Chocolate Slush

Chocolate Slush

Yuan is someone that is very sensitive to the type of milk used in beverages, hence his first impression of Jewels' chocolate beverages weren't postive. However, having tried the Chocolate Hazelnut Slush, he had a second opinion. With hazelnut incorporated into the drink, the milk becomes less distinctive, hence leaving an overall impression of the drink being rich and smooth.

When it comes to ice-blended drinks, it is important to have it smooth, the icy texture can be a put-off as it makes drinking unpleasant and diluted when the ice starts to melt. This was experienced when we had the Godiva's chocolixir (Dark Chocolate Decadence) and we compared it with Iced Milo blended with dark chocolate bits.

Anyway, for your information, there are only 2 iced chocolate drinks we like (till now) which is, the Chocolate Slush from Jewels and Iced Dark Chocolate Granite from Max Brenner.

Jewels Artisan Chocolate
Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
#02-31/32
Tel: 6509 8998

Operating hours: 11am to 11pm daily
http://www.jewels.com.sg/

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Lava hot chocolate from U.d.d.e.r.s

Lava hot chocolate from U.d.d.e.r.s

Finally, a non ice-cream entry on U.d.d.e.r.s =)

Decided to try their Lava hot chocolate and each cup costs $3.80.

Till now, my favourite chocolate drinks comes from Max Brenner. Somehow or rather, I don't feel so heaty after gulping down their chocolate granite.

U.d.d.e.r.s. also have their chocolate and milk seperated but in this case, the order is alittle wrong. Usually, we add milk to chocolate to control the amount of milk in the drink but in this case, we have to do it vice-versa since the milk is served in a cup while the chocolate chips is in a bowl. Also, we have to add all the chocolate chips into the milk before it turns cold unlike Suckao.

The amount of chocolate is sufficient but I find it too heaty to finish the entire drink on a hot Saturday afternoon. For a price of $3.80, this is pretty worth it as most at this price resort to using chocolate powder but to avoid having a sore throat, I think I will stick to having a cold chocolate frappe from Max Brenner.
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Yuan's comments

I was really excited when I see the chocolate bits with warm milk. Would this be as good as Max Brenner? After drinking it, I doubt so. I personally feel that the milk is not warm enough, they should actually put it over fondue-like cup which warms the milk for a longer period of time.

Also, I felt that the chocolate is not rich enough and is no different from drinking chocolate milk (i.e. the proportion of milk is too much or rather the chocolate bits is too little).
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U.d.d.e.r.s Ice Cream
155 Thomson Road,
Singapore 307608
Tel: 6254 6629
http://www.udders.com.sg/

Operating hours:
12 noon to 11pm (Sun to Thurs)
12 noon to 12 midnight (Fri, Sat & Eve of PH)

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Suckao...

Suckao...

Suckao is the espresso of the chocolate drinks of Max Brenner, which is basically a small, dense, concentrated shot of rich chocolate ($6.90 excluding 7% GST and 10% service charge).

The term "Suckao" is made up of two words that describe the utensil and the unique drink, containing
Suck - to draw the dense lique through the metal tube.
Kakao - the Spanish word for cocoa beans from which this rich chocolate drink is made and which determine its quality.

Interesting name, for a moment I thought the inspriation was gotten from Hokkien (one of the Chinese dialect).
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Fen's comments

Having tried plenty chocolate drinks, I can't help but to say my favourite is Max Brenner's. The beauty of Max Brenner's is the use of milk thereby having a creamy but yet rich chocolate taste. Since I like the concept of controlling the proportion of milk and chocolate, I was pretty surprised about Suckao of Max Brenner's.

We attempt drinking the melted chocolate without milk and the rich chocolate instantly send our hormones rocket high. The velvety smooth chocolate is simply addictive but that was simply too heaty. After mixing the milk, we couldn't resist slurping the chocolate down since it tasted heavenly when it is hot (Yes, the little fondue-like cup can be hot after some time).

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Yuan's Comments
I believed I mentioned before, the best chocolate drinks are usually the ones which allows you to dictate how much chocolate and milk content. For the suckao, you choose how much chocolate you want to add and then pour in the milk. For me, I added all the chocolate and sipped. This drink is simply addictive and will make you crave for more.

