I wonder what other SF iconic foods might be included. It\u2019s-It ice cream treats? The Buena Vista\u2019s Irish Coffee? Tommy\u2019s Margarita? Rice-a-roni? \u00a0I am so curious about this new line! And it\u2019s a great idea for a chocolatier in a prime SF tourist location.<\/p>\n
In addition to the bars we bought a box of bonbons and some Jade snacks \u2014 I think Jade makes some of the best chocolate confections around. We got our favorite \u2014 Rice Paddies \u2014 which are chocolate covered bundles of rice crispies, toasted almond pieces, and chunks of chewy dried mangos. So good they are dangerous.<\/p>\n
We also got the Pearls of Wisdom which are caramelized hazelnuts coated in dark chocolate then given another coat of chocolate this time a pearlized white chocolate. These were a big hit with my tasters. They thought the pearls were visually stunning (so shiny) and they liked the crunchy caramelized hazelnut in a generous amount of chocolate.<\/p>\nBox of Jade bonbons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWe passed around the bonbons and the ones the group liked best were the Kalamansi Lime with its light, citrusy flavor; Sunflower which was crunchy and salty with a nut butter taste; Miso Caramel, a savory, soft caramel with a ganache-like texture; and the Olive Oil and Yuzu, a very aromatic citrus with bits of zest in a white ganache.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t get to Jade in Chinatown, you can buy their chocolates and teas online. Chocolate Covered<\/a> carries some Jade bars, and Jade still does a few special events like the Pixar holiday event for their employees. But if you want the full Jade experience you\u2019ve got to make the trip to Chinatown.<\/p>\nAnd of course I can\u2019t recommend their tea service enough. \u201cIn the Dining Car: The Golden Spike Era\u201d menu is available until July 2. The next theme, \u201cPaniolo: Hawaiian Cowboy Life,\u201d will run until September 4. In the fall \u201cOhlone Lands\u201d returns with a new menu, and for the holiday season \u201cA Victorian Christmas\u201d debuts. You can make reservations online on Jade\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Make reservations for a unique fun experience in an iconic SF location<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,169,41,1078],"tags":[210,1208,97,1074],"class_list":["post-11529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-chocolate","category-reviews","category-san-francisco-chocolate","category-veteran-sfba-chocolatier","tag-cafe","tag-chinatown","tag-jade-chocolates","tag-veteran-sfba-artisan-chocolatier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11529"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45629,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529\/revisions\/45629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
When the server brought out the first course I think I found out why it\u2019s called high tea \u2014 the food was stacked on a 3-tier tray. It included items inspired by all 3 cuisines mentioned in the intro.<\/p>\n
The Corned Beef Hand Pie with Dipping Gravy was Irish inspired with the pie filled with corned beef, carrots, and potatoes. Chef Scott McTaggert elevated this classic work pail lunch by flavoring the cornmeal crunch crust with rosemary and adding fennel (or maybe star anise for a Chinese inspired addition?) to the dipping gravy for a pleasant licorice bump.<\/p>\n
It was suggested we start with the warm options on the tray so we proceeded to the Potato Cheddar Soup next. While this was also Irish inspired it had a mushroom flavor in addition to potato and cheese.<\/p>\n
Our server had told us that when they were building the railroads the Irish were paid $35\/month while the Chinese were paid $30\/month plus they were responsible for their food and lodging. So rehydrated mushrooms are featured in some of the dishes because the Chinese brought a lot of dried foods with them to their worksites.<\/p>\n
Moving on to the cold dishes we tried the Cucumber Cream Cheese & Winter Mushroom on Pullman Brioche Tea Sandwich. The cucumber mushroom filling was a tasty cool contrast to the warm soup and hand pie but I have to do a shout out to that Pullman brioche \u2014 it was a very light textured mild flavored bread but nothing like WonderBread \u2014 it was the best white bread I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n I also want to make an aside about how comfortable the seating was. The cafe is not a large space but we didn\u2019t feel crowded. The ceilings are high which made it seem more spacious and the chairs were so comfy they felt like they were made for lingering.<\/p>\n With the cool cucumber sandwiches we also ate Chop Suey Cabbage Salad. Inspired by the old school American Chinese dish, the cabbage salad contained crunchy noodles, 2 types of cabbage, yellow bell pepper, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and slivers of ginger on top. It was a good combination \u2014 crunchy and refreshing \u2014 with cracked pepper adding some heat.