accessAtlanta

BUCKHEAD

Dante's Down the Hatch

Becky Stein/SPECIAL (ENLARGE)
Room at Twelve's dark chocolate comes with French toast, homemade marshmallows and other goodies.
MOST POPULAR STORIES Police: Jeffrey Donovan arrested, suspected of DUI Report: Abdul's return to 'American Idol' doubtful Beastie Boy Adam Yauch has 'very treatable' cancer Fallon's '7th Floor West' is a silly, soapy treat Chris Brown apologizes for Rihanna beating
EMAIL THIS PRINT THIS MOST POPULAR
RELATED LINKS: • NOSH: Mexican food at Cantina el Tesoro • Food critic thinks abut food as art, samples Spice Market • Make tonight’s dinner reservations • Blog: Do you fondue?

Anticipate your craving well in advance and call Dante's to reserve this labor-intensive and fussed-over dessert. A Swiss chocolate sweetened with honey (not sugar) is cooked for eight hours and served with marshmallows and at least 10 types of fresh fruit. Proprietor Dante Stephensen oversees the production, from stirring and melting the chocolate himself to selecting, buying and monitoring the ripening of the fruit a few days in advance. "It contains all the fresh fruit in season in Atlanta on a silver platter," says Mark Harris, manager. Staff may bristle at serving the fondue with dinner and urges guests to eat an early meal then log a few hours of digestion before arriving for the fondue. The kitchen will produce only one per night, and it's only available Sunday through Thursday. Serves six to 12.

• THE 411:$20.50 per person. 3380 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-266-1600, www.dantesdownthehatch.com.

DOWNTOWN

Room at Twelve

Chefs temper dark chocolate, adding a pinch of cinnamon, a few drops of an unnamed liqueur and cream for this popular dessert in a pretty downtown restaurant. It's served with brioche French toast, homemade marshmallows, dried apricots, bananas, green apples, and profiteroles stuffed with hazelnut cream. Serves four.

• THE 411:$16. 400 W. Peachtree St. (inside Twelve Centennial Park), Atlanta. 404-418-1250, www.roomattwelve.com.

LAWRENCEVILLE

Urban Flats

The first Georgia spot of this Florida mini-chain, conceived by a former Disney employee, uses top-shelf larder staples in its pizza-esque flats, and this dessert of bittersweet, dark Belgian chocolate is a worthy indulgence unlike most chain fare. Skewer pineapples, strawberries, angel food cake, bananas and marshmallows for dipping. Serves at least two.

• THE 411:$8.50. 1250 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville. 678-344-2022, www.myspace.com/urbanflatsatlanta.

— Lynn Peisner