Le Rouge Handmade Chocolates & Cakes by Aarti — Restaurant in Westport

I was looking for a special cake for some close friends who were celebrating their 80th birthdays and I came upon Le Rouge Handmade Chocolates & Cakes by Aarti in Westport, CT. Under a long list of products, I found "Limited Edition Showpieces" and I was stunned by the artistry of the selections. They were literally works of art in chocolate. I called Aarti and she helped me to select two pieces, a Limited Edition Chocolate Diya and a 2015 Limited Edition Chocolate Rangoli. My friends are from India, so I thought that these designs, which one sees at the Diwali Festival in India, would be a special gift that would remind them of their homeland. Aarti suggested the addition of some special truffles, which included some exotic flavors such as chili masala and cayenne. Also included were silver, gold and bronze dusted truffles. Aarti very kindly offered to arrange the chocolates in the finished design so that this would not have to be done after delivery. And she very generously added some extra truffles. Needless to say, these works of chocolate art were the highlight of the birthday celebration. People literally gasped when the boxes were opened. No one had ever seen anything like it and the designs looked like something one might see at an art exhibition. The attached photos show what my friends saw when they opened the boxes. The Diya and Rangoli designs are exquisite.The truffles look luscious. In looking for a special product to honor my treasured friends, I could not have found a better place...

Our favorite artisan chocolate shop was closed today due to the rainstorm, and my husband and I were craving handmade chocolates. A quick Yelp search led us to Le Rouge…

Upon entering the shop, we got a whiff of a putrid smell. To my husband, it smelled like a dirty public toilet. To me, it smelled like rotten leftovers. We also noticed the shop was not very clean. The floor looked dirty, and the place just looked disorganized. Like as if they were in the midst of a move.

Next, onto the service. We each picked four different flavors. The sales associate used his BARE hands to retrieve each one. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Even if he is using sanitizer prior to retrieving the chocolates, this is an unsanitary practice. Sure, the chocolates have paper cups, however my husband did order one orange almond cluster which does not have any protective covering or paper cup. The sales associate handed over the cluster with his BARE HANDS. Gross! I don’t believe I’ve ever been served chocolate without someone wearing gloves… even in a third world country.

The chocolates unfortunately were STALE! They all tasted like they had been sitting out for several days.

The packaging is nice, though. We love supporting small businesses and especially women of color owned businesses, but unfortunately this place did not meet our expectations. Would not return nor...

Do you like handmade artisanal chocolates that are unusual? Do you love hot chocolate, milk shakes and gorgeous cakes? Do you crave a crepe now and then? Then head over to Le Rouge in Westport!

I was so happy when I found out that Westport was going to have its very own artisanal chocolate shop. I ran over there before it even opened and was greeted by the owner, Aarti. Aarti clearly loves what she does and it shows in her beautiful chocolates. She uses only the finest ingredients and is happy to tell you where some of her exotic combinations come from. Oh, and she has tons of gluten free options that are incredibly delicious!

Her cakes are visual works of art and are a delight on the palette. I stop in periodically to pick up gifts for family, friends, colleagues and clients and am immediately greeted with a warm hello, hug and "do you want to try this?". The recipients of these gifts are always excited to receive them and look forward to the polka dot box.

If you haven't been in yet, try it, you'll be...