Choco luscious

Chokola

The chill factor

Looking for an all-day “brunch” joint but don’t really want to queue up for it? Head to Choko la in Khan Market. You can smell the rich aroma of Belgian chocolates even before you ascend the orange staircase to reach the two floors done up in deep cocoa colour. The chain’s second chocolate boutique in Delhi offers scrumptious options. Be it the Choko la Special breakfast (Rs 215) or other equally sinful chocolate dishes. On offer are pizza, panini, pasta, soups or nibblers like Mushroom Caps stuffed with Ricotta or Goat Cheese and Red Onion Marmalade Bruschettas— priced at Rs 75-185. And if the six tumblers of single-origin chocolates —Tanzania, Sao Thome, Ecuador, Madagascar, Arriba and Papua (all priced at Rs 160), are not enough, you have more options from the signature selection that includes Agasajo-style chocolate based on a Spanish recipe, creamy white chocolate or even a combination of dark chocolate with piquant spices—all at a very affordable range of Rs 105-160. This is also probably the only place in Delhi, which apart from giving you free coffee from 8-10 a.m., offers fourcourse meals that revolve around chocolate. You can start with chocolate soup, go on to club sandwich with chocolate, follow it up with desert and down it all with the signature Single Origin Hot Chocolate.

Must try

Single Origin Chocolate (hot or cold), Warm Chocolate Cake with Ice Cream, Egg-less Crunchy Cake, Chocolate Soufflé cake.

Maple leaf

The chill factor

While the exterior of the building screams Maple Leaf, there are actually two sections inside. One is the chocolate section, which has just opened shop, while the other is the bakery, now six months old, called The French Loaf. Maple Leaf and The French Loaf have 40 seats between them. The interiors are in elegant white with every trapping of a French atmosphere, right from the windows to the black and white photos of the Eiffel Tower and Renaissance sceneries. But it is not just the atmosphere that is mind-boggling. If it’s chocolates you desire, move upstairs to Maple Leaf. You have white, dark and normal chocolates and diabetic chocolates as well. You can also buy bonbons. And if you are the type who doesn’t care for calories there is this wonderful Tiramisu, priced at just Rs 90 for 150 ml.

No wonder, it is not just the locals who visit the place but visitors from near and far who come to get a taste of Chennai’s first chocolate boutique.

Must try

The Tiramisu, the bonbons and the made-to-order sandwiches.

Cocoa by belgique

The chill factor

Tired after a buying spree at the designer stores inside Delhi’s Select Citywalk mall? Chill out by heading to Cocoa By Belgique on the ground floor. In its second avatar, the café has managed to live up to its reputation of a fullfledged coffee bar with ample options for food, be it sandwiches, muffins, waffles, hotdogs, burgers, soups, pastas, “all-day” breakfasts and salads. And, of course, some great chocolates. It makes its own chocolates that are available at between Rs 150 and Rs 600. Also on offer are chocolate muffins, pastries, brownies and soufflés, priced attractively between Rs 49 and Rs 129.

The place looks snazzy with wooden décor, soft music and separate smoking and non-smoking areas. For those who love the Delhi winter, there is an outdoor seating area as well.

Must try

The American breakfast, Vodka-Flambed Chicken, Pimento and Basil Bruschetta and the entire chocolate range.