Lindt Chocolate Cafe

It was a case of self-induced chocolate overdose last Sunday.

The IMAX pre-movie advertisement was nasty. It started with these huge IMAX sized chocolate desserts floating on the screen, followed by a soothing voice telling us “this is a gentle reminder not to have too much popcorn.”

Seriously, since I started at the gym I’ve been watching my calories (shock horror!) but this ad totally broke any of my inhibitions and self-discipline. “We’re going to Lindt after the movie!”

There were too many choices it makes my head hurt, and too many temptations it makes my waistline tremble. Anything you can imagine about chocolate was there – an assortment of cakes, tortes, gateaux, slabs, biscuits, macaroons, ice cream, hot or iced chocolate drinks, as well as the Lindt chocolate flavours you never see in supermarkets. The moment you lay eyes on these happy creations you toss the hard work at the gym out the window… and you indulge.

My friend went for a chocolate cake made of 70% cocoa chocolate – it was fabulously dark and intensely chocolatey. I went for the indulgence for one – their chocolate degustation plate with a bit of everything (warm silky chocolate sauce, chocolate ice cream, chocolate truffle, chocolate and hazelnut praline slab, chocolate macaroon, and a small piece of St Moritz cake which is layers of white, milk and dark chocolate mousse). First bite into the ice cream – smooth (but sweet). Second bite into the ice cream with a bit of the chocolate sauce – smooth (but sweet). Then came the attack on all fronts – a bit of chocolate slab (yum), a bit of St Moritz (luscious), a bit of my iced dark chocolate drink (which I gulped lustily), and after just one bite of everything I declared myself incapacitated by cocoa and sugar overdose.

The iced chocolate drink was fantastic, it was rich but not thick, very chocolatey and surprisingly not too sweet. Or maybe it was in comparison with the St Moritz, which was divine but sugar loaded. Towards the end I could not really tell the flavours anymore – all my tastebuds were sugar-coated. I’d also felt a slight pressure on my temples and much to my friend’s amusement, I giggled and behaved like I was tipsy (“oh I’m on a chocolate and sugar high… oh no… oh no…”)

I still say this was well worth the trip – who can I blame but myself for not being able to handle the divine sweetness and rich cocoa? After this experience I still love chocolate, though when I should head back for another self-induced overdose, I shall shelf that thought till indefinitely…

Tip for your visit to the café – go with a small group, get yourself a table first, grab a menu and make your decision while you’re in the queue if the café is busy. The degustation plate for 1 is really enough for 2 or more – especially if you’re weak like me. Their coffee is more expensive than the average café coffee ($4.50) so I would recommend trying their specialty chocolate drinks instead. So what if you get a chocolate/sugar overload – you only live once!