Café Station, Catholic Diocesan Centre

The Catholic Diocesan Centre is at 39 Wakefield Street Adelaide. To get to Café Station you go up the Ramp. The Café is to the right as you go up into the centre. Some of the signage can be seen from the street. There is no seating inside the café but a number of tables are in a pleasant location outside the café, overlooking a garden in the carpark level below. Sandwiches and snacks are available from the Café.

The naming of this café and its connection to Catholicism is obscure. Perhaps one of the Stations of the Cross was a café where Jesus slipped in for quick cappuccino on his way to the crucifiction.

The hot chocolate was served in a white ceramic Vittoria cup; One of those with the logo on the inside drinker-facing position. It was finished with plenty of froth and a liberal sprinkling of chocolate powder. The flavour was a rich, creamy milk chocolate flavour and the cost was only three dollars.

Hudsons at the Airport

There is a Hudsons cafe near the International Arrivals area of Adelaide Airport. It is the only café in the area unless you want to go through the metal detection gates and look around the rest of the terminal. The café sells the normal Hudons sandwiches and provides coffees and hot chocolate. Unfortunately patrons have to put up with paper cups. Your reviewer has noted this before in airports. Perhaps there is a fear that someone could hijack an airplane using a ceramic cup.

The small hot chocolate costs $3.40 for and came in a paper cup. A marshmallow was offered but was extra. The drink was topped with a creamy froth and was reminiscent of the Belgian flavour of the other Hudsons reviewed here but the flavour was not strong enough and was disappointing compared with the other Hudsons venues.

The Treasury on King William

The Treasury bar and restaurant which shares the old treasury building with the Medina Grand Hotel. The Medina faces onto Flinders Street and the Treasury on King William is, of course on King William Street. Both the bar and restaurant allow patrons to sit in the court yard of the old treasury building which has a running fountain in a garden at its centre. The bar serves a short menu of fairly classy bar food.

The hot chocolate was about $4.50 and came in a white ceramic cup and saucer. It was topped with a white froth and a sprinkle of chocolate powder. The flavour was not sufficiently strong to distract your reviewer from the idyllic scenery.

Heavenly Bliss

The Bliss Organic Garden Café has been reviewed before in this blog. It does a variety of hot chocolates and is a regular venue for the Adelaide Fringe.

This time Merkel tried the "Heavenly Hot Chocolate" which was infused with peppermint and sweet lavender. It was served in glass with a wire handle and a saucer. The saucer was garnished with lavender petals. The drink was a welcome variation on the hot chocolate theme and provided a serene sweetness to the drink without being overpowering. This was a good hot chocolate and the knowledge that it was organic and fair trade makes it even better. The cost was $4.50.

Largs Bay Kiosk

The Largs Bay Kiosk is great summer location on the beach at Largs Bay over the road from the Largs Pier Hotel. There is plenty of seating insided and outside. The kiosk serves fish and chips and range of fast foods and employs a beeper system to summon patrons when there meal is ready. The meals come in paper bags and boxes but the hot beverages to eat in are served in proper cups or mugs.

Hot chocolate was server in a glass mug with a handle on a saucer. The saucer had an array of goodies including a cinnamon biscuit and two marshmallows. The drink was topped with white froth and liberal sprinkle of chocolate powder and had chocolate syrup on the inside walls of the glass. The drink was a little insipid and was served too hot but it was still a good effort for such a casual eating place. The cost was $3.80.

Artisan Café, Blackwood

Down a little alleyway near the roundabout at Blackwood is the Artisan Café at 252 Main Road. Merkel and Myrtle visited there on a Sunday afternoon. The Café does breakfast all day, a range of meals for lunch and Tapas on Friday and Saturday nights. There is seating inside the Café and outside in the alleyway.

The hot chocolate was $3.20 and came in a glass mug and saucer with a white froth and sprinkle of chocolate powder on top. In the saucer were provided a white and a pink marshmallow. The consistency was creamy and the milk chocolate flavour was quite acceptable.

Rain Modern Asian Bistro

Rain is one of four restaurants in a row at 125a The Parade, Norwood. There is plenty of seating inside and outside. Table service is fast and friendly and the décor is modern and uncluttered with a couple of artworks hanging on the walls. A huge range of Asian meals is available.

The hot chocolate was a light Swiss style and came in a glass topped with a white forth and a semicircle of chocolate powder on top. The drink cost five dollars which seemed fairly expensive for a fairly ordinary hot choclate.