Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe, The Rocks, Sydney

Red delight $13.50 ($9.00 takeaway)
Belgian chocolate buche filled with raspberry fruit cream

First the Lindt Cafe. Now it's Guylian's turn to open its own chocolate cafe. Are these chocolate giants attempting to diversify, or are these cafes being leveraged as a branding tool, especially for the public's gift-shopping loyalty?

With Chocolatesuze making the trek into town for the Vibe Entertains cookbook launch, we met up a little earlier to partake in some chocolating beforehand.

The Rocks branch is the second Guylian cafe to open, joining its nearby sister cafe at East Circular Quay. Much of the furnishings are very similar between the two, with a giant cascading glass bubble feature overhead, distinctive gold light fittings hanging from a timber ceiling and huge chocolate seashell fixtures on the wall.

The glass cabinets at the front are groaning with a gluttonous selection of cakes, slices, pastries and chocolates. We do a quick check that photos are ok, given that both our cameras are quite large and the cafe is quiet. "Sure! go ahead", says our waitress, much to our glee.

Dark choc raspberry cheesecake $38.00

Enjoy in $13.50 ($9.00 takeaway)
Hazelnut diacquoise and raspberry cream with Guylian 70% chocolate bavarois

Guylian choc raspberry financier $3.50 takeaway

Guylian chocolate twists and wraps 70c each

Beethoven cappuccino cream chocolates

Dark chocolate raspberry cheesecake $13.50 ($9.00 takeaway)
Slow-baked Guylian Aztec 65% chocolate with raspberry cream cheese

Milk chocolate hazelnut torte $13.50 ($9.00 takeaway)
Devil's food cake with Guylian milk choc and hazelnut praline ganache

Guylian tiramisu $14.50 ($9.00 takeaway)
Sponge ladyfinger, espresso syrup and mascarpone sabayon

After much discussion and deliberation, we finally agree to share the chocolate degustation plate, even though Suze really really really wants to try the Ice cream taste pallet. "A pallet!" she says with eyes widened. "Maybe it'll come on a paddle like they do with beers!"

As we wait for our dessert plate, Suze passes me a plastic bag. "Happy birthday! It's a little late and only small," she apologises. Small? It's the coolest thing I've ever seen!

Birthday pressies

It's a tiny bowl of mung bean soup. Kawaii!

And the breadou? It's a bun but you can't eat it, cos it's made of spongy rubber! The paper on the bottom suggests it be used a mouse wrist pad or stress reliever. It even smells like a sweet bun. So very cool. Thanks Suze :)

Guylian dark and milk hot chocolates $7.00 each
(or included with the chocolate degustation plate)

Our hot chocolates arrive soon after, a square of chocolate resting in the bottom of the cup, metal jugs of frothed chocolate milk alongside them.

Our sugar bowl contains an extra chocolate each. If only all sugar bowls arrived like this.

We each take turns pouring so we both get the all-important money shot.

Guylian dark hot chocolate

Whilst it looks promising, I find my dark hot chocolate not very cocoa-y but painfully sweet. The square of chocolate is a cute gimmick, but it doesn't really melt into the milk very well, creating thick strands of molten chocolate that really need to be eaten with a spoon.

Chocolate degustation plate $30.00
Selection of cakes, desserts, chocolates and ice cream with hot chocolate

Our chocolate degustation plate arrives on the table but no explanation is given as to its contents. We take photos and finally manage to flag down a staff member five minutes later in order to get some details on what we're eating. One cup contains a chocolate mousse, the other has a praline ice cream. The cakes include the red delight, a macadamia brownie and the baked chocolate cake. The three chocolates are variations on hazelnut and toffee.

Praline ice cream

There's plenty of dessert on our platter but I find there's not much of a 'journey' in flavours or textures which is a little disappointing. Bizarrely, we both think the macadamia brownie and chocolate mousse have a super sweet honey-like flavour. My favourite is definitely the red delight with its thin crisp shell, soft foamy chocolate mousse and contrasting raspberry centre. The chocolates are also lovely, although the toffee one is again a tad too sweet.

Red delight
Belgian chocolate buche filled with raspberry fruit cream

It's great to have a cafe devoted entirely to desserts though. More chocolate? Bring it on!

Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe at the Rocks
91 George Street, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 8274 7500
Open 7 days from 8am til late

Guylian Belgian Chocolate Cafe is also open at East Circular Quay
Shop 10, Opera Quays
3 Macquarie Street Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 8274 7900
Open 7 days from 8am til late

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