Casa Xocolat

I've noticed we've been having our meet-ups (and birthday treats) at Casa Xocolat Katipunan branch lately. But who can blame us - seriously, it's a chocolate cafe :p

The Katipunan branch is one of those 'homes remodeled to accommodate a cafe' establishments, meaning it has that warm, homey look, complete with mismatched furniture, a little garden and cute novelty/artsy decor - I really love these type of cafes. It's all really nice and cozy, perfect for a date (perhaps the outdoor area on a cool night would be the better option) or a meet-up with friends.

(left to right) lots of nifty decor; ooooh, multicolored paddles?; our tabletop of chipped tiles; the cafe's counter featuring the menu scrawled on a chalkboard

It's obvious from the menu that this is a 'strictly (or mostly) chocolate' fair; even the savory dishes have a little chocolate/cacao element in them. Admittedly, we've never had the savory dishes, because we only went here for dessert, but maybe next time - I heard they were pretty good too.

Pictured: the obvious :D I also like the fact that it's all on one page so you dont have to keep flipping them over when trying to decide what to get

Casa Xocolat is known mostly for its hot chocolate, so we zeroed in on those on our first day. I love how their hot chocolate have this thick consistency (you can opt to dip a spoon in them and sip the chocolate bit by bit), and the fact that there are varying blends mean that you can always have something new every time you go here.

The classic Tazo de Xocolat

Tazo de Xocolat is perfect for first-timers since it's just the usual (but not plain) hot chocolate, so it's nothing too shocking. It's super creamy and decadent, and its got that warm, familiar feeling of hot cocoa on rainy day.

Putting the 'sweet' in Bittersweet

 Bittersweet Xocolat is Tazo without the milk, making it less of the creamy, and sweet, type. Thankfully, it wasn't as bitter as I thought it was, and I ended up liking this one a lot.

Aztec Xocolat: oh my goodness this one is AMAZING

Remember the movie Chocolat (girls you HAVE to know this movie, it has Johnny Depp in it), where Vianne sprinkles chili on her hot chocolate before serving to give it a 'kick'? Well this is it. Aztec Xocolat is your regular hot chocolate with spices and chili. Don't be intimidated by this blend though - the spices are just enough to give it that exotic zing without taking the 'chocolate' flavor away completely.

 

White Haze smells just like Christmas, and tastes even more so

White Haze is a new take on the hot chocolate genre - it's white chocolate infused with hazelnut. It's unbelievably fragrant and delicious; we felt those 'happy hormones' just by drinking in its aroma.

All hot chocolate drinks are served with a little Danish Cookie - isn't it cute ^o^

*it might also be worth noting that, after three mugs of hot chocolate, we were starting to feel really happy...

  

I also tried one of their cold drinks, served the same way as in most popular cafes: in a paper cup, lots of ice and a really BIG straw XD XD

Something icy for a change

I absolutely love the flavor of the chocolate in their Dark Chocolate Ganache - I only wish they also had a hot version of it as I'm sure it'll taste just as good. Anyway all that ice made up for a bit of a tummy ache later on 0_o

Casa Xocolat also has its own selection of pastries and cakes (naturally). You can buy a slice or two, or the whole thing if you're up for it.

THAT Xocolate Cake (aka Decadent Chocolate Cake): this fail photo does not do this cake justice T_T

This is one of the fudge-y-est chocolate cakes I've ever had. And very rich too, so one slice would be more than enough.

THAT Red Cake (aka Red Velvet Cake) - I love this cake's colors

It's not strictly 'chocolate', except perhaps for the chocolate-covered pumpkin seeds on top. But the butter-cream frosting is so dreamy and smooth, and the cake itself is soft and yummy.

Let's move away from all the chocolate - for now

The Lemon Meringue in also non-chocolate. The lemon in the pastry was incredibly tart and refreshing, a welcome respite from a rather chocolate-heavy meal.

The also had non-pastry merienda items on the menu:

Churros with Chocolate

I hate it when most churros I encounter are heavy and oily - this one isnt. It's crisp, light and had a mild taste, which allowed me to enjoy the gooey chocolate dip that went with it.

Fondue for Two (or three, in our case)

I have always wanted to have fondue (I never did before) and was delighted when I saw this on the menu. It's more rustic than fancy; a small candle underneath the porcelain bowl of melted chocolate keeps it warm and, uh, melted, and the fruits and marshmallows were kept in mini ramekin cups. We used bamboo skewers to pick them up and dip in the chocolate. Yummy - just watch out for chocolate drizzles, it can get messy :p

Frozen Hot Chocolate: another personal favorite

I'm not really sure if this is actual hot chocolate that they eventually 'froze', but it certainly tastes like hot chocolate. I also love the presentation for this one - rolled into little bite-sized balls and placed in a sugar-coated martini glass, garnished with a mint sprig and little knotted candied orange rinds. Eating it can be a little tricky though - try to bite and it'll chill your tooth to the gum; eat it whole and you get brain freeze. But totally worth the trouble.

As with most cafes, Casa Xocolat also has its take-out merchandise like brownies, chocolate-covered, uh, things (pumpkin or sunflower seeds, mango, etc) and cocoa powder in tin cans to take home that chocolate experience.

Take home goodies

I went ahead and got myself a can of the old-fashioned cacao, hoping to replicate the same hot chocolate goodness at home. The chocolate drink came out really good (hot or cold), but if you want that creamy, thick consistency (which I do), better use fresh milk as your base and not the powdered kind you mix with water.

The pumpkin seeds were also yummy (kind of like Nips) and they make a pretty desktop decor too. Just make sure your desk area isn't warm, otherwise they'll start to 'sweat' in that container XD XD

It's obvious how much of the menu we've had already (and we've only been there twice), but we're really just brushing the surface here. There are so much MORE drinks, pastries and dishes I haven't had yet, and I'm seriously planning on going back again and again until I've tried them all.