A wise friend once offered: "Life's uncertain; eat dessert first." That advice can be dangerous on the waistline, but it sure is fun. In that vein, we've chosen to combine two of our favorite hobbies - traveling and devouring sweets - while creating a Chocolate Tour of South Hampton Roads. Think of it as a way to explore your home territory and keep a smile on your (stuffed) face. Feel free to deviate from our list; this is just a beginning. Enjoy!
FRIED BROWNIE
HK on the Bay, 4600 Lookout Road, Virginia Beach, (757) 605-3024
Add this to the list of things that southerners fry. This dish features five hunks of brownie cloaked in waffle mix, deep-fried and arrayed on a caramel-and-chocolate-drizzled plate around an oversized scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and a cherry. Whew! $6
CHOCOLATE-COVERED BACON
The French Bakery and Deli, 4108 Granby St., Norfolk, (757) 625-4936
This hits the spot when you have simultaneous cravings for breakfast and dessert. Our cerebral side thought the smoke and crunch of bacon would superbly complement the depth and smoothness of dark chocolate. Our gluttonous side wanted to see whether two gateway foods would combine for an insurmountably addictive snack. Check, and check. $3.50 a slice
CHOCOLATE BON BON
Pasha Mezze in the Palace Station Shopping Center, 340 W. 22nd St., Norfolk, (757) 627-1318
This is for those who want something a little different. The Bon Bon resembles three donut holes. They're actually tea biscuits, with hints of walnuts and dark cocoa, that are rolled in coconut. The result is chocolate-y, but not over-the-top. A cool plus: You can eat them with your fingers. $6
CHOCOLATE TORTE
Trilogy Bistro, 101 Granby St., Norfolk, (757) 961-0896
We've woken up in the middle of the night and thought about this one. The thick-and-rich torte exudes dark chocolate. It's topped with whipped cream, then drizzled with chocolate and butterscotch sauces. It's easy to dream about, but it's much better to dig in. $8
MOCHA JAVA SHAKE (WITH BANANA)
Borjo Coffeehouse, 4416 Monarch Way in Norfolk, behind the Ted Constant Center at Old Dominion University
Bananas, whipped cream, ice cream, caffeine and chocolate - what more do you need? This is the perfect reward on weekend mornings when Friday seems far off. It can double as breakfast and feed both your caffeine addiction and sweet tooth, plus it provides enough calories to tide you over until lunch.
CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE CAKE
Kincaid's in MacArthur Center, 300 Monticello Ave., Norfolk (757) 622-8000
This one hits the spot on a Friday afternoon after a tough week at work. Layers of chocolate cake and chocolate ganache are warmed through and topped with homemade chocolate sauce. It's accompanied by a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream that melts along with it. $8
FUDGE + OTHER TREATS
Fudge Brothers in MacArthur Center, 300 Monticello Ave., Norfolk (757) 471-3383
The store offers homemade fudge in a number of flavors, but we, obviously, went for chocolate. You can order it cut any size you want. This is a family-owned shop, and Joe Ciccone uses his late mom's secret recipe. It's worth a trip just to sniff the aromas coming from the fudge kettle and nut kettle. Chocolate-covered strawberries also are divine - and gorgeous. Fudge: $12.99 a pound, or a palm-sized chunk, enough for two, about $2.
COWBOY SYD'S SEXTUPLE TRUFFLE
Stove, the restaurant, 2622 Detroit St., Portsmouth, (757) 397-0900
You like white chocolate? Dark? Semisweet? Bittersweet? Milk? Unsweetened? Sweetened? They're all here - technically, seven types of chocolate, according to the man, Syd. That's chef Sydney Mears, who has created a mouth-watering confection that's silky smooth and deliciously decadent. $8
ICED TURTLE PARFAIT
Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro, 189 Central Park Ave., Virginia Beach, (757) 490-9463
It's almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. This elegant dish gathers together wonderful flavors - chocolate ganache; white chocolate; cream spiced with cognac, clove and cinnamon; caramelized pecans; and coffee caviar. All done with a touch of molecular gastronomy. $7.95
CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER BOMBE
Chocollage, 201 College Place Unit 109, Norfolk (757) 533-5335
The bombe explodes in your mouth. It's a combination of a brownie bottom, sweet peanut butter mousse and chocolate mousse. Then, this frozen confection is covered in medium-dark chocolate ganache and sprinkled with edible gold flakes. Pure heaven. $5
CHOCOLATE-COVERED PEANUTS
Planters Peanut Center, 308 W. Washington St., Suffolk, (757) 539-4411
So what if they now take online orders and ship their wares around the country? Step into the store, and it's all old-school: A waist-high Mr. Peanut regards you through his monocled eye, and the staff adds up your total by hand. Although you'll find chocolate-covered peanut brittle - like a Heath bar on steroids - and double-dipped chocolate-covered peanuts, connoisseurs prefer the single-dipped ones because they're peanut-ier. They're imported all the way from Norfolk, and the formula is precise enough that, on some summer days, they can't be made - it's too hot for the chocolate to stick to the peanut just right. All the more reason to stock up now. Single-dip, $8 a pound; double-dip, $8.40 a pound. Chocolate-covered peanut brittle, $8.40 a pound.
THE BOMBE
The Street Cook, 1949 Lynnhaven Pkwy. Suite 1528, Virginia Beach, (757) 471-7810
A favorite in two of our Taste Tests, this dessert features a dark chocolate brownie bottom topped by light chocolate mousse, all drenched in dark chocolate ganache and sprinkled with finely chopped walnuts. What's not to love? But be warned: it's available only in limited quantities on weekends. $8.25
CHOCOLATE FONDUE
The Royal Chocolate, 164 Central Park Ave. in Town Center in Virginia Beach, (757)557-6925
We had to bypass some pretty terrific-looking fare - enormous chocolate-coated apples on sticks and homemade truffles - in this chocolate-scented wonderland, but this treat was worth it. Choose four items to dip from a list of 11, including dried apricots, fresh strawberries and pound cake. The silky, warm dip is Belgian dark, milk or white chocolate, or a mix. Guys, this would impress any gal. And girls, well, they know that chocolate cures almost anything. For two, $18.95
RADIO BAR
Bennetts Corner Bakery, 1457 Mount Pleasant Rd., Chesapeake, Suite 111. (757) 546-3320
A chunk of chocolate cake, topped with French butter-cream icing, then dipped in chocolate, which forms a hard coating. Think homemade Hostess Ho Hos. On second thought, don't think: Just eat. $2.69
CHOCOLATE MANICURE AND PEDICURE
Diva Hair & Nail Studio, 1065 Laskin Road, Suite 103, Virginia Beach, (757) 962-0413
We usually like to nibble our chocolate, or sip it, but why not go feet first? Try a chocolate-mint pedicure - or a chocolate manicure or chocolate mousse mask to relieve the stress you're feeling after all the pigging out you've done. Manicure: $28, pedicure, $55 and up.