3-Inch-Sin @ Millenia Walk – CLOSED

A weak temptation

Oscar Wilde proclaimed that “I can resist anything except temptation”. I totally embrace the notion of giving in, especially when it’s in the form of chocolates. The irony was, I felt I’d sinned not because I yielded to temptation, but because I ingested wasted calories.

I waited with anticipation the arrival of my cup of hot chocolate ($4.50), but it elicited an unceremonious “meh…”. Kinda milo-y, only thicker and definitely nowhere near my idea of a spectacular hot chocolate. Moreover it’s thoughtless to serve the drink in a cup without any proper handle.

The lost in the blackforest (55% dark chocolate mousse, kirsch soaked cherries and a generous topping of chocolate shavings on three tiers of chocolate sponge – $7.50) was moist and not too sweet. The flavors didn’t particularly stand out, not even the alcohol. K remarked there wasn’t any magic of being “lost in the blackforest”.

Caught by surprise, I nearly laughed. My makan kaki is hardly critical of food unless it’s downright inedible or given sufficient prodding on my part. In this case, I suspected the outburst had as much to do with the name as the quality of the cake.

As for the signature 3″ molten cake (70% dark chocolate cake – $6.50), we chose mint out of the 11 different fillings. The fluffy light texture was enjoyable, while the valrhona chocolate was rich and luscious.

However, we were still searching for the elusive mint flavor almost halfway through the cake. We even thought maybe we were given the original by mistake when we finally found it. Towards the bottom of the ramekin. So faint its existence was questionable, and we each had only a couple of small mouthfuls.

No doubt the experience was less than satisfying. But considering the price point, I may overlook the imperfections and yield to the molten cakes again. Only the molten cakes.

Note: Prices are nett.

Awfully Chocolate @ Jurong Point – CLOSED

Black is bliss

I observed with mixed feelings when a retail shop vacated and Awfully Chocolate swiftly filled the space.

I was clearly elated as I’m a chocolate lover, but it’s probably not such a good idea that a chocolate store has opened in a mall I frequent. Addiction is never a good thing and trust me to exercise some restraint.

In any case, I entered the extremely narrow store and ordered a single scoop of 黑 hei ice cream ($3.80) – a super premium dark chocolate ice cream made with natural ingredients.

Containing a blend of homemade chocolate and Belgian dark chocolate (min. 70% cocoa solids), eggs, fresh milk, pure cream as well as a low air content, the ice cream was intensely chocolatey and dense.

Armed with my closely-guarded little treasure box of pure black (dark gooey brown to be exact) goodness, the annoying crowd at the mall seemed a tad less daunting to maneuver.

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar @ Esplanade Mall – CLOSED

Chocolate heaven

This chocolate bar is the most convenient for me and I’ve been satisfying my chocolate cravings here ever since it opened years ago.

However, I rank the selection of hot chocolate second, compared to my ultimate cup of pure elixir at two other places, one of which isn’t even a chocolate bar. (Laurent’s and Bonheur)

Recently, I ordered the milk chocolat ($6.90), which was sinfully rich to induce a sense of euphoria. The thick creamy texture with hints of vanilla was excellent, even though I found the beverage a little sweet.

My usual routine also included the warm chocolate fondue (small – $20) which came with both milk and dark chocolate sauces. The platter of strawberries, bananas, marshmallows and sponge cake were great accompaniments.

Service was efficient though we were given a dirty table. Luckily I spotted the blob of chocolate among some sticky stains before plonking our stuff on it, and proceeded to clean the table ourselves.

Total damage: $31.65

Jul 8, 12

After dinner at Joe & Dough we popped by Max Brenner for some indulgence before calling it a day.

K was suffering from a mild bout of heatiness and was wary of anything that’s too rich so good old days chocolate milk ($9.90) seemed like a safe choice. Served in the Alice Cup, the drink was basically pure chocolate cream and fresh milk shaken with ice, but it turned out really satisfying because it’s thick and gooey.

My order was a suckao – “do it yourself” concentrated hot chocolate shot which I hadn’t had in years, and it’s available in dark, milk or white chocolate. The dark chocolate ($7.90) was downright decadent and absolutely comforting. Serving size was just enough for two “shots”. The last few sips could be a tad scalding so I had to douse the flame when the second shot was done. Interestingly, the ladle doubled up as a straw.

Needless to say, we had a choco-licious time even when it’s only about an hour and we’d certainly return for more chocolate fixes.

Total damage: $20.95

Jewels Artisan Chocolate @ Orchard Central – CLOSED

Stick to chocolates

I usually develop a craving for desserts when my meal sucks, as if the sugar rush would negate any unpleasant taste lingering in my mouth and wipe out the memory entirely from my brain.

It’s precisely for this reason we’d come to Jewels twice. To soothe our disappointment with our dinners at Medzs downstairs.

During our first visit, we focused on the macarons with a couple of beverages to go along.

