3 minute read
SWEET TALK
The Chocolat Bar
By Kyley Jolna
When Trish Stack traveled the world, she was continually disappointed by the flavor profile of the chocolates she sampled—nothing compared to the candy back home.
So, five years ago, Trish and her husband Jason took over The Chocolat Bar in downtown Boise from the founding owners. A well-known staple in the Treasure Valley, the shop draws dessert enthusiasts of all ages to sample delicious chocolate of many varieties.
The Stacks soon learned that it wasn’t just downtown dwellers looking for their chocolate fix—regular customers mentioned that, even as they relocated further from the city center, they kept coming back. With this loyalty in mind, Trish and Jason began thinking about expansion.
“Eagle really is the embodiment of our vision of the brand,” Trish explained.
In their Eagle location, which offered more space, the Stacks added an espresso bar with traditional European-style flavors and locally roasted Café Mulé. They’ve also got a gelato bar, which required importing special equipment from Italy. Jason even trained with a gelato master to perfect his technique.
Together, Trish and Jason remain focused on executing simple favorites well.
“We don’t do a lot of anything that is too out of left field from a flavor perspective,” Trish explained. “Our goal is to make sure we execute every flavor with elegance and precision to really make sure it is the best version [of the flavor] that we can possibly do. We are really about taking the classics and elevating them.” What makes a classic? That depends on who you ask. Trish, a self proclaimed ‘caramel person’, loves the Fleur De Sel, though she most often requests that Jason bring home the dark chocolate coconut peanut turtle, a layer of coconut dough—like in an Almond Joy—then a layer of peanut and another layer of caramel, finished with a dark chocolate coating. Jason’s favorite depends on his mood, but the dark chocolate mocha drop ranks high.
In their newest location, the Stacks are continuing a long tradition of chocolatiering—The Chocolat Bar recently celebrated its 21st anniversary, and Trish is excited for growth in all its forms.
“We are excited and honored to be carrying on the tradition of such an amazing product and [would like to] to honor the people who have helped us get to where we are,” Trish said.
