I'm knocking about Taito Ward's Kuramae area one chilly February morning, visiting an artisan friend, when he mentions a brand new chocolate shop has opened nearby. My ears perk up. Any good? "People are lining up," he says. I dash off to check it out, because it sounds like news. Never mind that I'm not a news reporter; that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.
As it happens, Dandelion, a "bean-to-bar" small-batch chocolate factory and cafe, is drool-worthy. The open-view layout allows customers to watch each step of the chocolate manufacturing process — roasting, winnowing, melanging (mixing), blocking and tempering, but if you want to take a bar home, you usually need to arrive before noon.
San Franciso-based Dandelion's Tokyo branch is cleverly positioned on a backstreet near Kuramae Elementary School, and for afternoon crowds it serves chocolate drinks, baked goods and even a "Bite Flight" of three brownies, each concocted with chocolate from a different region.