Over the top chocolate

On my weekly walk to Union Square Park, I passed a new-ish shop that had streams of people walking in & out. It was huge inside, bustling, packed abd yes, over the top, as the NYMag review says:

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/restaurants/reviews/underground/19680/index.html?imw=Y

aka

www.newyorkmetro.com/restaurants/reviews/underground/19680


The whole place was devoted to chocolate, chocolate drinks, desserts, gifts, etc. Way too overwhelming. Reminded me of Las Vegas somehow.

But I guess if U R an chocoholic....

Hey NYNM, I went to Max Brenner's last week. Its a beautiful place and the selection of chocolates and chocolate products is amazing! However, the prices are insane! Most of the chocolate in there is almost $2.00 per OZ!!! I got a hot chocolate which was $4.00. It was really good. Really, really good, but to paraphrase Vincent Vega from "Pulp Fiction"-"That's a pretty good milkshake. I don't know if it's worth five dollars but it's pretty good". I don't think I'd go back though, my wallet can't handle the pressure.

quote:

Originally posted by billyboy

Hey NYNM, I went to Max Brenner's last week. Its a beautiful place and the selection of chocolates and chocolate products is amazing! However, the prices are insane! Most of the chocolate in there is almost $2.00 per OZ!!! I got a hot chocolate which was $4.00. It was really good. Really, really good, but to paraphrase Vincent Vega from "Pulp Fiction"-"That's a pretty good milkshake. I don't know if it's worth five dollars but it's pretty good". I don't think I'd go back though, my wallet can't handle the pressure.

Thanks for the review. I went in and walked right out: too intense for me. (I like nice, quiet, restful, not hoopla). Not surprised it cost so much$$$$$$$$ for the "chocolates" (actually you are paying for the drama, the rent, the hoopla rather than the chocolates). The hot chocolate seems a good deal, considering NY prices (uusally also paying for the drama, the rent, the hoopla everyplace).

If you like good HC, I suggest City Bakery (3 W. 18 St) with their homemade marshmallows. Also check out:


http://nymag.com/nymetro/shopping/columns/testdrive/n_9696/index.html

Thanks. I forgot to mention, they were giving out some free samples. Small, but tasty. It was a candied pecan surrounded by hazelnut paste and covered in dark chocolate. I could have eaten about oh, 20 or 60 of them. Great contrast of crunchy, nutty, bittersweet, and sweet tastes. I found the tins they were selling and they went for about $10.95 each and they were pretty light in the palm. City bakery has been on my list for the HC and the mallows. Have you tried Jacques Torres Spicy HC, I hear its pretty good.

quote:

Originally posted by billyboy

Thanks. I forgot to mention, they were giving out some free samples. Small, but tasty. It was a candied pecan surrounded by hazelnut paste and covered in dark chocolate. I could have eaten about oh, 20 or 60 of them. Great contrast of crunchy, nutty, bittersweet, and sweet tastes. I found the tins they were selling and they went for about $10.95 each and they were pretty light in the palm. City bakery has been on my list for the HC and the mallows. Have you tried Jacques Torres Spicy HC, I hear its pretty good.

Oh, Jacques is so out of the way. Brooklyn, no less! (spoken like a true Manhattanite) (even tho I grew in Bklyn, John Travolta era!)

(When winter comes, tho, I may crave HC. I like to get mine in Santa Fe when we go over Xmas. They put chile it it.)

Let me know when you try City Bakery. It's an interesting place, like a gourmet cafeteria. Always crowded, fun, good food.

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM
Oh, Jacques is so out of the way. Brooklyn, no less! (spoken like a true Manhattanite)

There's a Jacques Torres down on the Lower East Side. I had them do a hot chocolate custom mix for me - half spicy and half orange ... that was pretty fabulous. Get the small though, there's no way you need more than 8 ounces of something that rich.

Just came back from Union Square and took another peek in Max's Brenners (and then right out). That place is a madhouse, and the customers (all chocolated up) are so rude! There's lots of pushing, lots of lines at different counters too too crazy. Worse than last month. Chocoalte Overdose!

