MarieBelle (Cacao Bar / Tea Salon) - October 22, 2010

Leftt: Spicy; Right: Dark

I remember the first time I had their European-style "hot chocolate," which should have changed its name to "liquid chocolate" for that was what it was - a melted and molten sensation. Lovely. Do not underestimate the power contained in a little demitasse cup:  There is enough stimulant to rouse a hibernating bear. However, what has happened to their liquid bomb?

Spicy
Although the chocolate was tepid - a sin in itself, by the way, it did not congeal as it previously did into a thick layer of ganache-like consistency.  Looking at the menu, I noticed that the choice between American (with milk) and European (with a few drops of water) was gone.  Does the lack of choice mean that now MarieBelle would just serve intermediate version of runny hot chocolate by increasing water and decreasing chocolate? Remember the formula:  100 satisfaction = 1 quantity x 100 substance/flavor/essence or 100 quantities x 1 substance/flavor/essence.  Has MarieBelle succumbed to the latter so that now two cups of spicy will make up for the satisfaction used to be able to begotten in one?  I hope not. As the cacao bar was created to reminisce the good old days, I sat in the gloom to mourn the loss of my beloved spicy chocolate.  Such beautiful dark velvet...gone and gone.

Dark 
This retained some of the old consistency:  The surface did congeal, albeit still slightly watery.  Fine, but I want my spicy back.

MarieBelle
Address:  484 Broome St., New York, NY 10013
Phone:  (212) 925-6999