I’d like to think of myself as more of a savory foods kind of guy. There’s nothing wrong with sweets, but given the choice I will fill myself with something savory. That being said…it is the holidays and there’s nothing that says holidays more than desserts. So the wifey and I decided to check out the Chocolate Bar buffet at the Langham Hotel in Boston. The buffet is held in the hotel’s restaurant called Cafe Fleuri every Saturday afternoon from September to June. Despite the name, it’s not all chocolate, which is good if you’re someone like me who would not usually choose chocolate for dessert. Besides, who wants to be limited at a buffet? Full disclosure, we’ve been to this buffet before a few years ago, but the unique thing is that they change the theme every year.

This year the theme was art – Surrealism, Sculpture, Street Art, and Pop Art. It’s tough to capture the taste of art so it’s more about the presentation and construction of each dessert. To be honest, I don’t know jack about art (hell, I had to look up Surrealism), but I do know what tastes good.

One of the best things I had was the white chocolate cheesecake mousse with baked streusel. Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to be in the minority when it comes to liking white chocolate. The taste is almost “lighter” although my scale would beg to differ. I have no idea how they made the mousse so silky, smooth, and other delicious/sexual sounding adjectives. I’ve had chocolate mousse before that was more like airy pudding, but the mousse you see below had a creamy yet stiffer texture. I couldn’t help but take a bite before taking the picture.

There were some staple dessert stations that appear every year – chocolate fountain, customizable ice cream (think Cold Stone Creamery), fresh crepe/bananas foster flambe, hot chocolate station, and a bar that makes dessert drinks.

The ambiance of the restaurant is spacious if not a little dated with tall ceilings and good lighting. There were two wrought iron street lights in the middle of the restaurant which gave it some personality. Due to the proximity of Thanksgiving and Christmas there was a jazz band playing soft music throughout the afternoon. There was also a Santa Claus going around taking pictures with people. I thought that was a little corny…and I’m pretty sure he was hitting on my wife.

Overall it was a very indulgent experience that should be done at least once for a special occasion. It’s almost too indulgent. You’re only eating sweets the entire time, which could make some people sick of it since most of the desserts were rich and filling. You can order off another menu with savory items such as pizzas, burgers, and other brunch items. We ordered two small personal sized pizzas just to cleanse the palate. See what I mean about it being too indulgent? Where else would you have to cleanse your palate with pizza?

However, the item on the menu isn’t included in the price of the buffet. This brings me to my final point of value. Price of the buffet is $42/person exclusive of tax and gratuity. The price increases by a few dollars around the holidays. I have no problem paying for a good spread, but that price is only for dessert dishes. If you’re someone who absolutely loves sweets and can make a meal of it, by all means, this is the place for you.