Brentwood Chocolatier Bracing for Easter Rush

In a Barrington Avenue shop filled with impossibly divine caramels and truffles, a candy artist works above a swirling vat of melted chocolate.

The smell of his main ingredient is so swoon-worthy, it is no surprise that customers are willing to hand over $9.99 for a chocolate bar that will be far from the ordinary.

The Compartés Chocolatier shop at 912 S. Barrington Ave. creates handmade organic chocolates that have been celebrated by such taste leaders as Bon Appetit and Vogue magazines.

The fame of the shop has gone global; owner Jonathan Grahm recently returned from Asia, where he has stores in Tokyo and, soon, one in Shanghai.

Back in Brentwood, the shop was busy taking orders for Easter and Passover, said Jan Milligan as he manned the counter on Wednesday. Traditional chocolate Easter rabbits and baskets of candy confections, some with spring-colored peeps dipped in gourmet chocolate, took up a portion of the shop.

Milligan said customers can even order chocolate-covered matzah for Passover.

If that's not quite your taste, you'll likely find a flavor that calls to you among the 60-plus truffles bearing artful designs and names like Mango Saffron, Smoked Sea Salt and Pineapple Habanero.

However, ask Milligan for his favorite chocolate flavor and he'll think for just a bit before settling on one: Kenyan chocolate truffle with raw cocoa nibs. Hard to argue with that. 

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Have you tried the chocolate at Compartés? Tell us your favorite in the comments!