Check Out Chocolate Lab's New Menus

As it enters its second year of life in the Dogpatch, chocolatier Michael Recchiuti's Parisian-inspired cafe Chocolate Lab is making some big changes, bringing in chef Sante Salvoni to provide a more comprehensive dinner and brunch offering. Salvoni's new menus kick off today, and he's planning to offer a rotating fish, poultry, and meat entree every night, along with a pasta and one other wild-card special; tonight's offerings will include fresh Phoenix Pastificio pasta with pork, shrimp with quinoa, and beef stew. Recchiuti will also be doing a rotating dessert each night; tonight's is a trio of pots de créme (white chocolate vanilla bean, milk chocolate caramel, 70% dark chocolate). Salvoni and Recchiuti have also done some work on the brunch menu, adding dishes like biscuits & gravy and a chocolate risotto (which also happens to be gluten-free).

Lunch is the least changed of the three services, but will still have a few new elements like chicken pot pie and panini (to kick off when a delayed panini press arrives early next week). The tartines from lunch won't be on the dinner menu, but will still be available by request. The beverage offerings from Holly Jarnagin have been punched up as well, with a flight of sherries paired with three kinds of caramel and a flight of fortified wines from neighbor Sutton Cellars paired with a special truffle, as well as other beer-and-wine-license-friendly offerings like a cocktail with housemade Campari and "The Recchiuti," which combines amontillado sherry, amaro, cardamom bitters, and orange. Neighboring Almanac Beer Co. is responsible for all the brews on offer, and each dish now has a suggested pairing. As Salvoni grows into the space, Recchiuti hopes to offer special pairings, revive his Taste Project, and hold other in-house events.

Here are the new menus in all their glory (click to expand). Dinner:

Lunch:

Brunch:

Wine, beer, and cocktails:

· Sante Salvoni Joins Chocolate Lab [~ ESF ~]
· Michael Recchiuti Unleashes Chocolate Lab in Dogpatch [~ ESF ~]