One of the many benefits of leading food tours in Richmond is that I get to eat a little at a lot of places. Sometimes I eat a lot at just one place. Today on the Shockoe Slip: Capital of Cuisine tour, we could have ended the tour at our first stop, La Grotta. Tony Capece, the chef and co-owner with his adorable wife, Andrea (who says she’s allergic to the kitchen), brought out two pasta dishes–Duck Ravioli in a Tomato Sauce and Beet Fettucine w/ Asparagus, Shitake Mushrooms and the Best Damned Sauce I’ve ever Tasted.

The pasta is made in-house at La Grotta.

There was Duck Ravioli and then as if we needed anything more, Tony brought out enough Strawberry Grand Marnier Cake and Chocolate Cream Caramel to make me consider ending the tour right then and there from overwhelming fullness.

Chocolate Cream Caramel at La Grotta is divine.

I am finicky about chocolate desserts. Or should I say, I will eat almost anything chocolate and then complain that many of the things I’ve devoured are tasteless and  disappointing. Let me be clear–La Grotta’s Chocolate Cream Caramel was eye-poppingly delicious. The only thing disappointing was to be a good tour guide rather than a good glutton, I had to leave 3 of the squares on the platter as I shooed my tourgoers out the door and on to our next stop. Business before gluttony, like I always say.