After doing my shopping at Borough Market, the most beautiful market for all things food related in London, I stopped at Rabot Estate for a hot chocolate. Rabot Estate is owned by the owners of Hotel Chocolate, a chain of chocolate stores found around the city. The Rabot estate itself is found on the island of Saint Lucia where they have a programme that links 80 independent cacao growers.
I like the feel of the place. It has a raw feel to it, lots of browns and blacks and dunlap bags with the name of the place printed on them in black ink. Half the space is a chocolate store with a wide range of options for all tastes. The other half is the café that serves a range of drinks including a few different options for hot chocolate; classic, cinnamon and chilli.
The service was shockingly bad. I waited near the bar for a while the waitress served someone in the chocolate shop part…no problem. Then she came over and served the person who came after me…ok. Then she left again and served someone else who had just arrived in the chocolate shop area. Finally after 10 or so minutes she served me without any apologies or anything. If I hadn’t really wanted to try this one ……!
When my turn is finally up I order the hot chocolate with chilli. It comes to me in a small compostable cup (there was no where to compost it after in the store so nice thought but not so useful). I take a few sips in store and then take my little cup of hot chocolate for a walk along the Thames.
I loved this hot chocolate, loved it. It was a fascinating experience. The hot chocolate has an intriguing kick of chilli that lingers at the very back of my mouth. It’s addictive; I keep wanting to take sips, and I do! It isn’t too thin, or thick, not too sweet. They give you the perfect amount, by the time the hot chocolate has turned cold, its all done, and I’m happy.
Verdict: The hot chocolate with chilli is fantastic…and addictive. I highly recommend it Rabot Estate, 2-3 Stoney Street, Borough Market, London, UK £2.75