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Max Brenner
8 Raffles Avenue, #01-06/08 Esplanade Mall
Singapore 039802
Tel: 6235 9556
Opening Hours:
Sun-Thurs - 11:00am to 11:00pm
Fri-Sat - 11:00am to 12:00 (Midnight)

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Classic Hot Chocolate from Laurent Cafe & Chocolate Bar

Classic Hot Chocolate from Laurent Cafe & Chocolate Bar

Hot Chocolate ($8 w/o GST)

This hot chocolate was featured in The Chocolate Bible of 8 days (No. 933, Sept 4, 2008 - The Chocolate Issue) and as mentioned in the article, choco guru Laurent has close to a monopoly on fine chocolates. We don't deny the fact and we simply fall in love with all the selections we had this afternoon. This is what we called "death by chocolate".

Classic Hot Chocolate is basically melted Valrhona dark chocolate and milk, served in a rustic pot akin to those used by Spanish aristocrats and 8 days claims that this drink is almost as good as the one at the famous La Maison du Chocolat cafe in Paris.
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Fen's comments

This is really a super thick brew and we practically got intoxicated with the amount of chocolate present in this drink. However, this is just too rich for me and due to its low milk and sugar content. I can't help it but to appreciate my Peach tea. The weather is just too hot to take so much chocolate in a go. I prefer the desserts much more though.

Sorry to say that I didn't like this as much as the Iced dark Chocolate Granite from Max Brenner.
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Yuan's comments

This is your typical cup of hot chocolate. High chocolate content, very dense and slightly bitter. Personally I would prefer my hot chocolate to have a higher portion of milk as well as slightly sweeter. I guess readers who are used to eating milk chocolate would think like wise too. After finishing half a cup, my throat was already slightly sore. I would say that it taste similar to the 2am dessert bar hot chocolate. Nonetheless I look forward to trying the other selection of chocolate drinks which Laurent offers. Especially the chocolate milk shake with rum.

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Laurent Bernard chocolatier
Laurent's Cafe & Chocolate Bar
5B Portsdown Road
#01-02
Singapore 139 311
Tel: 6475 4182

http://www.nibschocolate.net/

Operating hours -
9am to 6pm (Tues to Thurs, Sun)
9am to midnight (Fri & Sat)

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Hot Chocolate - 2am dessert bar

Hot Chocolate - 2am dessert bar

Hot Chocolate ($9)
served with home made churros

This drink can't be found on the drinks menu of the 2am dessert bar. I asked the waitress why and her reply was that this drink is simply too rich to be considered a drink. As a fan of hot chocolate, I simply had to give it a shot.

I guess this drink is comparable to the one at Max Brenner. Very thick and not sweet at all. You will feel the richness of chocolate with every slip. Most importantly, you will not taste undissolved chocolate powder. The drink is served with 3 churros. (Donuts with cinnamon sugar) The churros are excellent on their own but I guess it is to contrast with the slight bitterness of the hot chocolate. Overall I would say this is a good cup of hot chocolate though I prefer it sweeter.

2am dessert bar
21A Lorong Liput
Holland Village
Singapore 277 733
Tel: 6291 9727
http://www.2amdessertbar.com/

Operating hours: 6pm to 2am (Mon to Sat)
Closed on Sundays

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Hot chocolate brewing at Ricciotti...

Hot chocolate brewing at Ricciotti...

Italian Hot Chocolate

"All Ricciotti's chocolates are prepared by melting the finest chocolate and serving them exceptionally thick with frothy milk on the side allowing you to create your own texture"

CLASSIC - S$7.50
"for an authentic flavour - made from a blend of the best cocoa beans from Central America, Africa and Java"
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Fen's comments

Recently, I have been hooked onto chocolate drinks, although I don't drink alot as they are heaty but I enjoy the initial few gulps. As usual, since I have no clues of which alcoholic drink to order, we settled down with a conventional hot chocolate.

This drink seperates the milk and the chocolate, giving you a choice to mix in your preferred proportion. Careful not to add too much milk in a go as it will taste like chocolate milk and this is irreversible. Anyway, we only filled the cup half-way full with milk and I thought it was just right. Simply love it.
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Yuan's Comments

I guess this is the way hot chocolate should be served. Fine chocolate and you decide how much milk you want. No milk equals eating chocolate fondue while excessive milk gives you chocolate milk which you find in the supermarket. So you decide. Thus i guess most readers will find this drink nice.
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Ricciotti Italian Deli & Pastry
20 Upper Circular Road
B1-49/50 The Riverwalk
Singapore 058416
Tel: 6533 9060
http://www.ricciotti.com.sg/

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Hot or Cold at Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar

Hot or Cold at Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar

I simply loved the aroma of this place and I can't resist my cravings for chocolate even though I have eaten the chocolate indulgence and carrot slice from Secret Recipe and shared a flower blossom from Haagan Dazs. You guys may think I am skinny that I have so much calories to spare or simply a spoilt brat who just have no self-control.

