IF 7 -0 Uw q 6B - The Michigan Daily - Weekeid Magaziae - Thursday, October 3, 2002 Chocolate Cafe a good bet for parents' weekend outing The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magi Zi sUESTiON OF THE WEEK "If you could blacklist anyone in Hollywood or the music industry, wI- By David Enders Weekend Food and Drink Critic First off, I should say that I am probably not the right person to write this review. After spending a summer on Mackinac Island (for non-Michiganders, it's a resort island up north specializing in the export of fudge and other confec- tions) and subsisting largely on free ice cream cones, chocolate shops and the like -don't hold the same excitement they once did. In fact, I can no longer eat fudge, knowing what's in it. But with only a few days of weather warm enough to sit outside and eat ice cream remaining, I went farther afield to find an alter- native to Ben and Stucci's. (Sorry, with them being so close together, I get confused.) My ramblings took me all the way to the Chocolate Cafe (330 Main St.), situated between Middle Kingdom Chinese Restaurant and Prickly Pear Southwest Cafe, a potentially per- fect spot to enjoy dessert after a dinner in the "my parents are in town" restaurant district. And that's exactly what I found - an upscale version of Kilwin's, nice and clean and free of students. (Perfect for avoiding being seen by your peers when your parents are around. And mom and dad will probably be thrilled about the espresso cheesecake.) All kidding about your dorky parents aside, the Chocolate Cafe has big double scoop waffle cones ($4.25) and a range of other desserts from shakes ($3.00) to chocolate fondue for four ($14.00). Somewhere in between fall a num- ber of sundaes, cheesecakes and options such as fresh fruit dipped in chocolate. There is also a wide selection of chocolates and candies for sale in the store (I know what my little brother's getting for his next birth- day!), which receives its stock from the South Bend Chocolate Company in Indiana. Opened a few weeks ago, the Chocolate Cafe is the 17th store in the South Bend franchise, and the first outside Indiana. I recommend the chocolate covered coffee beans, a tasty alternative to Vivarin when you're up late studying. Another nice touch is the offering of six different types of hot choco- late, making the store an ideal stop for anyone in search of coffee and toting a young 'un (or someone too weak to handle coffee). As for the coffee itself, there is a full range of espresso drinks and dessert coffees, including Viennese Coffee and regular brews, which are roasted in-store. My latte was a little weak, but I'll chalk it up to the fact that the girl behind the "Oh God, so many. I think Pink -- Pink would never be allowed to make another record. - LSA senior Chris Laine "I don't know his name, the kid on Nickelodeon.The kid in 'Big Fat Liar'." (Fran ie Muniz) - Engineering senior Jon Herrity "Brian Austin Green from 90210.That dude who was the DJ guy." - LSA junior Nicole Naum "Dave Matthews. I hate that guy. He put the 'dmb' in dumb." - LSA sophomore Melissa Goldberg "C tc pl "tI st r Ir I slo! ie bracelet by Naraj6 z Secretarv Club FUNKY FSHIf3NS + GIFTS Scrabble bracelet - $17 W, W MICfIIIAN AV F. DOWNTG)WN YPSI TU-SR 11-7 SU. 12-5 CLOSED MON 734.484.3833 ftu nri}ra0rf'n )witxoms~ Chocolate Cafe is open until 11 p.m. every day of the week. counter still seemed to be getting the hang of running the machine. As for atmosphere, the Chocolate Cafe feels a little like a cross between a Ghiradelli's count- er and someone's cottage. The out- door patio is a plus, but it will only be warm enodgh for a little while to enjoy it. The place fills a down- town dessert niche that won't put it in competition with the nearby and more upscale La Dolce Vita. GRAD SCHOOL Continued from Page 4B commonly not granted to help in the application process, thus leaving the burden solely on the student. "It is possible to get fee waives for the primary and secondary applica- tion if you fit into a certain econom- ic bracket, but it is for a small group," said Zambricki. "Because you have to fly out to all of the schools for interviews, if you don't have the money to do so, you are at a pretty severe disadvantage. Therefore, the application process still seems to be one for the rich kids only, and I think that should be changed," added Zambricki. With all the stressed importance on preparation for these tests, it is obviously one of the major factors in schools' decisions. However, as Lehker said, "Scores are a large part of the decision making process for graduate schools admissions, but they are also looking at the total package." www.statravel.com -TRAVELI OflLIE > Oa l THE PHOnE > On CAMPUI >> On THE ITREET