The highly-anticipated new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen has officially opened at Universal CityWalk Hollywood. The highly themed restaurant will be a welcome option for guests of CityWalk and a short walk from the theme park.
Already a fan-favorite spot at Universal Orlando Resort, the steampunk restaurant is a welcome addition to Universal Studios Hollywood’s shopping and dining district, and while it’s a bit smaller than its Orlando counterpart, the L.A. version still packs a chocolate-filled punch.
Formally the Hard Rock Café, the new eatery, candy shop, and soda fountain looks right at home in the two-story space, complete with brass fixtures, projections of moving gears on the walls, and a ceiling mural that pays tribute to the establishment’s origin story about proprietors Jacques and Penelope (Professor Doctor Penelope Tibeaux-Tinker Toothsome, that is) who traveled the world in a dirigible (aka an old-timey blimp-like airship) in search of the perfect location for their chocolate emporium.
Luckily for SoCal locals, Penelope and Jacques settled in Universal City. You can read their story inside the menu:
Toothsome does not disappoint in any department. The staff, décor, food and drink were all on exemplary display on opening day. The atmosphere is delightfully over the top.
You might even spot characters during your visit, further enhancing the story element of the experience. Be sure to ask them about the resturant and what they recommend you see and try.
But on to the real star… the food and drinks!
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen Menu
Universal hosted a press event for the opening of the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium. So we were able to try a few more dishes and drinks than most guests would on a single visit.
The restaurant’s menu is as comprehensive as its name and includes gastro-pub-style appetizers, soups and salads, sandwiches and burgers, flatbreads, pasta, and entrees like brisket and wild mushroom meatloaf and chicken bourguignon. Plus, there’s also sweet and savory crepes, waffles and french toast, and quiche.
You can peruse the full menu below:
The kids menu offers kid-friendly favorites like chicken fingers and mini cheeseburgers as well as chicken with rice and pasta with marinara.
And be sure to save room for the chocolate emporium’s famous desserts, sundaes, and signature milkshakes served in souvenir logo plastic mason jars (which can also be ordered counter service style at the soda fountain).
Testing Toothsome
Lucky for us, our good friend Andy Garfield took on the hard task of sampling the vast menu of drinks, shakes, apps, entrees and desserts! We share his thoughts in this section:
We obviously couldn’t try every dish on the menu in one visit. But we made a valliant attempt. Overall the food was good and the cocktails are sweet! Here’s what we tried:
Drinks at Toothsome
The star of the drinks menu are the Insta-worthy shakes. There’s somethign for everyone.
It’s hard not to take a good photo of these beauties.
Is that a cupcake on my shake? Yes it is. Red Velvet!
But there’s only so many shakes you can drink in one sitting… so let’s move on to the libations…
Here’s a quick look at a few of the libations we were able to try:
- Root Beer Old Fashioned: Smells exactly like a cold root beer on a summer day. Tastes sweet and syrupy but still packs a punch thanks to a generous pour of a good choice of bourbon: Old Forester.
- Cacao Nut Margarita: A tequila and citrus-based creamy concoction, this was an easy-drinking favorite.
- PB Cup Fashioned: With Chocolate whiskey and Screwball Peanut Butter whiskey, this one is an acquired taste…
- Candy Smith’s Sweet Tooth: Basically a Passion Fruit Cordial, this was sweet and powerful!
- Vanilla Chocolate Cocktail: What it says on the tin. As Advertised. A creamy treacle that packs a punch!
- Jacque’s Manhattan: Hands down our favorite. A chocolatey take on a classic Manhattan.
Food at Toothsome
The savory food selections we sampled were during a media opportunity, so they are a bit smaller than the portions you’ll get off the full menu. Everything we tried was good, but there are some standouts. We particularly enjoyed the Mushroom and Chicken Risotto, Shrimp Mac n Cheese, Croque Monsieur and a chocolate-rubbed Pork Tenderloin.
And believe it or not, there are even some health-conscious options! The superfoods salad was a fresh, vibrant choice for those looking to spend those calorie points on the desserts!
Speaking of desserts… The dessert selections were just as vast and varied. Our top choices were the Chocolate Creme Brulée and the Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding. All this in addition to the completely over-the-top shakes.
Take a look at the full menu in the gallery below:
Toothsome Gift Shop
The Gift Shop area of the facility was also open and jam-packed full of fun and interesting branded and custom merchandise and other steampunk related items! You can stock up with pith helmets, fedoras and goggles galore! There are also some notable interesting curated collectibles on special display for purchase, in addition to the usual candy and soda sundries the active tourist needs!
Overall, Toothsome is an excellent addition to the F&B lineup at Universal Studios Hollywood Citywalk. Generous portions of savory comfort food favorites with a twist will surely satisfy the most discerning and starving guests. Be sure and save room for the main attraction though – DESSERT!
Don’t Miss The Candy Shop
Yes, the menu is extensive and the shakes are over-the-top, but the candy shop…
Gleaming glass cases are filled with rows and rows (and rows) of handmade marshmallows, cake balls, and colorful macarons in every imaginable flavor, from passion fruit and pistachio to mango and matcha.
The glossy truffles literally look like gems in a jewelry store – and when they’re packaged in a little green box, they might as well be.
But that’s not all. The shop is also stocked with unique sweets that might even give its neighbor Honeydukes a run for their wizarding world money, including sour apple, sour blueberry, and sour cherry liquid candy; a rainbow of rock candy; and blueberry pie, coconut cream pie, s’mores pie, cookies and cream pie, and salted caramel apple pie lollipops.
The shop also features two extremely detailed steampunk-style chocolate sculptures created by Chokolatta that are definitely worth a closer look.
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen Merch
Can you believe there’s merch too? It’s true! And it’s super cool merch at that. In addition to tees, sweatshirts, keychains, and mugs, there’s also steampunk-inspired accessories like masks, goggles, hats, and jewelry – and I heard no fewer than three people pledge to be back to shop for Halloween costumes.
Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen is now open at Universal Studios Hollywood CityWalk.
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Let’s Hear From You!
Who’s excited to check out the new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen at Universal CityWalk Hollywood? Are you looking forward to working your way through the extensive menu or are you just planning to belly up to the soda fountain bar for a milkshake? Let us know in the comments.
(My thanks to Andy Garfield for sacrificing his figure for the benefit of our readers)
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Let’s-a-Go! Universal Studios Hollywood Celebrates One Year of Super Nintendo World
And head into the land’s adorably themed restaurant, Toadstool Cafe:
Checking Out Toadstool Cafe at Universal Studios Hollywood Super Nintendo World