Chiswick's good, bad and a bit stingy hot chocolate offerings

My daughters' passion for hot chocolate began one Sunday morning when they decided that rather than complain about their brother 'needing' the car for rugby leaving them with nohting but their two feet to get to hockey, they would turn it around in their favour.

Although they'd pretend that it was a great phaff, they would delight in choosing where to go after hockey training to relax over a hot chocolate and plan the rest of the day.

Their first great favourite was The Old Ship. We'd make our way along the towpath from the Hartington Road pitches and soak up the sunshine - or shelter from the rain - with the other Sunday early birds.

However, when manageress Nicole left for down under, they found that the standards of hot chocolate went in the same direction which left them with the dilemma of having to find another local.

Their search began at Kitchen and Pantry on the High Road. £2.50 bought a tall mug full of hot chocolate with lashing of cream topped with cocoa powder but marked absence of marshmallows. Deemed very decent but a little too rich.

Next came Elliot Road's Cafe Nero. Cheaper at £2.00, served in a cup and saucer although bit hit and miss on the cream rations "It really depends on who's making it," decided Phoebe. Otherwise very good.

At High Road House they were presented with a tall mug full of hot milk with a little jug of melted chocolate on the side all for £2.50. Very rich they decided but loved mixing the chocolate and milk and the obligatory sweeping of fingers around the little jug to ensure every tiny bit of chocolate was out!

They gave Maison Blanc a go but weren't too impressed with the 'stingy' bit of cream a top their £2.75 hot chocolate. It was good they decided, but not the best.

The favourite by some way was Theobroma Cacao. Although pricey at £3.80 a cup, they loved that they could choose a chocolate from the vast array on offer to enjoy with it. From a list of 13 different flavours, including chili chocolate, they declared their favourite to be vanilla hot chocolate accompanied by a little chocolate hippo (Phoebe) and an English peppermint fondant (Issy).

A close second came Chiswick institution Fouberts, an ice cream heaven in the summer and a hot chocolate haven in the colder months. £2.00 bought a tall glass with frothy milk on top although no cream or marshmallows. "Cream should always be an option," declared Issy.

A full list of local cafes can be found in the ChiswickW4.com Directory.

If you would like our reviewers to try hot chocolate at your favourite cafe please email editor@chiswickw4.com.

Emma Brophy

December 15, 2009