My Favorite Thing: TJ's Dark Chocolate Lover's Bar

Feelings: American cuisine is often all about the sweet and the salty, so it is welcoming to see lately restaurants start to acquire my favorite flavor of all: bitterness. The bitter flavor is one of the major components of Japanese cooking, which what my palate is used to and longs to. After all, we, Japanese are often shocked when they see Westerners pouring sugar into green tea. The best part of the green tea is that powerful bitterness, followed with ever so subtle hint of sweetness. And the word, "bitter" usually has a negative connotation in English, but in my world, any bitterness is always welcome.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Bar ($1.49) is literally for those who enjoy bitter, dark chocolate flavors. The package comes with not just one, but two individually wrapped chocolate bars. Each bar is slim and crispy and much easier to break compared to other TJ's chocolate bars.

As soon as you pop one of these vegan chocolates with 85% Colombian cocoa, it hits you with intoxicating aroma, followed with almost fruity, luscious note. It reminded me of the flavor of chocolate curls on creamy mousse you may find in gourmet French patisseries. Each small piece of chocolate has such an intense and complex flavor and aroma that you would be satisfied with just two or three pieces. Also, this is not the kind of chocolate you can snack while watching Tebow or the Kardashians. The powerful flavor will require your undivided attention from all your senses, so make sure to take the chocolate meditation when you open this package.