Chocolate. An age old dessert that can never go wrong (unless you’re lactose intolerant). One of the Irvine Spectrum’s newest restaurants, Chocolate Bash, perfects the mouthwatering art of the milk-based delicacy. 

With the plethora of confections available, there’s no doubt the newest edition of the franchise will appeal to all kinds of tastes. Their menu boasts an interesting approach to desert restaurants, allowing the customer to build their own crepes, waffles, pancakes and more. 

“Anybody can buy desserts in restaurants with one, two, three or five options, but at Chocolate Bash, the concept is that you can create whatever you want,” owner Amer Dukhan said . “Each customer has their own vision, and they can do anything they like. You can build it as much as you want.” 

I personally built a simple crepe, topped with Belgium Chocolate and strawberries for $12. The moment the first bite melted at the tip of my tongue, I knew there was something special about the chocolate. 

“We import a blend of three types of chocolate from Belgium to make a perfectly sweet, but not too sweet, chocolate sauce,” Dukhan said. “The Belgium Chocolate is one of our most important items because we created it ourselves.”

Other than the Belgium Chocolate, I also had a $24 sampler plate with cookie butter and Belgium Chocolate as the toppings that confirmed my initial thoughts about the quality of the food. 

The texture of the desserts is one of the strongest aspects of Chocolate Bash. You first get the impression of a warm, crispy crepe or waffle which immediately softens, allowing the toppings to take the wheel. The texture of the sweets ensure that you taste every part of the magnificent concoction of sauces you create based on your preferences.

The exceptional quality of Chocolate Bash is a result of Dukhan’s passion for desserts, which prompted him to start his branch at the Irvine Spectrum Center on Oct. 10 to expand his European and Middle Eastern dessert vision. 

“We started the first location in Newport Beach in 2015, and then the second in LA, third in Tustin, and we started franchising after that,” Dukhan said. “Hopefully we can spread to Europe as well.”

Dukhan started Chocolate Bash as a small, humble store in Newport Beach. As a result, he recognizes the importance of making personal connections with his customers and more importantly, making connections with his Chocolate Bash team. 

“We feel home as a family. Even the employees don’t just feel like workers; they feel part of the business itself, so we can grow as a whole together because of their effort and us working together,” Dukhan said. “When you see some things grow in front of you, it’s a different feeling.”

You can help Chocolate Bash grow by visiting his shop and trying your hand at some creamy-chocolate goodness, at 10% off for first-time customers.