The Craving: Chocolate in Culver City

Chocolate is a quick fix when the relentless sweet tooth won't desist. Here are my top five picks to quench a craving's thirst.

1) Essential Chocolate Desserts

Chamade, Ventoux, Galicia, Vienna... I was in the midst of a bite of ganache- infused bliss when I tried the many, many KC Chocolatier flavors available. Known for their cupcakes, gourmet dingdongs, and other baked goods, owner Melissa Sanders likes chocolate so much that she took it from her baked goods to its purest form.

From dark to white and everything in between, infused truffle flavors include: Crunchy Hazlenut Cream, Caramel and Vanilla Buttercream, Strawberry Fresh Cream, Vanilla Buttercream, Flake Truffle, and Pure Ganache.

KC Chocolates retail at $40 per pound and  are about $1.50 each. 

Essential Chocolate Desserts, 10868 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232-3610; 310-287-0699

2) Trader Joe's

It's a chain, yes, and I am hooked on Trader Hoe's Pound Plus Bars, which are actually 17.6 ounces. Flavors include: 72 Percent Dark Chocolate, Belgian Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and Bittersweet.

My personal recommendation? The Dark Chocolate--it is smooth, silky and sweet without being too rich. I bought it with a salad and felt I  had balanced the scales somehow. Talk about a convenient buy.

Trader Joe's Pound Plus Bars retail at $4.99.

Trader Joe's, 9290 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232-3610; 310-202-1108

3) See's Candies

Again, yes, See's Candies is a corporate Culver City invasion, but I love this location; it is clean, the free samples are great, and I found a new favorite.

Coffee lovers have met their match with the Cafe Latte Truffle--a flaky, coffee- flavored treat that comes in individually wrapped portions. An 8 oz. box comes with so many squares that just one is easily rationalized.

The Cafe Latte Krispy 8 oz. Box retails at $8.

See's Candies, 246 Fox Hills Mall, Culver City, CA 90230; 310-559-4911

4) Surfas

For the chocolate lover who likes to bake, this store is a buffet of chocolate. From bars to bags, the flavors continue to pile up. Some usually hard to find but tasty choices include Cocoa Barry and Calabut, but the list doesn't end there.

For possibly up to an hour or more, browse the aisle for other chocolates including belgian and regular milk, white and dark chocolate varieties.

Surfas, 8777 W Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; 310-559-4770

5) La Dijonaise Cafe et Boulangerie

In the spirit of picking gourmet chocolate that stands out, the Chocolate Almond Tart--which I tried to pronounce in its proper Tarte a la Ganache--tastes as rich as the name sounds. The chocolate is velvety smooth and too tempting to pass up.

Try this pie after lunch, or for lunch, even--it's very filling. Since chocolate is on the menu, try the chocolate croissants, too.

La Dijonaise Cafe et Boulangerie, 8703 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; 310-287-2770