Small Bites

The Naked Truth

by David Anthony Fox

Tom's so busy because he's still getting his footing at the Naked Chocolate Café, a corner haunt at 13th and Walnut streets (part of the lobby of the grand Philadelphia Building) that opened in August. What began as a chocolate shop has become, in partnership with his daughter, Sara, a European-style chocolate bistro.

"I make everything here," says Tom, as we tour the kitchen. It's not much bigger than you'd find in a large house, but they manage. At this point, most of the oven space goes to the baked goods — scrumptious cupcakes and a signature dessert called a "Nudo," a pyramid-shaped confection whose multiple textures include cake, shortbread, a brownie-like crunch and sometimes a creamy center. There is, of course, a chocolate Nudo, and other versions, changing as the mood strikes. (The night I went with several friends, a crème brulée Nudo was one of the big hits.)

The ever-evolving menu is one of the more tantalizing aspects of NCC. Tom gets an idea and runs with it. Two weeks ago, it was a lemon-thyme burst, dark chocolate with an explosive, tart and spicy liquid center. His chocolates may also be filled with coffee and tea flavors — try the Bangkok, with its melange of fragrant Asian spices.

Tom may be new to Center City, but he's a legend in the business, one of the co-founders (with another fellow named Tom) of Thomas Sweet, a Princeton institution notable for both chocolates and ice cream. (Fun fact: Ethan Hawke worked his way through high school at Thomas Sweet. "Great kid," says Block. "He's still the record holder for serving frozen yogurt.")

So why Philly? His daughter Sara lives here, for one. (She designed the exquisite caramel-colored interior — check out the vintage glass light fixtures over the counter.) Also, Tom is a subscriber to the opera and a theater lover. Seeking the perfect place to go after performances, he's solved the problem himself.

And perfect it is, just right to settle in for a romantic night of nibbling and a cup of tea. (Make sure to order the jasmine blooming flower tea, a treat for the eyes as well as the tongue — imagine a tiny Esther Williams movie in your pot.) Or go for those magnificent drinking chocolates (classic, bittersweet and Aztec), perhaps NCC's signature.

Of course, I had to ask Tom the vital question: dark or light? "Dark," he smiles, although at the moment, he particularly loves a ganache made from exotic Venezuelan milk chocolate that packs a real kick. Try it in the "Orinoco," a bonbon where it's enrobed with a dark chocolate shell.

"Sweet!" as the kids say.

(d_fox@citypaper.net)