If you haven’t had Colocal’s indulgent raspberry and chilli-infused hot chocolate yet, you don’t know what you are missing! The cacao artisans have opened the doors of this epicurean abode at Dhan Mill Compound in Chhattarpur, and we got an exclusive preview. By Priyanka Chakrabarti
Italian Poet Francesco Petrarca had once said – “A little bit of sweetness can drown out a whole lot of bitterness.” And this phrase seems like the aptest prose in today’s insecure times that we are living in. Taking a cue from this, I head to Colocal on a sunny Saturday afternoon to replenish my heart with a little dose of harmony.
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After a short 30-minute drive from Gurugram, I reach Dhan Mill – Delhi’s emerging art, fashion and food district. Colocal is tucked in a corner of a winding lane and is embellished with lush green foliage on all sides.
A step inside the café and I am dunked in a vintage, old-world-charm vibe. Think canary yellow and white coloured walls, classic wooden seating arrangements with hints of Victorian aesthetic, a larger-than-life powder-blue ceramic vase at the entrance with floating crimson, lilac and orange-hued Zinnias, and, of course, the smell of freshly-roasted cacao beans delicately lingering in the air. The ambience instantly set the right mood for a delightful afternoon meal.
A bean-to-bar concept, Colocal houses a chocolate factory on the first floor, while the ground floor nurtures a casual café dining setup. The brainchild of power-couple Sheetal Saxena and Nishant Kumar Sinha, this labour of love is a result of their passion for all things chocolate and coffee.
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Aditya, one of the restaurant staffs welcomes us into the chocolate-perfumed haven and takes us on a tour of the chocolate-making process.
The process starts right from sourcing locally-grown cacao beans and then finally transforming it into the finest, most skilfully blended chocolate available in all of NCR. I learn that Colocal handpicks cacao from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to craft the most premium quality chocolate offerings. From raw beans to the final product – the technique seems to have many thoughtfully laid out layers, but what stands out the most is the rich aroma of fresh chocolate; I am doused in this magical fragrant trail.
After the quick tour, I pick a table for two at the alfresco section. There’s nothing better than sitting under the warm sun on a cold winter afternoon. I am given a QR code to scan the menu, and the first thing I order is a warm cup of raspberry and chilli hot chocolate – it had 54% dark chocolate in it, some milk and the right amount of sweet and spicy notes; and the rich texture made this drink extra mellifluous.
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Along with this I nibbled on some avocado bruschetta – ciabatta bread slices drizzled with olive oil and topped with avocadoes, tomatoes, onions and a subtle trace of balsamic coating. Every bite exudes garden freshness and a potpourri of winter flavours.
Next, I find a plate full of loaded cheesy potato fries on my table. Crispy wrinkled fries laden in creamy cheese and sprinkled with hot paprika – this was a comfort starter for the soul!
I am told that Colocal takes pride in its sourdough pizza offerings; I quickly get myself a big serving of BBQ chicken pizza that came loaded with mozzarella cheese and a tangy BBQ sauce. It was top-notch!
We conclude our meal with a hearty slice of chocolate cake; layered with a crispy crust, every bite is a melt-in-the-mouth affair.
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Colocal’s menu has a hearty mix of Italian and Continental fare like handmade pasta, burgers, sandwiches and even indulgent main course options like hot pepper chicken with pumpkin puree and pickled veggies, chicken with mushroom sauce that comes with a side of grilled seasonal veggies, lasagne bolognese, pesto gnocchi and more. The dessert menu includes winners like chocolate soufflé, chocolate tart, cakes, chocolate babka, etc.
Apart from these, you can also buy different kinds of handmade chocolate bars from this place. Think infusion bars like caramel dark chocolate, sea salt chocolate or even different kinds of dark chocolate bars with varying percentages of chocolate mixes.
The avant-garde restaurant offers a delectable coffee menu too. And, they have a gamut of chocolate-infused baked goodies.
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Commenting on the launch, Sheetal Saxena, Co-Founder, COLOCAL, says, “The launch of COLOCAL is a dream come true for us. When we started working on this project, everyone said it requires a skill set and formal knowledge to be able to understand it. However, we broke this barrier and learned that all we need is sheer passion and dedication to succeed at anything. All our team members are from a village, adopted and trained by us, they were unschooled before about the nitty-gritty and details. They make the most amazing chocolate with all the love, care and precision. Brand COLOCAL is artisanal, sustainable, zero waste, passion-driven and approachable. Our objective is to educate people about chocolate and create a “bean to bar” market for them to explore the whole process and technique of making chocolates. Our ideal audience is inquisitive, experimental, chocolate lover, coffee lover and a foodie.”
Address: COLOCAL, Dhan Mill, 100 Feet Road, Chhattarpur, New Delhi
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