Thursday, March 3, 2011

Chokolait, Melbourne


Another nostalgic Melbourne post, wishing I was there moment.  We discovered Chokolait a couple of years ago when for Cheesecake Boy's birthday I organised for us go on a chocolate walking tour with Chocoholic Tours as Cheesecake Boy is also crazy about chocolate and eventually turned me into a chocolate nut too.  We now visit this place every time we head down to Melbourne to stock up on chocolates. We love the chocolates here so much that for Christmas one year I even ordered 7 blocks of their block of dark chocolate studded with dried strawberries to be sent up to Sydney so that I could stuff Cheesecake Boy's Christmas stocking with his favourite chocolate.

Chokolait is tucked away in the Hub Arcade that is connected to the Royal Arcade where you will find Koko Black.  The first time we came here with the tour they did not offer cakes, so we indulge in a hot chocolate that was half dark and half milk chocolate. 

The shop front

When we came to Melbourne late last September, this place was our last stop over so that we could restock on our depleting chocolate supplies.  I was feeling drained so some chocolate action was in order.  Now they had a few cakes and we couldn't decide so Marianne suggested that we go for the pavlova, and I'm glad we did. 

Now, if I knew that this cake was going to drive me this crazy, I would have ordered my own piece. This is by far the best pavlova I have ever had.  I know this cake looks very simple and plain but looks are truly deceiving here.  Love at first bite this really was.

Imagine chunks of chocolate suspended through a soft and slightly chewy meringue that is topped with double cream and then extra chocolate is drizzled across the cake.  Now where the drizzled chocolate touches the cool cream, it hardens the drizzled chocolate like Ice Magic but  tastes much better, this adds a further dimension of crisp and saucy chocolate where the chocolate has not harden.  Topped with strawberries, this was the perfect contrast for this heavenly creation.  Eating this pavlova was all at the same time, a melt in your mouth and a truly out of body chocolate experience. 

Chokolait pavlova

This hot chocolate still tops my list as my favourite hot chocolate to date.  It's rich and definitely not for the faint of heart but the balance of the dark and milk Callebaut chocolate is a good contrast, this combination is not on the menu and we learnt of it, as this was the sample we received on the tour we went on.  However,  you can request that they make up this combination for you, which we did on our last visit.

Hot chocolate: half milk and half dark

After eating and our energy levels had been replenished, we needed to sort out what chocolates we needed to take back up with us.  It's always hard to choose your own box, and if it gets too difficult then they do sell an assortment of their chocolates without you needing to choose.

Box of assorted chocolates

I wish there was one in Sydney but it's probably a good thing that there isn't one in Sydney.   Otherwise, I don't think my waistline or my purse will thank me.  On the other hand, it's always nice to know that when we come to Melbourne, we always look forward to dropping in for something special here.


Happy eating, Dumpling Girl.


Chokolait
Shop 8, Hub Arcade
318 Little Collins Street
Melbourne  VIC  3000
Ph: (03) 9639 6188
http://www.chokolait.com.au/

Chokolait on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

joey@forkingaroundsydney said...

I think I've passed this place but I'm not sure. Looks good.

Dumpling Girl said...

Hi Joey - you probably have, this place is in such a funny and very forgettable little arcade. It's opposite a little Indian diner.