I dunno why, but recently my sweet taste buds have not been cooperative, blame it on stress or I am just trying to find an excuse...

Anyway, back to the drinks.

First question when it comes to any beverage, what drink? That's easy if you are at Max Brenner, how can you give their chocolate a miss.

Second, hot or cold? Ahh... this is tricky... Don't you have the same problem when you go Starbucks or Coffee bean? Hot, Iced or Blended...

Yuan stick to his Italian Chocolatte (S$6.90 exlcusive of 7% GST & 10% service) and this time, he have chosen the dark. I took a sip and subsequently a gulp, I thought it was heavenly good but yuan is going to tell him what is the difference between the dark and milk...

For me, I finds it good but I prefer colder drinks... Chocolate under its heat is just too heaty... bad for throat...

and what is my choice of the cold drink... if you want to compare, you need a close equivalence and searching through the list of chocolate mocktails aka Choctails, I took the Iced dark Chocolate Granite ($8.90) in which pure chocolate truffle blended with ice. Ahh, frozen Chocolate Frappes are served in the Alice cup...

I really enjoyed this drink, was really high while sipping through the metallic straw... I loved the smoothness of this ice-blend, usually I end up with chunks of unflavoured ice whenever I attempt an ice-blend but this is a complete opposite, I sipped it clean till Yuan thought that this drink was iced. I would say, if you love the Dark Mocha Frappi from Starbucks. You are simply going to fall in love for this one... Why? Less ice, greater chocolate indulgence...

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Yuan's Comments

Well as promised, we did return for the dark chocolate. What i liked about the dark chocolate drink over the milk one was that the milk taste was not so strong. But at the same time this becomes an even more heaty drink. Generally its hard to make a choice between the two, i think both are equally good.

Comparing the cold vs. hot. Personally i think that warm chocolate has a better texture. Cold chocolate drinks tend to have the "undisolvable" problem. Thus it will taste like chocolate particles floating in the drink. One thing that fen pointed out which is true is that one of the good thing about this cold chocolate drink is that it doesn't leave you with a pile of ice like most ice blend.

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Max Brenner
8 Raffles Avenue, #01-06/08 Esplanade Mall
Singapore 039802
Tel: 6235 9556
http://www.maxbrenner.com/

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Hug the mug...

Hug the mug...

Italian Chocolatte (S$6.90 exlcusive of 7% GST & 10% service) comes in 3 flavours, dark, milk and white...

"Served in a Hug Mug, the chocolatte is a cappuccino of chocolate - milky and frothy. According to them, Max Brenner Chocolate pride their chocolat as it is made of 100% chocolate from cocoa beans of different originas that give it a unique aroma. The drink is served in the Hug Mug - a specially designed mug for the chocolate drinking ceremony. The mug is shaped specially for hugging in both hands so that it creates the ultimate drinking experience of coziness, warmth and fragrance"

Fen: It is always a joy to see your loved one enjoying sweet treats and knowing that Yuan is a fan of chocolate, chocolate dessert is always my google search and I don't deny the fact that I found this place via online forums and blogs.

This drink is just the right texture for hot chocolate. The milky and frothy texture makes Yuan enjoying every gulp. I generally prefer chocolate that melts in the mouth, not M&M of course but Royce Nama has always been my choice. This drink though has a good blend of milk and chocolate but I do find it a little too sweet. Like what Yuan felt, I would give the dark one a shot. Hopefully, the sweetness will be just right.



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Yuan's Comments

Personally among these 3 items that we tried this evening. My preference are as follows : Italian Chocolatte, chocolate souffle and crepe.

I have always been a fan of chocolate drinks and always have the perception that Starbucks have the best hot choco until this evening. This drink taste almost like a melted chocolate bar. If you doubt me, take a big gulp of this drink and you will know what i meant. I tried the milk chocolate flavour which was a little milky for my liking but i look forward to try the dark chocolate flavour of this drink.

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Max Brenner
8 Raffles Avenue, #01-06/08 Esplanade Mall
Singapore 039802
Tel: 6235 9556
Opening Hours:
Sun-Thurs - 11:00am to 11:00pm
Fri-Sat - 11:00am to 12:00 (Midnight)

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