White Chocolate Mocha Heaven

Savoy Truffles’ White Chocolate Mocha

I really like white chocolate mochas, but honestly, most of them
aren’t very good. Usually they’re too syrupy, too sweet, taste like
plastic, or the brand of white chocolate doesn’t combine well with
the type of espresso, thus causing a clash of flavors — and not in
a good way. Yet I continue ordering them, hoping each time to find
the perfect white mocha. Then, one fateful afternoon, it happened.
I popped into Savoy Truffles on Figueroa Street and found the white
chocolate beverage of my dreams.

I went to Savoy with the intention of making a wee salad to-go
and then dashing back to work. While paying for the greens,
however, the smell of coffee grabbed my nose and immediately I
craved a warm coffee treat to go with that salad. Savoy’s menu has
the usual suspects on it — latte, mocha, cappuccino — but it also
has white chocolate mocha.

Since you always take a chance when going for the white
mocha—and I wasn’t feeling adventuresome—I decided to get a latte.
Just before I ordered, however, I asked the barista what she
recommended. “You have to try our white chocolate mocha,” she said.
“We make it with real with chocolate candy.”

What’s this? Not syrup, nor powder, nor some liquid milky
concoction? I was intrigued. Despite the many white mochas I’ve had
— from San Francisco to San Diego — I’d never come across one made
with white chocolate morsels. I couldn’t pass it up. “Go ahead,
then,” I said, “make me a white chocolate mocha, please.” The
barista grinned like the cat that ate the canary and set about
making the elixir.

One thing you can’t be short on when waiting for a white mocha
is time; the beverage takes awhile to create. Not only is there the
time it takes to pull the espresso shot and steam the milk, the
melting of the chips is meditatively slow. But believe me, it’s
worth the wait.

After my first sip I was a fan; after a whole cup, I was a
junkie. The drink was smooth, creamy, and the perfect combination
of chocolate sweet and coffee bitter. It was so delicious, it was
all I could do to drink it like a civilized person rather than
punch a hole in the bottom of the cup and let the liquid slide down
my throat like a coffee bong. I am ruined now for white mochas from
anywhere else; once you’ve had the good stuff, there’s no going
back.

Fortunately, finances keep me from overdosing on Savoy white
chocolate mochas—at more than $3 a pop, it’s no cheap habit when
you’re on a budget. And, because I have it sparingly, the drink
remains a treat, filling me with anticipation for when I’ll have my
next one.

But don’t take my word for it. Get yourself over to Savoy and
order up your own cup of heaven.

The Details: Savoy Truffles is located at 24 West Figueroa
Street. Call 966-2139 or see savoytruffles.com.