Chocolate in Melbourne
The news is that I'm staying in Melbourne. To celebrate, I'll finally be taking the chocolate tour this weekend. After that, there will be very little celebrating until I get a job.
As it turns out, this city is very accessible, and I've already tracked down a fair number of couvertures on my own.
Here's my preliminary Hot Chocolate Review:
Koko Black (Shop 4, Royal Arcade, Melbourne, 03 9639 8911; another location in Carlton): This delightful Japanese chocolate-maker has the chocolate version of a tea room upstairs, which I'm looking forward to returning to. But the prized hot chocolate is far too mild and milky. And the base ingredients come from the standard Belgian supplier, Callebaut. I'm looking for something more complex in flavor, and possibly political agenda. [See correction in Chocolate Tourism.]
Cacao (52 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, 03 8598 9555): I'm partial to this upwardly-mobile stop in my new neighborhood and it's handmade chocolates. Nevertheless, I suspect a lack of professionalism every time the barmaid starts off my hot chocolate by placing the cup in the microwave.
Max Brenner (25-27 QV Square, 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne; 03 9663 6000; other locations in central Melbourne): This could be the ticket. I've yet to make it to the shop, but I found Max Brenner blends of dry hot chocolate mix at the Central Melbourne foodies' playground, the David Jones Foodhall. They looked wonderfully rich and reminiscent of the heavier hot chocolates that are replacing the old-fashioned mixtures of cocoa and sugar in New York. I was all set to start off my chocolate tour there tomorrow, but we've been unexpectedly re-routed.
So far, the "official" Melbourne chocolate tour seems to involve too much touristy posturing, cell-phone confirming, and flibidijibity receptionist behavior for my liking. But I really shouldn't judge until I've been a formal participant. In the meantime, I'll pass along this free info from the local tourist board.
As it turns out, this city is very accessible, and I've already tracked down a fair number of couvertures on my own.
Here's my preliminary Hot Chocolate Review:
Koko Black (Shop 4, Royal Arcade, Melbourne, 03 9639 8911; another location in Carlton): This delightful Japanese chocolate-maker has the chocolate version of a tea room upstairs, which I'm looking forward to returning to. But the prized hot chocolate is far too mild and milky. And the base ingredients come from the standard Belgian supplier, Callebaut. I'm looking for something more complex in flavor, and possibly political agenda. [See correction in Chocolate Tourism.]
Cacao (52 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, 03 8598 9555): I'm partial to this upwardly-mobile stop in my new neighborhood and it's handmade chocolates. Nevertheless, I suspect a lack of professionalism every time the barmaid starts off my hot chocolate by placing the cup in the microwave.
Max Brenner (25-27 QV Square, 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne; 03 9663 6000; other locations in central Melbourne): This could be the ticket. I've yet to make it to the shop, but I found Max Brenner blends of dry hot chocolate mix at the Central Melbourne foodies' playground, the David Jones Foodhall. They looked wonderfully rich and reminiscent of the heavier hot chocolates that are replacing the old-fashioned mixtures of cocoa and sugar in New York. I was all set to start off my chocolate tour there tomorrow, but we've been unexpectedly re-routed.
So far, the "official" Melbourne chocolate tour seems to involve too much touristy posturing, cell-phone confirming, and flibidijibity receptionist behavior for my liking. But I really shouldn't judge until I've been a formal participant. In the meantime, I'll pass along this free info from the local tourist board.
posted by Unknown at 12:23 AM
1 Comments:
Ooh, I'm looking forward to taking one of those tours at some point, so I look forward to your review!
Post a Comment
<< Home