We ordered a korean black garlic set ($7.80) which comprised of a macaron, chocolate and regular coffee. The French confection had an interesting filling of garlic almond cream with a thin slice of black garlic, while the glittering piece of chocolate was rich and smooth. The coffee was too bitter since K chose not to put in any sugar.

In addition, we had an assortment of macarons ($2.00 each) – butterfly pea bloom (kaya and pandan almond cream), black palm island salt (salted egg and almond cream topped with black palm island salt), green tea (green tea and dark chocolate crunchy pearls), passion fruit (passion fruit conserve and almond cream) and simply dark (85% dark chocolate).

We especially liked the flavors but frowned upon the textures. Though crispy, the macarons were fragile and disintegrated too easily. A slightly chewier texture would’ve been more enjoyable too.

My drink was a café latte ($5.00) which was robust enough for an instant perk-me-up.

For our subsequent visit (Jul 16, 11), we decided to launch ourselves into chocolate heaven and ordered everything chocolate.

Made from guanaja 70% grand cru, the grand cru hot chocolate ($6.80) was divine but not the best we’d tried. Since marshmallows were unavailable, the drink came with chocolate shavings instead.

The wait of around 15 minutes for our dark chocolate lava cake ($10.80) was totally worth it. We chose blood orange sorbet over other ice cream flavors, and its tanginess was both refreshing and a wonderful complement.

The cake was moist and not overly dense. Much to our delight, the molten chocolatey lava oozed seductively upon the first cut. Perfectly smooth, rich and luscious. The vanilla cream added some sweetness while the berry compote imparted tartness. It’s great whichever way we ate it.

Service was friendly and prompt, which made our experience all the sweeter. The cafe’s open layout concept also allowed us to peer directly into Lush 99.5FM’s studio from our table. A cool view as we took a breather from our books every now and then.

Note: DBS/POSB cards are entitled to 10% discount.

Laurent’s Café & Chocolate Bar @ The Pier at Robertson Quay

Boring tart… less boring souffle

As a reward for completing our errand, I brought K here for some decadence and sin.

We were in luck since we managed to get the last table indoors, and the crowd had started to build up on a Saturday night.

The chocolate tart ($7.80) was served promptly but it fell short of our expectation. So thin it appeared anorexic. No doubt the chocolate ganache was rich and velvety but with only a crispy shell accented with hazelnut, it’s really nothing spectacular.

After a short wait, the guanaja chocolate soufflé ($16.50) finally arrived piping hot with raspberry sorbet and vanilla sauce. The souffle was fluffy and light, and a scoop of it revealed the treasure within. However, I was a little surprised the molten chocolate wasn’t very dark but it’s still adequately rich with a hint of bitterness.

Unexpectantly, the decadence and sin probably weren’t well-worth the calories (and the price) but we enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere. Good chillax time with a book in hand.

Service was decent and we refilled our own glasses from K’s tumbler. As the cafe was brimming with customers, I didn’t want to risk waiting for the bill (like we did at Marutama earlier) and went straight to the counter instead. Turned out I was left standing there for a while before my bill was processed but I was patient enough, which must be chocolate-induced.

Note: Prices are subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST.

Aug 5, 11

laurent’s café & chocolate bar

leather-bound menu… faux?

cocoa beans

classic hot chocolate caraibe 66% (grand cru)… chocolate heaven – $8

black forest… a tad sweet – $7.80

Awfully Chocolate @ Raffles City

What a treat…

This stall at the basement of Raffles City has been around for quite a few months now.

I’d tried two cold poached chocolate which came infused with alcohol, namely kahlua cream ($7.10) and honey malt whiskey ($7.10). Sinfully rich and ultra-dense, they were strictly for sharing. I was a tad ambitious to finish them on my own but failed miserably. Besides, my throat started protesting shortly after. Don’t expect to get high on the alcohol though.

cold poached chocolate… kahlua cream and honey malt whiskey – feb 3, 11 marina mandarin

On another occasion, I got two cupcakes to share with K. The white chocolate ($4.90) and rich chocolate ($4.90) were delightfully fluffy and moist with thick luscious chocolate coating. The level of sweetness was just right for me too.

white chocolate and rich chocolate cupcakes – feb 5, 11 carlton hotel

Service was polite on both times.

Godiva Chocolatier @ CityLink Mall – CLOSED

Chocolixir

The chocolatier was founded in Belgium in 1926 and has since expanded to countless retail shops and boutiques scattered around the world.

Being a chocolate addict, its convenient location at CityLink has been a major distraction over the years. Every time I walk past the store, I will automatically take a look at the posters.

This time, the one featuring a “limited edition” Chocolixir beverage – dark chocolate banana ($9), caught my eye. Without hesitation, I went in.

Needless to say, the drink was full of rich chocolatey goodness, thick and lusciously smooth. The hint of banana complemented the chocolate too. Just perfect for satiating my craving for chocolates!

other flavors:
white chocolate matcha chocolixir