Every Tuesday and Thursday, Executive Chef Yann Blanchard and his staff of seven prepare the enchanting Rimrock Room at the downtown Fairmont Palliser Hotel, as the chocoholics and sweet toothed come to sample the wide variety of chocolate on display.

Death By Chocolate has been a tradition at the hotel for over fifteen years. Pastry chef Karine Moulen took us on a tour of the delights, pointing out some of the more popular selections and making suggestions.

"It’s all made with high quality chocolate," she explained. The staff makes sure that they can offer something for everyone. "We will prepare plates for Diabetics, or those with nut or dairy allergies. I will also go through the buffet with people and explain what they can and cannot have if they have allergies. That way everyone can enjoy it."

The first thing that catches one’s eye is the large chocolate fountain. Using fondue forks, you can dunk pieces of marshmallow, rice krispie squares, strawberries, melon and pineapple, and let the chocolate harden into a shell around it. It’s one of the highlights of the buffet, and certainly lighter than other dishes.

The buffet features healthier fare like chocolate cereal bars, energy bars, and chocolate-covered dried fruit (dubbed "Tree Bark"), as well as an assortment of cakes: chocolate cheesecake, chocolate raspberry cake, assorted cookies, cream filled puff pastry and much more! It truly is a chocolate lover’s paradise.

We both really enjoyed the chocolate mousse – three different kinds of chocolate layered in a champagne flute. Each bite offered a slightly different blend of flavor; beyond a doubt, one of my favorites!

At the same time as Death by Chocolate, the Palliser also offers a pasta bar or full dinner menu, should you choose to partake in them rather than gorging entirely on sweets. The Pasta and Chocolate can be combined together, or pick an entrée before indulging yourself.

The ambiance of the Rimrock is a big part of the appeal of attending Death by Chocolate. Cozy chairs, high ceilings, dark wood and roaring fires make it a relaxed , intimate atmosphere. It’s a great idea for a gathering of friends, and according to Moulen, has become popular for events such as bridal showers and birthday parties. It is also very romantic – it may be cliché but there is something very appealing about feeding chocolate to the one you love.

Attending Death by Chocolate is something even legendary chocolate maker Willy Wonka would put his stamp of approval on. With Valentines Day coming up, why not surprise your sweetheart with a gift certificate, available at the front desk.. Just make sure you book early – reservations are required, and such a popular event can fill up quickly.

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Contributor Jason Clevett |

Locale Calgary |

Topic Fairmont Hotels | Fairmont Palliser | Food |