I just went to the Max Brenner's on 2nd Ave tonight and ordered a Mexican Hot Chocolate. It cost $4.55 for a small cup to go. Its hot chocolate infused with red chili, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper. This had to be the worst hot chocolate I've had in my life, bar none!! All I tasted was some nutmeg and a whole lotta chili and pepper. I had to throw it out after 3 sips as it kept getting hotter and hotter with no discernable chocolate taste.
I just believe that chocolate should be the star player in hot "chocolate" and that all other infusions, add-ins or whatever you may call them should play a supporting role. Sure they should be present and sneak up towards the end to provide some extra flavor and/or heat, but they should in no way dominate to the point that the flavor of the main ingredient ends up getting hijacked. If I had to choose between this or getting a box brand powder, I'd rather make Swiss Miss or Carnation at home than drink this again.
I did make it to the City Bakery and had some AMAZING hot chocolate. It was as if someone had melted a candy bar made from the best chocolate they could get in the world and then topped it with a homemade marshmallow. It was so thick, rich and voluptuous! Its definitely a sipping chocolate as a gulp would probably send me into shock. I had it with one of their signature "pretzel croissants". Very buttery, salty and tasty. While I was sitting enjoying my treat, one of the staff came over and asked me if I could move as the light above me needed replacing and the person doing it just arrived. I said no problem and she felt bad about making me move, so she gave me another croissant on the house! Not bad.
I also tired the Jacques Torres regular and spicy hot chocolate just before Christmas at a tree lighting in the park by the Brooklyn Bridge. The regular was nice and thick and comparable to City Bakery. Not sure which one I like better. More tests must be run, in the interests of science, you understand... The spicy HC didn't impress me. I really didn't feel any heat in it at all. I was hoping for a little kick and it seemed somewhat thin, almost watery. Well, that's it for now, more chocolate to be consumed soon.

Hey BB: Glad you made it to City Bakery! Did you buy any of the homemade marshmallows to take home? The used to sell them in an old fashioned tin lunchbox with their logo.

CB is a cool place. Love that "cafeteria" (buffet?) style: but selections are like fresh whole salmon, fab fresh salads, cortnbread sandwiches, etc etc, The only problem is, you take a little of this a little of that and soon your bill is like $25. But worth it after all!

Check out the fresh made fruit lemonades in the summer. (Like watermelon lemonade, etc.)

No marshmallows for the road ay City Bakery, didn't want to go into shock! I went to the Doughnut Plant on the LES the other day and got a couple of doughnuts and a hot chocolate. They use Valrhona chocolate and steamed milk and it was very good. Rich, but not too thick and bittersweet. I just tried the HC at Tisserie tonight in Union Square. Its on the corner of Broadway and 17th St (across from Petco) and it was pretty food. Bitter sweet chocolate that seemed to get richer with each sip and foamed steamed milk on top. Definitely a keeper.

quote:

Originally posted by billyboy

No marshmallows for the road ay City Bakery, didn't want to go into shock! I went to the Doughnut Plant on the LES the other day and got a couple of doughnuts and a hot chocolate. They use Valrhona chocolate and steamed milk and it was very good. Rich, but not too thick and bittersweet. I just tried the HC at Tisserie tonight in Union Square. Its on the corner of Broadway and 17th St (across from Petco) and it was pretty food. Bitter sweet chocolate that seemed to get richer with each sip and foamed steamed milk on top. Definitely a keeper.

I'll try that Tisserie - I work nearby. Sounds like Union Square/LES is becoming Chocolate City!

Tried Tisserie this morning. Interetsting. They were featuring "White Hot Chocolate" - some sort of complex South American chocolate combined with some other darker vintage. (These HC are sourced like wines).


It tasted, well, white. Like marshmallows or something. A bit too sweet for me, but rich and tasty. I guess black/brown chocolate is more for me....

Today I had a nice large cup of HC ar Zabar's takeout. 12 oz, just $2.19 (Upper West Side prices...) They said it was made with Valrohna chocolate. It was frothy and delicious, but had a peculiar aftertaste....