Charlie's Chocolate Factory

With a name like Charlie's Chocolate Factory, you'd expect to see Johnny Depp at the front entrance with those funky glasses, right? Nope, try some old dude on a sign. Apparently, that is Charlie. Whatever the case, this place has been here forever. I seemingly drive by here all the time without stopping. Today was a bit different, I drove by and my son took notice. I guess with "CHOCOLATES" in big font on the awning, it's not hard to miss. I promised that we'd take a look on our way back. Inside, there is not only a large selection of all things chocolate, there is a candy section as well. I must say this is a kid's paradise. This brings up an important point. With the increasing market for "gourmet" chocolates, places like Charlie's do not compare. Thomas Haas, it's not. As we all know, the best chocolates do not need a lot of sugar since all it does is mask the rich taste. The chocolate here at Charlie's isn't exactly mind-blowingly sweet such as Allan's which is pure crap. But it is still sweet. When you bite into gourmet chocolate, you will generally taste more cocoa than sugar. It should also melt evenly and be buttery smooth. But for kids, Charlie's is heaven. C'mon, when you got chocolate in the form of power tools and a pool table, you know who the target market is.

My son was having a real good time looking at all the different types of chocolates, especially the novelty ones. He was completely mesmerized by the chocolate river at the back of the store. He even insisted I take a picture of him in front of it. After all that, he only ended up picking up one chocolate coin. We ended up with more treats than him. The staff there were quite friendly and gave us some samples while we were shopping. There is a wide range of products which also include blocks of imported chocolate and molds. Moreover, they have items for wedding favours, parties and other specialty events. As you can see, they are not some trendy chocolate shop; far from it. It's merely a fun place to visit with the kiddies and to pick up some chocolates just for the heck of it. Personally, I don't mind it, it's a great chocolate for the family, especially for the novelty.

The Good:
- Really great for kids
- Large selection of novelty treats
- Reasonably-priced

The Bad:
- It is what it is, it's not best, but not the worst
- Chocolate is on the sweeter side