Pure Sin Chocolates

Turns out my husband had been scouting the city for liqueur chocolates to give me for Christmas. Poor sweet chap didn't know that the new excise rules don't allow regular shops to stock  liqueur chocolates anymore. A shop has to have liquor permit to sell those, and the demand isn't high enough for chocolatiers to take that kind of trouble.

But in his quest for  liqueur chocolates, he heard of Pure Sin by Mood Swings Confectionery, a small chocolate shop based in Churchgate, Mumbai. Pure Sin Chocolates was famous for its  liqueur chocolates, which they stopped selling around two years ago because of the changed laws. But their name was recommended by several people as the go-to place for good homemade chocolates.

After being lost for a while in the lanes around SNDT college, we managed to locate the shop. A small sign hanging over the only functional shop in a line of seemingly empty ones, indicated that we were in the right place. The storefront was as low-key and once we entered the modest little space, it looked more like an office than a chocolate shop.

We were greeted by Brinda Javeri, one of the joint owners of the shop. She started the business along with her daughter, Arti, almost 20 years ago. "This is Aarti's baby; I'm just the sidekick" said Brinda. "The idea of making chocolates stemmed purely out of boredom. She was bored and said, 'Mum, let's make chocolates', and that's how it started," she elaborated. They ran the business from home for the first three years, and as it grew, they bought a shop.

Over the years, the duo have made several varieties, and their USP is that they import all their essences from the US. They also make most of their chocolates in a semi-sweet German chocolate compound. I saw boxes upon boxes with labels of their creations, and was amused by the funky names most of their chocolates have. Simple, elegant gift boxes lined the upper shelves while an attendant busily measured, packed, and doled out customer requests.

We studied their extensive menu and were spoilt for choice. We sampled some flavours and decided upon an assorted selection, because who can choose one when there are so many chocolates to be had?

Some of the more amusing chocolate names included 'Roses are Brown', 'The Big O', 'You crack me up', 'What the Fudge', 'Rock me Hazy', 'Charlee Brown', 'Baby Latte' and 'Berry got D Blues'.

The chocolates are reasonably priced and we brought home a pack of 250g for INR 351. We tasted nearly all flavours but some we really enjoyed included 'Almond Mud Pie', 'Hello Sunshine', 'Burnt Sugar Cups' and 'Baby Brown'. The mint chocolate called 'The Dark Mint Rises' wasn't a particular hit, but then, I have never understood the mint chocolate concept.

Overall, the chocolates are good, but not memorable. However, they will appeal to whoever likes homemade stuff. Definitely worth a try.

RATING: 3/5

Pure Sin Chocolates
G-5, Pil Court, 111 M. Karve Road, Behind Bangkok Airways,
Churchgate, Mumbai - 400020
Ph: 022-22000267/8, email: info@puresinchocolates.com
Website: www.puresinchocolates.com