Mignon Chocolate: Off Colorado - Glendale

I was on my way to Fish King, driving up Verdugo and I saw a chocolate shop so I stopped out of curiosity. Very cool find.

A brief history gathered from the website: This is a family run business that was first started as a bakery in the Ukraine back in 1910. By 1935, they moved to Tehran, Iran. In 1962 they started getting into chocolate making. And in 2003 they openned up shop in Southern California. The chocolates here are made in their own chocolate factory in Van Nuys. Willy Wonka step aside...

If you're a chocoholic, this is paradise. The display case is stacked full of beautiful chocolates of all shapes and flavors. It is almost too much choice! I got a handful of random selections and they were all awesome - but I can't remember what flavors they were. And the prices seemed low to me.

They have an attached cafe and some seating so its a great place to stop by for a sweet pick-me-up.

Mignon Chocolate
315 N Verdugo Rd, Glendale, CA 91209 (866) 443-2474
mignonchocolate.com

The Nose Wine Cellar696 E. Colorado Blvd.

Across the street from Vroman's Bookstore on Colorado, you'll find a courtyard area (AKA The Arcade) with some restaurants and The Nose Wine Cellar tucked in there. I found this place wondering around after I had parked my car accross the street on my way to Vromans.

You can add this place to the ever growing list of wine bars. Inside is a wine bar counter with barstools, some tight table seating and another library-like room. Wine bottles all over the walls. Jazz music streaming with low lighting, the ambiance was inviting. It could be a nice place to chill after work for Pasadena-ites. They have flights for tasting.

They do have a small food menu - I guess they worked out something with the Thai Restaraunt in the courtyard to make the food. But I didn't try out any of the food. I had already eaten so I was more interested in the sweets.

What intrigued me was that they have an assortment of Chocolates. I had to try me some with some dessert wine, and to take some to-go as well.

The owner (sorry forgot his name) was explaining how he got a chocolatier from Paris who had moved to LA to make these special chocolates. I got to tell you, the chocolates were pretty damn good. Many of them were herbal chocolates, like a basil chocolate, rosemary chocolate, and thyme chocolate. When you bit into them, you could make out the herbs! They also had Espresso and vanilla...etc.

The staff was nice. There were only a few others in there so I don't know how busy they get. With some very expensive wines in the place and with things like custom chocolates in the house, the place can teeter between a sophisticated or a snooty experience depending on the person. The joint is trying to go for a sophisticated wine connoisseur vibe in contrast to say the laid back neighborly vibe at the Colorado Wine Company in Eagle Rock.

For my personal taste, I'll be hanging out more at the Colorado Wine Company, but would definitely cruise over to The Nose occasionally to try some different wine selections and try some more of those chocolates.

The Nose Wine Cellar
696 E. Colorado Blvd. Shop 6, Pasadena, CA 91101 (626) 666-6991
Tues - Sat: 12:30pm - 10:00pm; Sun - Mon: Closed
thenosewinecellar.com
Warning: The website appears to not be updated - since June last year?