<\/p>\n Cacaopod remarked on a commonality between the 2 cuisines: Both include root vegetables \u2014 Irish uses potatoes, Chinese uses ginger \u2014 but one is mild while the other is spicy.<\/p>\n Topping the tower were Buttermilk Scones with Whipped Butter and Rhubarb Ginger Jam. The server told us that rhubarb is one of the most popular ingredients in Irish desserts \u2014 and we already talked about ginger.<\/p>\n The jam was a slightly greenish golden color. It tasted a little floral but mostly ginger. It wasn\u2019t tart like I expected, the flavor reminded me of ginger ale. The scone was excellent and had a crunchy sugar top. It was a nice mild combo.<\/p>\n Some of the food items were available for takeaway like the soup and scones. I wish they sold the ginger rhubarb jam too. I haven\u2019t seen that combination before and I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n After eating all that food, we were pretty full \u2014 and there was still a dessert course to go. In-between they served us a palate cleanser inspired by Pullman Dining Car menus.<\/p>\n Pullman was the luxury American train service. The National Park Service has a nice overview<\/a> if you are unfamiliar with Pullman and their dining cars.<\/p>\n The overview doesn\u2019t talk about the fact that Pullman porters \u2014 the people who hauled travelers\u2019 luggage, assisted them on the train, and served their meals \u2014 were Black. While the jobs started with low pay and bad working conditions, once the Pullman porters formed a union, the job became a prestigious one in African American communities and helped build the Black middle class in America. They even have a Pullman Porter Museum<\/a> in Chicago.<\/p>\n The palate cleanser was called a Tea Collins and described as a non-alcoholic version of a Tom Collins. It was served in a tall shot glass decorated with a slice of lime. It was a bubbly sweet lime and ginger ale experience which Mindy told us was made with simple syrup flavored with juniper and rosemary to mimic the flavor of gin.<\/p>\n Before the second course, our server brought out the dessert tea selection: Lychee Rose Green Tea. It was distinctly lychee and rose but mild. The floral taste evoked memories of summer vacations. And me \u2014 the no florals please foodie \u2014 thought it was so yummy I bought a bag of it to go.<\/p>\n Before the second course tray appeared, Chef McTaggert and the staff brought me a strawberry shortcake with a candle on top to celebrate my birthday. Once I blew that out, the second course proceeded with 3(!) desserts.<\/p>\n We were totally full from the first course but as they say there\u2019s always room for dessert so we soldiered on.<\/p>\n We started with the small Water Crackers with Cheese, Fruit, & Jam. The fruit was mango and it was topped with a few shreds of fresh mint. It was a nice light combination that encouraged me that I could finish this meal.<\/p>\n The next dessert, Apple Tapioca Pudding, was a warm tapioca pudding with chunks of cooked apple, soft tapioca pearls, and cinnamon sprinkled on top \u2014 a nice variation on warm apple pie.<\/p>\n A tour came in while we were eating \u2014 they didn\u2019t come into the cafe space, they hung out in the shop and the back of the space. Mindy gave them a little run-down on Jade Chocolates and the building, and then people in the tour shopped while asking a lot of questions about the chocolate.<\/p>\n We asked Mindy about it later and she said that they welcome tours and have been getting more and more tours the longer they are in the space. Since they are on Grant Ave., tours pass by everyday. Just another reason the move to Chinatown was the right one for Jade.<\/p>\n Our final dessert was the very large Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake. A fun fact we learned at tea was that Bisquick was invented by a porter in a Pullman dining car. And while I usually prefer things made from scratch I have to say the Bisquick biscuit was really good with a light crumbly texture.<\/p>\n The Strawberry Shortcake was delicious with lots of whipped cream drizzled with macerated strawberries and stuffed in the crumbly biscuit \u2014 a classic dessert that was just a shade too much for me to finish but I enjoyed as much as I could before admitting defeat.<\/p>\n When both of us had reached the end of the line we sipped our Lychee Rose Green Tea and agreed how nice it was to end the meal with a light tea. Kudos to Mindy for the tea selections \u2014 they were the perfect accompaniment to the meal.<\/p>\n After the meal Mindy showed us around the rest of the space and told us about what else they are doing\/offering.<\/p>\n If a tea service is not your thing or you can\u2019t make a reservation you can come and enjoy a drink anytime from Jade\u2019s Apothecary Bar. In addition to tea, they serve coffee drinks, house-made soda drinks, lassis, and their newest beverage: Halo Halo, a shaved ice drink from the Philippines. They also make a variety of unique sundaes using their teas and other drinks as flavorings. And they have house-made baked goods like cookies, brownies, and scones.