Koko Black

Being in Rundle Mall on a cold, wet and windy day for an appointment saw me 'drop in' to the new KoKo Black store (I swear it was because it was warm in there!). The retail side of the store is set up well, there is plenty of space to gaze over the stunningly presented chocolate without the cramped or rushed feeling I often get at the Haighs Rundle Mall store. We headed into the cafe section, it was signed that we could take a seat but that table service was provided. I thought this was a great idea, sometimes you find yourself unsure of a restaurant's table service policy and end up waiting and waiting only to be told you have to order at a counter etc.

The cafe area has been designed well, a modern, elegant feel but still on the casual side great for quick catch ups with people in the CBD but still nice enough for a special event dessert or post dinner coffee. There is an upstairs and downstairs section, so there is plenty of space and the staff are attentive and helpful. We sat downstairs which allowed us to see the barista at work, he was the most unflustered, focused barista I have seen in a while, it was evident he took pride in his work and that each drink he made he did so with proficiency. Water was brought to the table straight away, and we were given a fair amount of time to look over the menu, enough to not feel rushed, but not too much to feel forgotten.

The menu had several sections, food, drinks and a complete list of their chocolates. This list also includes descriptions and pictures which I thought was a nice touch, it made it much easier to decide what we wanted/what would suit our tastes. To start with we ordered the sienna strawberry dark and the single malt whiskey truffles.

The dark Sienna was divine, a light shell that cracked perfectly when cut and bitten into that gave way to a creamy, melting centre. The strawberry flavour in the ganache was perfect, distinct but subtle with a true 'fresh' rather then lolly like strawberry taste.

The single malt whiskey was certainly my favourite of the two. The shell on this was a milk chocolate and slightly thicker than the sienna but it still 'cracked' perfectly just like any good tempered chocolate should. The centre was smooth and creamy but slightly more dense then the sienna. The ganache was a milk chocolate base but it was the intense whiskey flavour that won me over. This is the first whiskey based truffle I've tried that really gave me that true whiskey experience, encapsulating the complex tone and warmth you only get with top quality whiskey. Both truffles had a great mouth feel, that giving, melty texture the best kind of chocolate has, both presented with impeccable shine, and amazing depth in flavour and aroma. I was certainly impressed by the two varieties we tried and have my eyes set on tasting several more in the range.

We also ordered two hot chocolates, a hazelnut version for me and the traditional Belgian for my friend. Not only were these beautiful to look at they were generously sized and at perfect drinking temperature. These were both super velvety, frothy and indulgent. The Belgian was well rounded, robust and rich whilst the hazelnut flavour was like someone had crossed a kinder surprise with a huge spoon of nutella, totally delicious. One of the better hot chocolates I've had in Adelaide, clearly made with real chocolate and expertise.

My friend also ordered the house made toasted crumpets with butter and raspberry cacao nib jam. The crumpets were warm, with a golden, slightly crisp exterior and a super soft, fluffy interior. The jam was amazing, very unique as it was sweet but not sickening, a real homemade texture and a raspberry flavour that had a subtle chocolate undertone

Overall I was really impressed by Adelaide's new Koko Black outlet, they have certainly upped the game when it comes to chocolate boutiques/cafes. I'm really glad Adelaide is coming alive with places like this that offer a high quality but still relatively affordable product, a decadent menu and professional service.  If you are in town I'd highly recommend dropping in and checking it out, or if your looking for to spoil someone giving their range of chocolate a go. I will definitely be back to try out the desserts and cakes they offer.