Reviews by MerkelM

This review is for Scootz, Adelaide SA

verified email - 23 Sep 2009

Scootz is a small breakfast and lunch café in Pulteney Street which is on the route to work when Merkel chooses to walk. The hot chocolate is $3.10 for a cup, or more for a mug. The cup of hot chocolate comes in a Dimattina coffee cup with a tasty froth and plenty of chocolate sprinkled on top. The drink had a good dark chocolate taste but was not particularly creamy. The service was friendly but I would have preferred they take my money first so I could sit down while they made the hot chocolate.

see http://hotchocolatedarkdesires.blogspot.com/ for more

This review is for Jardine's On The Square, Glenside SA

verified email - 23 Sep 2009

"Jardine's On the Square", is shop 5 in Burnside Village and faces into an open area in the middle of the shopping centre. There is some seating inside plus good seating on the covered plaza area outside.

The hot chocolate is $3.50 and came with a delicious wrapped dark chocolate and a pink marshmallow. Jardine's gets the prize so far for the best extras. The hot chocolate was presented with a good froth with a semicircle of cocoa in a ceramic Vittoria coffee cup. Merkel would have preferred the drink to be creamier.

see http://hotchocolatedarkdesires.blogspot.com/ for more

This review is for Mooi Expresso, Torrens Park SA

verified email - 23 Sep 2009

Mooi is a coffee shop in the open area of Mitcham Shopping Centre. It has modern décor and provides reading matter for its patrons. The hot chocolate is $3.20 and comes in an elegant cup and saucer based on a square with round sides. The reader might have to refer to the photo if this description of the shape does not seem to make sense. The hot chocolate comes with a light froth, a sprinkle of chocolate and a marshmallow. The drink is sweet and creamy but not chocolaty enough for your reviewer's taste.

see http://hotchocolatedarkdesires.blogspot.com/ for more

This review is for Taste On Pirie, Adelaide SA

verified email - 23 Sep 2009

Taste on Pirie is a small city Café on Pirie Street. It serves a range of simple lunches. The hot chocolate is $3.20 and comes in a bright red cup. This is a change from the ubiquitous white or beige cups and mugs. Its hot chocolate had a good standard taste. It came with a good froth and a sprinkle of chocolate on top.

This review is for Chocolate @ No. 5, Hahndorf SA

verified email - 16 Sep 2009

I had been looking forward for some time to visiting this shop as its Hot Chocolate was well renowned. The trip to Hahndorf from Adelaide takes about half an hour and it is well worth the visit. There are a range of Cafés, restaurants and specialty shops along the main road and Myrtle and I had a wonderful walk through the town sampling the wares in a couple of locations.

Chocolate @ No. 5, is an cottage from the early history of Hahndorf with sandstone walls and roughly hewn wooden ceilings. The interior is cosy and the staff eager to please. The Belgian style hot chocolates are available in Milk, White, Dark or Mocca. I went for the dark hot chocolate. It was a great tasting chocolate in a large ceramic cup. It was decorated with an even froth with the "No. 5" spelt out on top with chocolate sprinkles. It was not just rich but had the right sweetness and lighter tastes (perhaps hazelnut) within the hot chocolate. There were no marshmallows but they were not required because the chocolate was perfect as it was, and the dessert Lady Myrtle purchased to go with it was quite sweet enough.

This review is for Cocolat Dessert Cafe, Balhannah SA

verified email - 16 Sep 2009

Cocolat at Balhannah is one of three shops with this name in the Adelaide area. Each sells the wonderful chocolate desserts that are made on site at Balhannah but the Café experience is different at each location. The Hyde park outlet is a small retail counter that will provide an intimate dining experience. The east end Rundle Street outlet is a huge café which is so popular that your reviewer has not found a seat on the last two occasions he attended there. The Balhannah, outlet is principally a retail shop for the factory out the back, however it does have three comfortable tables for those wishing to dine in. If it is a savory meal you are after then go somewhere else first and come back for dessert. There are a couple of savory muffins on the menu but the focus is on decadent desserts.

Your reviewer was in Balhannah for the Cocolat hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was available in small ($4.50), medium ($5.50) and large ($6.00) sizes. There was standard hot chocolate, white hot chocolate and top deck hot chocolate which was a combination of white and dark chocolate but your reviewer chose a medium chilli hot chocolate. It came in a very tall glass with a handle and a good froth with chocolate and dry chilli flakes sprinkled on top. Standard white and pink marshmallows were provided with the drink. The drink packed a punch and was reasonably creamy. Your reviewer likes a strong chocolate flavour and the drink did not deliver this. A stronger flavour would have gone better with the chilli.

This review is for Cikolatte, North Adelaide SA

verified email - 16 Sep 2009

Cikolatte is a Turkish themed coffee and chocolate shop in Melbourne Street, North Adelaide. The surroundings are comfortable with a choice of soft Ottoman sofas and conventional chairs and tables. There is plenty of reading material on hand and an internet point of presence.

I ordered a Medium mug of chilli hot chocolate for $4.70. I could have requested a smaller or larger drink for $4.20 or $5.20. The mug was generous and came with a good froth and sprinkle of chocolate. The drink was fairly milky and did not compare to the richness and spice of the Bracegirdles Chilli Chocolate. It was a nice drink though. The chilli had a punch at the beginning of the drink but had little impact towards the bottom of the mug.

This review is for Kappy's Cafe, Adelaide SA

verified email - 16 Sep 2009

Kappy's formerly known as Kappy and Wright's, has had a long history in Adelaide extending back to 1932. It has had a number of owners and locations but it has always had a fine reputation for coffees and teas. This is evident when you go into the Café at 53 Flinders St and see the canisters of tea and coffee along the wall.

I have had a number of good hot chocolates at Kappy's. They traditionally serve it in a long stemmed glass with a couple of marshmallows. More recently they have been providing drinks to patrons in a mug but they are still happy to do it in the glass.

The hot chocolate cost $4.40. It had plenty of froth with a sprinkle of chocolate at its centre. The drink was rich and creamy from top to bottom. With the help of one of the marshmallows it was the perfect sweetness.

This review is for Adelaide Coffee Bar, Adelaide SA

verified email - 16 Sep 2009

After a pleasurable visit to the Adelaide Coffee Bar last week I returned to sample the Italian Hot Chocolate that was being promoted there. The drink came in a small ceramic cup topped with large dollop of cream and sprinkled with chocolate. The chocolate was rich and thick and tasted a little like a chocolate mousse. The cream was a bit heavy and excessive for my taste and presented a problem about how to drink the delicious chocolate beneath. This is one of those drinks that you drink and eat making the spoon an essential tool. At $4.50 it was well worth the experience.

This review is for Duthy Street Deli, Unley SA

verified email - 16 Sep 2009

The Duthy Street Deli on Duthy Street, Unley, is the closest place to the Marmaduke residence to get a hot chocolate. Frequently your reviewer attends there with members of his family and samples from their range of delicious Turkish breads. This lunch Café is a converted delicatessen and is full of character enhanced by the artwork for sale on the walls.

The hot chocolate comes in a tall glass with a handle. It was served with a delicious dark chocolate thin and had a good froth with a semi-circle of chocolate on top. My last hot chocolate there seemed a little weak to start with until I realised there was a significant amount of sediment at the bottom and all it needed was good stir to give my chocolate a nice rich taste. It was reasonably priced at $3.70.