<\/p>\n Mindy told us that lots of Europeans come in for coffee and they get visitors from all over the world \u2014 a prime spot in Chinatown 2 blocks from the Dragon Gate will do that. She has noticed that even though they offer a wide variety of drinks, people tend to want what they had before, like the Europeans ordering coffee.<\/p>\n Mindy loves mango lassi so she decided to offer it at the bar. Lots of Middle Easterners order it, she said, but not many other visitors. People do venture out of their comfort zone sometimes: Dalgona coffee \u2014 the whipped coffee that went viral on TikTok\u2014 got popular at the bar during COVID. She is hoping people will give Halo Halo a try too.<\/p>\n The space is very pretty and calm inspiring with color blocked walls of yellow and green, and gold stencils of lotus flowers and chrysanthemums. Mindy designed the whole space with special attention to the paint colors (another thing we learned at Jade was that yellow was the color of emperors \u2014 even forbidden for a time for other people to use \u2014 so Mindy wanted to incorporate a lot of yellow in the space) and all the finishes \u2014 like the live edge wooden counters and gold stencils. She also did some of the work herself like hand stenciling the flowers on different surfaces throughout the space.<\/p>\n Another special treat for us at Jade was a backstage tour of the downstairs area where their 2 kitchens and a private dining room are located.<\/p>\n Mindy told us that the building Jade is in was the first built in Chinatown after the 1906 earthquake. It was completed in 1907. They had to build it fast Mindy said because SF wanted to move Chinatown waaay out to Hunters Point. Glad that never happened.<\/p>\n Before showing us where Jade magic happens, Mindy took us on a quick detour. As a pre-central heating building, the basement included a coal cellar. The coal is long gone, but the coal chute from the street above into the basement still exists. We could hear people walking on the sidewalk above.<\/p>\n Underneath the store\/cafe proper is storage space, a private party area, and Jade\u2019s 2 kitchens: one for chocolate and the other a hot kitchen for food preparation. The 2 kitchens are separated by plexiglas so the hot side stays hot and the cool side stays cool.<\/p>\n Mindy was happy with the good sized kitchens where she has room for all her chocolate gear including a chocolate panner and a brand new enrober that was currently sitting upstairs in the cafe because they hadn\u2019t figured out yet how to get it downstairs. I suggested they use the coal chute, but Mindy says it no longer opens to the street.<\/p>\n In front of the hot kitchen is a large area that can host private parties of up to 22 people. The space has a different, more energetic vibe than upstairs what with the views of the working kitchens and paintings by Mindy\u2019s daughter who inherited her mom\u2019s creative genes.<\/p>\n As we wrapped up the tour we asked Mindy what\u2019s new\/coming soon. She told us the next tea service theme would be Hawaiian Cowboys, which sounds fun.<\/p>\n Since they have been doing themed teas for a year now Mindy told us that while it was slow after Valentines Day, the teas are getting more popular. And they were very popular in winter, especially the Chocolate Winter Wonderland.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to repeat menus,\u201d Mindy told us. \u201cI have a lot of ideas but preparing the themes takes a lot of time. We will mostly will likely repeat a Christmas theme and a Native Peoples theme for fall and winter, but the menu will always be different.\u201d<\/p>\n She is always looking for new concepts in addition to her own ideas. She told us that the Golden Spike theme was her husband\u2019s idea. And she is currently planning a\u00a0wine based theme because Chinese workers built the original wine caves in Napa. Mindy said while the Chinese connections are meaningful to her not all the teas will have Chinese influences.<\/p>\n She mentioned the Ohlone Land, Chocolate Winter Wonderland, and I Left My Heart in San Francisco (centered around SF food inventions like tetrazzini and Green Goddess dressing) as non-Chinese themes they\u2019ve done. She wants to expand themes to include other Asian cultures and other types of themes like the literature inspired \u201cAlice in Chinatown\u201d she is developing which sounds fantastic.<\/p>\n We also wanted to know if there was anything new chocolate-wise at Jade. Mindy told us she was working on a new line of bars with San Francisco themes. The first 2 were already available for sale at the shop even though she was still working out the packaging.<\/p>\n The 2 bars \u2014 Sourdough and Fortune Cookie \u2014 looked similar. They both used bittersweet chocolate and they both had visible baked goods inclusions, but one was savory and the other sweet.