Dark and dingy laneways are usually a pretty strong signal to stay away. But take a second look, especially if you are in Melbourne. Some of the best nightclubs, jazz bars, even restaurants I have been to are hidden at the end of so called dingy laneways (places you would like too, nothing scary I assure you!). And I found a new gem at the end of a new dark lane, and this one doesn’t sell alcohol or play loud music but they are open just as late.
So turn at the laneway with the graffiti piece that has two girls wearing green and purple dresses looking freezing (gorgeous piece but doesn’t exactly help make the laneway seem more inviting.). At the end there is a little dessert café which, to be honest, also doesn’t look that inviting from the outside. But go inside and take a look at their menu of what they call, ‘creations’. Reese’s peanut butter cups in dulce de leche gelato topped with caramel popcorn and peanut butter sauce. They have an icecream flavor which is a mixture of birthday cake and cookie dough. Apparently the public can suggest new flavours. The combinations seem to be as random as you get, but, based on the yums and wows around me, I’m guessing they work.
They have a couple of hot chocolates that come with marshmallows. But if you are going to come here it needs to be for the Mist in the Woods. Sure it is $16…is it worth $16, no it isn’t technically but you can get close to that out of the experience that Mist in the Woods offers and for that reason I would definitely try it once. Once you order, you receive a little piece of paper with instructions on, basically, how to get your $16 worth. Step 1. Prepare your camera. Step 2 Prepare your camera-lovin face. Step 3 We deliver your carefully crafted hot choc set and assume you’ve read this card…..
The young woman working that evening delivers my creation and fills a small container filled with rose scented water with liquid nitrogen causing it to become vapour that spilled out across the table. She then covers it with the hot chocolate glass which fills up with the white mist. Then a small bowl filled with matches is lit creating a nice little, contained, fire. This is where I get to roast two amazingly good house made marshmallows (really really good). The hot chocolate, made from 51% Belgian couverture chocolate, has a bit of a spice in it, paprika, maybe nutmeg (it is a secret), but very slight and was light and bright, not as dark as I expected from being in the Woods as the name of the hot chocolate suggests. I really enjoyed it. There was then a scoop of caramel ice cream and some frozen bits of raspberry to top it all off.
Dex2rose itself is a bit like mist in the woods. It is all a bit mysterious. They have little information on their website so I don’t know anything about their story. Why these crazy flavours? Who comes up with them? How did they come up with Mist in the Woods? Can I suggest a follow up to Mist in the Woods? How much fun we could have…
Verdict: Great date night out/conversation piece. There are so many good hot chocolate in Melbourne CBD, really one for every mood. This one will make your forget all your troubles, make you happy and fill you up. Definitely try once. Dex2rose, 377 Little Bourke St, Melbourne, Australia
