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

Royce store @ Palladium, Mumbai

Here's the deal about Royce chocolates in two words - effin overrated!

Back in July 2013 when the store first opened at the Palladium mall in Mumbai, there was so much media hype around it, one thought Royce was THE best brand of chocolate in the world. Article after article gushed about the exotic nature of the products until one wondered if one was really missing out on something extraordinary. I finally found the time to check out the Royce outlet last month.

The Mumbai shop, the 12th outpost of this Hokkaido-based brand, has opened under the aegis of Burgundy Hospitality, a new company founded by entrepreneurs Avani Raheja and Samir Gandhok. Tucked away on the ground level of the main hall, the Royce 'store' is really a large counter. However, it is brightly lit and tastefully decorated.

Almost entirely done in wood with red accents, the store is a warm little place. Product pictures line one wall, and boxes and display cases populate other areas. However, when I visited, there was very little stock and hence the products on display were few.

One of the interesting things that caught my eye on the main counter was this 'Chocolate Education Set'. It had real cocoa bean samples and a variety of pictures on the process of chocolate production in it, but the text was in Japanese. :-/ So yeah, interesting and quite useless.

Coming to products, I was most keen on trying the chocolate-coated potato chips, which is perhaps the most novel product of Royce's range. However, it was out of stock. So I turned my attention to Nama Chocolate - another extremely hyped product.

I did not, could not bring myself to buy a mere box of 195g for an eyewatering INR 995, but I did sample a teeniest bit of the chocolate at the store. And no, I wasn't impressed. The chocolate is subtle and has a pleasant texture, but it wasn't good enough for me to shell out those many bucks. Nope, Royce doesn't quite cut it for me.

  

New chocolates at The Cocoa Trees

Since I first visited The Cocoa Trees, the Singapore-based chocolate chain store brand, has been throwing one delight after another my way. Apart from their impressively vast spectrum of spectrum of over 40 varieties of international branded chocolates under one roof, ranging from Belgian chocolate, Anthon Berg, Ferrero, Lorenz, Sorini, Mars and Fazer; the chocolate boutique conducts events such as chocolate dipping sessions to help Indian consumers appreciate chocolate.

Now it has added three renowned premium products Goldkenn Crystal Gold Bar, Swiss Dream Napo Box and Hershey’s Kisses Tin to their vast repertoire.

Goldkenn Crystal Gold Bar: Wonderfully crafted Swiss milk chocolate praline with a dash of cocoa sprinkles, encased in a refined gold and transparent crystal effect exterior. The premium chocolate comes in a 200g bar, priced at Rs. 1395.

Swiss Dream Napo Box: Crafted with superior ingredients having the finest taste, bringing the experience of an authentic Swiss lifestyle through the chocolates. The Swiss chocolates come in a 300g box, costing Rs. 695.

Hershey’s Kisses Tin: Uniquely shaped and deliciously tender Hershey’s Kisses milk chocolates in a classically decorated tin, with a rustic vintage charm. The chocolates with the old school charm come in a 240g tin, worth Rs. 995.

The Cocoa Trees outlets can be found at three stores in Mumbai and one Mumbai airport, three in Pune, one in Delhi T3 domestic airport and Goa.