On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” chocolatier Casey McNeil joins CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss CASE Chocolates, his East End business that sells liquor-filled chocolates.

The conversation begins with McNeil explaining how success as a tech entrepreneur paved the way for him to explore his passion for making chocolate. He traveled to Switzerland to learn the basics of making chocolate as well as the specialized technique of Starch Casting, which is a candy-making practice that allows Case’s chocolates to be liquid-filled.

Rather than simply sell chocolates to-go, Case hosts nightly tastings that pair its chocolates with cocktails and sips of premium liquors. Sandler asks McNeil why he decided to go this route instead of opening a more conventional chocolate shop. As he explains, it’s an outgrowth of his appreciation for whiskey and other fine spirits.

“I love collecting whiskey. I really wanted to have a whiskey aesthetic,” McNeil says. “You think of cigar boxes for the packaging. Maybe a speakeasy element. As we talked more about it, I couldn’t see it any other way. That’s the direction we’ve gone.”

Listen to the full episode to hear what McNeil has learned since Case opened in July. He also discusses where he’d like to open a second location.

On this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Monica Danna discuss the news of the week. Their first topic is the opening of Little Dreamer Coffee in Montrose. They also share some thoughts on the opening of the Montrose Country Club, a new pool bar and restaurant, and banter about Le Petit Chef, a animated dining experience that recently arrived in Houston.

In the restaurants of the week segment, Danna and Sandler review their recent meal at Maximo, the sophisticated Mexican restaurant from Local Foods Group. They rave about a few favorite dishes and draw comparisons to Milton’s, the Italian restaurant the company opened last year. Listen to the full episode to hear which dishes they’d order again.

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