Recently , I have been invited by Choc Gourmet Chocolate to do a review on chocolates. However, I was really sick at that point before the tasting session so I asked one of my friend, Arifin who had done food review with me before to do the tasting. Thanks to James and Mr Benny for the invite and allowing my friend to do the tasting on my behalf.
Here's a little back ground of Chocz Gourmet Chocolate
Started by Mr. Benny Chua, who has had
experience importing European ingredients, his goal of starting Chocz is to
educate Asians on the art of appreciating fine chocolate. By immersing yourself in the culture that the
Europeans have cultivated, we can then reach a higher level of
appreciation. To that end, Benny has
setup both a retail arm as well as wholesale business to reach his aim. Also, by conducting Chocolate Appreciate as
well as Chocolate Making Workshops, he hopes that more Singaporeans will be
able to differentiate between fine chocolate, and the kind of additive-laden
chocolates found in retail shops and supermarkets. If you are interested in attending such a
workshop, register at http://www.chocz.com.sg/chocolate-workshop/. Because Chocz also caters to major hotel
establishments in Singapore, don’t be surprised if you might have had a taste
of the creation made by Benny’s company.
** Note: For the month of May except for Mother's Day , anyone who likes the facebook page of Choc Gourmet is entitled to a 10% discount.
Here's the link https://www.facebook.com/#!/chocz.sg
Here comes the review from the guest blogger for the day on his review for the chocolate tasting session.
Chocolate Heaven By Arifin
If you are a chocolate lover and are looking for seventh heaven, Chocz at Esplanade Mall might just be the place you are looking for. Located at unit #02-13/15, it is next to the escalator from level 1 of the Mall. Here, they serve not only just chocolate cakes, but also pralines, fondue as well as drink concoctions made from the best beans of cocoa on this planet. As it is found in the heart of the Central Business District, if you need to have a meet outside of the office, make your way to this place. It seats 20 to 30 people nicely. They are also willing to host you should you need a place to conduct some discussions outside the office setting for 5 to 8 people.
How can you describe an establishment like Chocz, besides being a Shangri-La for fine chocolate? Let me count the ways …
Firstly, they only use imported dark chocolate from Europe, Africa and also cocoa beans harvested in Java. Chocolate was first introduced to Europe in the 1500s when the European explorers brought back the treasures from the New World. Because the exploration business was expensive, it was mostly sponsored by the royal families and aristocrats. So, when we partake in these wonderful creations created by Chocz’s chocolatiers, we have to remember we are taking in something that is steeped in history.
Take for example, their Chocolate Drink. Unlike a cup of hot chocolate you get from a fast food outlet or a coffee shop, at Chocz, they make it to order here. So, instead of getting a drink that is in powdered form, what the staff will do is to making it from their imported chocolate bar. They will make it from the finest dark chocolate (between 55% to 60% of dark chocolate) using a recipe from Switzerland. For us Asians, unaccustomed to such quality products, we might find that the taste is too rich and bitter. My first sip of this hot chocolate, it felt slightly bitter. But a second sip, when the taste of cocoa gets to my palette, it is both rich and satisfying, and the luxuriousness of the chocolate envelops your mouth. That’s when you want to wrap your hands around the unique cup that it has been served in. The cup does not have a handle, so that you can wrap your palm around it. If you were at Zermatt, a ski resort on Matterhorn (a mountain in Switzerland), you would welcome the warmth the cup of hot chocolate brings you! Because they do not use vegetable fats, unlike the chocolate bars you might find at your convenience store or neighborhood supermarket, they achieved this result by using only the freshest of dairy cream. Also, as this is unlike your typical Mars bar, it has a lower melting point. A tip to enjoying such exquisite chocolate, it is best to eat these chocolates after you have let it warm up to room temperature.
If you like your hot chocolate to have a higher percentage of cocoa, you can create your own DIY hot chocolate too. Add as much cocoa to your heart’s content! You can even go up to as high as 72%!
Figure 1: Hot Chocolate, in a handle-less cup
If you like dipping your food into warm liquid chocolate, then yes, they have got fondue too. And they have 3 varieties to choose from – Standard, Venezuelan and Madagascar. The differences are in the taste, color and viscosity of the liquid chocolate.
The Standard, which uses a mixed blend of beans from Africa, is thicker and has a stronger taste, even though it uses the standard amount of dark chocolate, which ranges from 55% to 60%. For us Asians who are used to spicy food, the Standard isis something familiar.
The Venezuelan, using cocoa beans from the South American country, has a stronger aroma, lighter in color, even though it uses about 64% of dark chocolate, is more runny, and the tastes will linger in your mouth longer. So if you are a health conscious chocolate lover, go for the Venezuelan, and watch the chocolate drip from your fruits and marshmallow.
Figure 2: Standard Fondue, using Dark Chocolate
Figure 3: Venezuelan Fondue, with a lighter viscosit of Dark Chocolate
Of course, the best is saved for last. Cakes! And they have a variety of cakes, and their signature line is, what else, a chocolate cake, it is topped with a ball of chocolate truffle! It is a wider slice compared to other cake shops, and a slice retails for $6.50 for a slice of heaven! It is rich and luxurious, but if you are sharing, 1 is not enough. Weighing in at between 120 and 130 grams, it uses pure chocolate. For me, having had 1 slice, makes me realize how much more time I have to spend at the gym and the extra laps in the pool! But I would say, it is worth it.
Figure 4: Chocz's signature line Chocolate Cake
I would call them a specialty shop, as they do not produce their cakes in large batches. As such, if you would like to buy a cake for a special occasion, like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, it is best that you place your order in advance, so as not to be disappointed! This is because they want to ensure freshness in their cakes by producing only in small batches.
For Mother’s Day, they have made a special creation, a heart-shaped Chocolate Truffle Cake, made of dark chocolate and truffles, topped with shavings of white chocolate and nuts all over the side of the cake.
Figure 5: Creation by Chocz for Mother's Day
Dark chocolate has been scientifically researched to be good for your heart and it helps to control your blood sugar, while being full of antioxidants.
So, if you are in need of some chocolate pampering, head down to Chocz today! They are open from 11am to 11pm everyday. The best time to pay them a visit is just after lunch at 2pm or before the start of any show at the Esplanade. Then you’ll be able to enjoy such sinful pleasures that will only benefit your heart!
Pricing of the items tasted
|
Item
|
Price
(Excluding GST & Service
Charge)
|
|
Chocolate Cake (slice of 120 to 130gms)
|
$6.50
|
|
Chocolate Cake (heart-shaped) – ½
kilogram (14cm)
|
$33
|
|
Chocolate Cake (heart-shaped) – 1 – 1.2
kilogram (20cm)
|
$52
|
|
Fondue
|
$25
- $28
|
|
Hot Chocolate
|
>
$10
|
Location of the 2 outlets
Esplande Mall Leisure Park Kallang
8 Raffles ave 5 Stadium Walk
#02-13/15 #01-13 Leisure Park Kallang
S(039802) S(397693)
Tel/ Fax: 62380803 Tel/ Fax:62420135
