Kat's 9 Lives

After hearing so many things about Bittersweet in SF, I have been wanting to try them out. Sadly I couldn't get Ms. Lin to go because she has been and didn't really want to go back with me. =*( Luckily I took a trip with PK up to SF and she was willing to try all different places in SF with me. ^_^ Parking was murder around this area. We drove around for a while on Fillmore St. looking for a spot. Eventually we were able to find one, but we had to keep running back to fill the meter. They had a 2 hour time limit and was super expensive for each hour. C'est la vie, what can you expect when you are in SF? lol
The set up of the store is very laid back. It's a self-serve "chocolate cafe" where you just place your order, find a seat, and enjoy. They have a wide selection of chocolates in the front to look at and a few delectables at the counter you can order. If you need water there's a place near the counter for you to grab it yourself and a place for you to return your cup after you are done. They are supposedly known for their hot chocolates so I had to come here to try some since it was a cold week when we went up. I ordered the The Bittersweet that's non-dairy and vegan. The hot chocolate was thick and rich. I actually found it to be super sweet and I grabbed a glass of water to drink in between sips. It's not bad hot chocolate but I really needed something salty to balance it out or something else to cleanse my palate before I munched on my sweet snacks.
PK decided to try Spicy! that has a kick of pepper, a hint of cinnamon, and rose. It was a lighter hot chocolate since it was not made with dark chocolate. There was a slight hint of rose mixed in with the spices. She enjoyed her drink and mixture of flavors.
What really caught my eye at the counter was the Milk Chocolate Truffle Fleur de Sel for $1.50. How can I resist a savory treat that has a bit of both worlds, salty and sweet. The chocolate was very rich and velvety. There was only a slight contrast of the saltiness. I think it would've been better to enjoy this with just water than with my "Bittersweet" hot chocolate since they are both so sweet that I ended up being sweetened out. @_@
I saw that they a Gianduja Chocolate Macaron and I had to try it. Ever since Paris I have been looking all over the US to satisfy my craving. Did I find it here? Nah, but it was still good. The macaron had a nice chewy texture and flavor. It was nothing special or out of the ordinary, but it was still a good snack. Again, water was a better pair than the rich hot chocolate that takes away from the flavor.
The snack that PK chose resembled the Magic Bar you could get at Nordstrom Cafe. It's Coconut, Chocolate Chips, and Nuts atop a crust. I thought it wasn't bad but super sweet so the water helped a lot. You can get this at most cafes.
All in all it was a nice experience. It was windy and cold outside so a nice cup of hot chocolate could really hit the spot. Was this the best hot chocolate I have had in SF? Nope, I prefer the hot chocolate at XOX Truffles than here. Still, it's a very nice ambiance and an experience. You really feel the SF setting there. I am glad I got to try it so I can get it out of my system.

Bittersweet
2123 Fillmore St
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 346-8715