7:55 November 29, 2008 | All news from "Food - Recipes"

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, Bondi Junction

So even though we'd just eaten half our body weight in ribs at Kelly's next door, it would have been impossible to head home without a pit stop at Max Brenner for dessert.

Feeling a little bloated, we did somewhat virtuously agree to "go for a little walk" before dessert. In reality this meant a short stroll down to a dead end, use of a lift to descend a few floors, then a slow meander around the Christmas decorations and a Santa sleigh before we headed back, only a few calories lighter but ready to pack in a few hundred more.

Peppermint tea infusion $3.50

The Max Brenner Chocolate Bar at Bondi Junction must surely be one of their largest in Sydney. There's plenty of seating both inside and out. In the back left corner is the chocolate gift shop in one corner, straight ahead is the service counter, groaning with glass domed platters filled with goodies and enormously tall jars filled with brightly coloured sweets.

Chocolate fondue for two $16.50
Pure melted milk and dark chocolate served with seasonal fruits,
marshmallows and banana bread

We order a selection of drinks and share the chocolate fondue for two. There are five adults and one toddler. Yes, we're still rather full from those ribs. The two-year old, however, claps eyes on the strawberries and grabs a skewer immediately.

The chocolate pots are a clever tiered construction of tea light, water bath and chocolate pod. It's somewhat dangerously hot for a toddler, but he soon cottons onto the concept of blowing on his dipped strawberry before attempting to eat it.

A bigger fan of dark chocolate, I find this one still very sweet and not really bitter enough for my preference. The milk chocolate is also very sweet. This means that whilst we polish off the bananas and strawberries with no problem, the marshmallows and banana bread are too much of a sugar overdose. The painful sweetness does remind me of my tooth-hurting chocolate pizza I'd had at their Paddington branch.

Peanut butter iced chockie $7.00

I've ordered the peanut butter iced chockie, lured by that all-American favourite of chocolate and peanut butter. It arrives in Max Brenner's Alice "drink me" cup, specially designed "to enhance the fantasy aspect of the chocolate drinking ceremony". Large orange letters implore you to "drink me", the top of the ceramic cup folded down into a tab, a hole already drilled to accommodate your special black plastic straw.

The first few mouthfuls are amazing, thick with the richness of peanut butter and ice cream. Halfway down the cup, the build-up of sugar starts to kick-in and induce some heady queasiness. Perhaps I'm getting old and losing my sweet tooth. Perhaps it's just the ribs that are talking!

Banana milk chocolate frappe $7.00

M has the dark chocolate mocha frappe ($7.00), a little disappointed by the absence of milk, more a short black with chocolate and blended ice. J has the banana milk chocolate frappe. T and S have pots of tea, arriving in funky clear plastic pots with Vienna coffee style glasses. There's no visible pouring spout on the pot, and a few spillages later, we have to call a waiter over to explain how to use it. With no word he simply takes the pot and places it directly on top of the glass, releasing a valve at the bottom of the pot. We'd never such a contraption, but perhaps we don't get out enough! Some unprompted explanation would be useful for new customers though?

Earl Grey tea infusion $3.50

Deliberately marketed and engineered as an emotive sensory experience, the Max Brenner website openly purports its desire to "create a new chocolate culture worldwide". As I sit at our table, I cannot help but notice the enormous quote in bold letters at the entrance, "I invite you to watch, smell, taste and feel my love story", signed by Max Brenner.

Call me a cynic, but I think I prefer my love stories with a less little syrup and a touch more grit.

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar - Bondi Junction
Bondi Junction Westfield Shopping Centre
Shop 6007, Level 6
500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9389 0088

Monday to Thursday 9.30am - 11.00pm
Friday 9.30am - midnight
Saturday 9.00am - midnight
Sunday 9.00am - 11.00pm

Max Brenner outlets are also open at Double Bay, Manly, Paddington, Parramatta, St Ives and Sydney CBD David Jones Elizabeth Street.

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Max Brenner, Paddington
Lindt Cafe, Darling Harbour
Lindt Cafe, Martin Place

Kelly's Bar and Grill, Bondi Junction