07/31/09

Good place to spend time but bad customer service

by Rickey26

I've been to Dilettante several times and have always enjoyed their store on Capitol Hill as a great place to go after dinner. However, I tried to order a cake from them yesterday and found them completely difficult to work with.

In anticipation of celebrating my boyfriend’s birthday, I wanted to order a nice cake from Dilettante to surprise him. I called yesterday (27 hours before I needed the cake) and requested the flourless chocolate mocha torte. I was told they usually request 48 hours notice but that they already had one made which I could reserve. The cake in questions was larger than I needed (and $50) but I was willing to splurge. I gave them all my information and requested they write “happy birthday” on the top. Unfortunately, I was quickly told that if I needed something written on the top, I would need to call 48 hours in advance for the bakers to bake the cake.

Now, I get the 48 hour request if the cake isn’t already baked but why do they need that much time just to write “Happy Birthday?” I asked the women this and she told me the bakers get very angry if they take orders with less than 48 hours notice. All I needed was some white frosting added to the top of the cake. It is upsetting that a high end bakery can’t accommodate a simple request like this.

Having a birthday cake with nothing written on the top seems somewhat lackluster. Instead, I cancelled my order and called QFC across the street. In contrast to Dilettante, they accommodated my request, asked what colors I would like on the cake, and are only going to charge me $14.99. It won’t be as tasty as the flourless chocolate mocha torte but just as exciting.

Bottom line, Dilettante is great if you need to spend those awkward hours after dinner but before the clubs but their service as a bakery leaves a lot to be desired.

• Pros: Good baked goods
• Cons: Poor customer service

05/15/08

Awful food, bad service

by mesembrianthemum

Three friends and I went here one night during the big Broadway Blackout this past December, since we all wanted coffee and it was the only cafe with power. The boys ordered their drinks, then my friend and I each ordered a mocha. It was bland, somewhat grainy, and burnt at best. Mere hours later I was sick. It must have been the mocha, since that was all I'd had all evening. My other mocha-drinking friend was equally ill. I can understand a one-time fluke, but this wasn't the first time I'd been severely disappointed with the quality at this place (Borscht with a scalding-hot outer edge and an ice-cold center, clearly pre-made then microwaved.) I haven't been back since.

12/03/07

Mediocre confections for a premium, not going back.

by heatherderick

We just returned from this place and were mournful we chose to go there. The german chocolate cake was dry (crazy isn't it, how do you manage that?!), the mocha mousse number my husband had was as he described "mocha flavored whipped fat" because it was so oily it coated your mouth with a fatty film, and the tall young man on staff at the counter wearing a beret was walking around the shop talking on his cell phone, loudly! To top it all of we paid $7 each for our slices of mediocre confections and $3 for 1 glass of milk. Corporatized crappy recipes, overpriced, and unprofessional staff. You are better of going to Costco for the goods, at least you'll get a quantity of mediocre confections.

• Pros: none
• Cons: bad desserts, overpriced, unproffesional staff

10/10/06

Never cared for this one...

by happyshadow

I've been to the Dilletante in Westlake Mall and have liked it a bit more than the Broadway location. The service at Broadway always struck me as a little snotty. It's also kind of dingy and dark in here- I never found the atmosphere very charming. Believe me, I've given this place many a chance and was never impressed.

• Cons: Snotty Service, Jumbled and strange seating arrangement and atmosphere

09/29/06

The dark choclate truffles are the very Very best

by tappy

I have searched far and wide, and I can't find a better dark chocolate truffle. It's a stop that I must make when traveling to Seattle.

09/11/06

Relaxing, fun atmosphere

by magteo115

3 of us were there on a Saturday night. The place was packed but we got a table rather quickly - in 10 minutes or so. We had the tiramisu, black forest cake, 2 cups of hot chocolate and a glass of merlot. The tiramisu was my favorite - it was moist. The black forest cake was a little dry. The drinks were good. The cakes came in huge slices - they were pricey (almost $7 a slice). We spent almost $40 in all. I would go back once in a while...to share some desert and to enjoy the atmosphere.

• Pros: Fun and casual atmosphere, bustling
• Cons: Pricey

09/04/06

Not so bad!

by charliegirl973

I've only been twice, but both times found that the service was okay. We were able to get a table right away; even on a Saturday night. The coffee was wonderful, and the German chocolate cake, even better. It's a great place for couples and friends to hang out, and end a perfect evening.

This chocolate-lover's paradise also offers exquisite, unusual desserts made with balance and care.

by Contributor

The Scene
The warm, Parisian-tinged ambience, a small menu of light fare and creative coffee drinks provide ample reason to linger in this cafe over a book or with a friend. Beautiful desserts, luscious chocolates in every possible form and a friendly staff make the search for a parking spot on Capitol Hill worth the effort.

The Food
Everything chocolate here is an elegant balance of bitter and sweet. Chocoholics aren't the only ones who find satisfaction: The Gateau Japonaise is a sophisticated blend of dacquoise (nut-flavored meringue) and génoise cake filled with hazelnut buttercream, while the Mocha Silk, a luscious flourless cake, is designed to make even the most discriminating chocolate lover weak in the knees.

06/21/04

If you're not in a hurry

by stef_

Dilettante Chocolates has some spectacular food - delicious Borscht and an amazing variety of desserts and chocolates (of course). If you're in a hurry, though, you'll want to go elsewhere. We spent 2 hours there tonight with a group of 10, and the place wasn't really that busy. Luckily, none of us minded, and we didn't have anywhere to be. I'm sure that if you let your server know you wanted to be in and out in a jiffy, they'd hurry up, but most people go there after they've been to a movie or a show, or just at the end of the day to relax, so there's no reason to hurry. Their shakes are thick and creamy, and all the desserts our friends got looked great. Get some chocolates to go on the way out.

• Pros: late night, middle of cap hill
• Cons: , slow service

05/28/04

Chocolate coupe

by marierenn

Terrific chocolate sundaes -- tip a half coupe is more than enough for one person! Sure sometimes it takes awhile for your order to be taken but I've always found the servers to be helpful and friendly.