<\/p>\n The Sourdough bar was the savory one. In addition to bits of crunchy sourdough it included a lot of seasonings: garlic, onion powder, marjoram, thyme, basil, oregano, and sea salt.<\/p>\n Oregano was the dominant flavor initially and the croutons gave it a sourdough yeasty taste. The bar also tasted garlicky. The many savory flavors didn\u2019t go over well with the group I shared it with. The consensus seemed to be that the inclusions should be simplified. There were too many savory flavors and that wasn\u2019t something they would look for in chocolate. This seems like it could be a fun bar for adventurous foodies.<\/p>\n The other bar, the Good Fortune, was more of a crowd pleaser. In addition to broken fortune cookie bits, the bar was flavored with the Lychee Rose Green Tea we enjoyed with the tea service.<\/p>\n It had that same good distinct lychee rose flavor but this time in chocolate. It was a nice mix. The crowd liked it but some wanted it in a different darker chocolate.<\/p>\n Mindy didn\u2019t tell us how big this line of bars will become but she did tell us the next ones will be one inspired by SF\u2019s native Blum\u2019s Coffee Crunch Cake (a lemon chiffon cake coated with coffee flavored whipped cream and pieces of honeycomb coffee candies). And a bar called Laughing Sal\u2019s Pink Delight inspired by the bricks of bright pink popcorn that used to be sold around SFBA at places like the zoo and Playland at the Beach. While changing tastes led to the demise of this iconic local childhood treat, Mindy is planning to use the newest chocolate, ruby chocolate, and popped sorghum to make something newer generations will like.<\/p>\n I wonder what other SF iconic foods might be included. It\u2019s-It ice cream treats? The Buena Vista\u2019s Irish Coffee? Tommy\u2019s Margarita? Rice-a-roni? \u00a0I am so curious about this new line! And it\u2019s a great idea for a chocolatier in a prime SF tourist location.<\/p>\n In addition to the bars we bought a box of bonbons and some Jade snacks \u2014 I think Jade makes some of the best chocolate confections around. We got our favorite \u2014 Rice Paddies \u2014 which are chocolate covered bundles of rice crispies, toasted almond pieces, and chunks of chewy dried mangos. So good they are dangerous.<\/p>\n We also got the Pearls of Wisdom which are caramelized hazelnuts coated in dark chocolate then given another coat of chocolate this time a pearlized white chocolate. These were a big hit with my tasters. They thought the pearls were visually stunning (so shiny) and they liked the crunchy caramelized hazelnut in a generous amount of chocolate.<\/p>\n We passed around the bonbons and the ones the group liked best were the Kalamansi Lime with its light, citrusy flavor; Sunflower which was crunchy and salty with a nut butter taste; Miso Caramel, a savory, soft caramel with a ganache-like texture; and the Olive Oil and Yuzu, a very aromatic citrus with bits of zest in a white ganache.<\/p>\n If you can\u2019t get to Jade in Chinatown, you can buy their chocolates and teas online. Chocolate Covered<\/a> carries some Jade bars, and Jade still does a few special events like the Pixar holiday event for their employees. But if you want the full Jade experience you\u2019ve got to make the trip to Chinatown.<\/p>\n And of course I can\u2019t recommend their tea service enough. \u201cIn the Dining Car: The Golden Spike Era\u201d menu is available until July 2. The next theme, \u201cPaniolo: Hawaiian Cowboy Life,\u201d will run until September 4. In the fall \u201cOhlone Lands\u201d returns with a new menu, and for the holiday season \u201cA Victorian Christmas\u201d debuts. You can make reservations online on Jade\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Make reservations for a unique fun experience in an iconic SF location<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":39074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,169,41,1078],"tags":[210,1208,97,1074],"class_list":["post-11529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-chocolate","category-reviews","category-san-francisco-chocolate","category-veteran-sfba-chocolatier","tag-cafe","tag-chinatown","tag-jade-chocolates","tag-veteran-sfba-artisan-chocolatier"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11529"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45629,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11529\/revisions\/45629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11529"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11529"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chocolatebythebay.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11529"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Pullman Dining Car Palate Cleanser\u200b<\/h2>\n
Second tea<\/h2>\n
Second course: Pullman dining car sweets<\/h2>\n
Apr\u00e8s la f\u00eate<\/h2>\n
Downstairs tour<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s next<\/h2>\n
Chocolate shopping<\/h2>\n