83 on Currie

83 on Currie must be one of the most reasonably priced full menu café's in town. 83 on Currie used to be called Dowie's Brasserie situated in Dowie House, 83 Currie Street. The Café has a good lunch menu and extensive seating inside with a couple of tables outside. Merkel can recommend the salt and pepper squid and the chicken salads. Patrons can order a hot chocolate at $2.70 for a cup or $3.00 for a mug. You have to go to Roco Pasta ($2.40) or Do Duck Inn ($2.70) to equal this value.

Something other than the cheap hot chocolate on the menu caught Merkel's eye. Hot Jaffa was available at $3.20 for a cup and $3.50 for a mug. The mixture of orange flavour with a rich hot chocolate has always appealed to Merkel. The hot Jaffa came in a glass with a handle and was topped with a froth and a sprinkle of chocolate. The orange flavour was not too sweet but the chocolate flavour was not strong enough to balance it out. The prize for the best orange hot chocolate, remains with Square Café.

Merkel returned to try the Iced Chocolate at 83 on Currie. This cost only $3.70 and came in a tallish glass. It was topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream and a sprinkle of cocoa. The drink was very light in colour and was not particularly chocolaty.

Muffin Break, Golden Grove

After visiting the Michel's Patisserie at Golden Grove Village last week Merkel returned to try another hot chocolate. He noticed that were a couple of extra places serving hot chocolate that he did not notice before. They were Donut King and Unruly Tabooli. Unruly Tabooli was closed on the Sunday he was there. Merkel chose to try an Iced Chocolate at the Muffin Break.

The hot chocolate was $4.60 for a large cup and the iced chocolate was $4.90. The iced chocolate came in tall white ceramic beaker. Other iced chocolates have usually been served in a tall glass which allows the drinker to admire the artistry of the construction of the drink. The drink was topped with ice cream, whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. It was chocolaty and not too sweet although a lot of the flavour seemed to come from the chocolate syrup.

Dactylic Tetrameter

The key to the dactylic meters is that the emphasis is on the first syllable of the three syllable dactyl. The dactyl in the tetrameter can be abbreviated to one or two syllables to help the rhyme.

It seemed to be sensible to start the rhyme with "Love is Like Choc'late" and I found two anonymous quotes on the subject to help me along:
“Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.” Thinkexist
"Forget love-- I'd rather fall in chocolate!" Chef2Chef

Love is like choc'late before it goes cool-ish
Shocking to start and then you feel foolish
Dark and uncanny but light like you're dancing
Never secure you are all the time chancing

Food of the gods is favoured by Merkel
Luncheon liaisons and choc'late with Myrtle
Falling in love has you deeply immersed
Falling in choc'late less deeply you're cursed

Dressed in a cup or a glass or a beaker
The feeling for promise resistance is weaker
Sweet aphrodisiac love is enhancing
Sip on our choc-o-late with our romancing

Creco Crepe Connection

Creco is a stall in the middle of the Mitcham Square Shopping centre about midway between Dolci and Mooi, reviewed earlier. They specialise in crepes and desserts but also do coffees and hot chocolate.

The hot chocolate is $3.60 and comes in a tall glass with a glass handle. A pink and white marshmallow is provided. A creamy brown froth topped off the drink with a sprinkle of cocoa. The drink looked great. Unfortunately it was served too hot and the creaminess of the froth did not continue into the drink itself.

Eidos Café

The Eidos Café and restaurant is at the entrance to the Highgate Mall at 453 Fullarton Road only a few doors down from the Highgate Snack Bar. It sells organic teas and coffees and provides sandwiches, simple meals and some Greek specialties. It has plenty of seating inside.

The hot chocolate cost only $2.90 and came in a glass mug and white marshmallow. The drink had the normal froth and sprinkle of chocolate. The hot chocolate was creamy and had a good flavour.

Anapestic Tetrameter

If Merkel is ever to write verse as well as "Cat in the Hat" by Dr. Seuss he has to master the Anapestic Tetrameter.

When you drink a hot drink
Once it steams in the pan
You must think where it goes
In a cup or a can

In a cup or a mug
With a handle to hold
Will be best for the drink
To avoid turning cold

But a glass has a problem
A beaker might too
If no handle is there
And no gloves are on you

For to hold a hot bev'rage
With sensitive hand
Is so hard with no handle
So just let it stand

To avoid the chances
Of fingertip burn
Paper napkins can help
With a twist and a turn

Now remember this lesson
In how to serve drink
It is not always easy
Like you may all think

The Dessert Spot

Merkel returned to Topham Mall to dine at a little Café at the Currie Street entrance to the Mall. From the window it looked like the place was called "The Spot Dessert Bar" but the telephone book has it listed as "The Dessert Spot". Both names are a little misleading as while it has a few cakes and desserts it provides plenty of café food as well with some Korean influnces. Merkel had a Korean beef lepinja for lunch.

The hot chocolate was three dollars and came in a glass with a wire handle and saucer. It was darker in colour and flavour than some of the more recent hot chocolates Merkel has sampled and tasted pleasant. It was topped with the usual froth and sprinkle of chocolate powder.