Price's Bakery & Coffee

Just next to Eurolls in the Southern Cross Arcade is Price's Bakery & Coffee. This stall provides a good range of pies, pasties and buns to take away or eat in the food hall.

The hot chocolate cost $2.80 and came in fancy looking mug. The drink was topped with a bubbly froth and sprinkle of chocolate powder. This was a little more chocolaty than the one at Eurolls and not very expensive, but still not a great hot chocolate.

Eurolls

Eurolls is located in the Southern Cross Arcade of King William Street near Cafe One. It provides a range of inexpensive sandwiches and rolls. Food is available for take away or for eating in the food hall.

The hot chocolate only cost $2.60 for cup and and $3.00 for mug. Merkel was served a mug topped with a heap of white froth and sprinkle of chocolate powder. The drink was weak and watery but certainly not the worst he has tasted.

Delish Mint

Mint hot chocolates are somewhat challenging to get right. They can too easily turn out tasting like chalk or toothpaste. The Mint Hot Chocolate at Delish Espresso at 195 Victoria Square was recommended to me. Around the same time one of my readers criticised the Mint Hot Chocolate at Ink Café a few doors South of Delish.

The hot chocolate came in a glass with a dark froth and a dollop of white froth covered with a semi-circle of chocolate powder. The hot chocolate was on the Delish blackboard as "Mint Slice" which possibly infringes the Arnott's trading name for their biscuit of that name. However the drink was reminiscent of this biscuit exhibiting a good balance between the mint and chocolate flavours. The taste of Delish hot chocolate was better than Ink Café, although at $4.60 it was a more expensive drink for a smaller glass.

Just Tickled Pink

Just Tickled Pink is a specialist cupcake shop opposite Patisserie Jin on 247 Unley Road, Hyde Park. As you enter the store you are stuck by the many portraits of Audrey Hepburn and in particular photographs of her role in Breakfast at Tiffanys. This is reminiscent of the Marilyn Monroe adoration displayed in A Café Etc.  The effect in Just Tickled Pink is shop devoted glamour, femininity and good cupcakes.

Your reviewer chose the special Lindt Hot Chocolate that was on the menu. It came in a stemmed glass with handle. It was topped with a white froth and a syrup design. Two chocolate flowers were delicately balanced on the edge of the glass. These sunk below the surface as they were being photographed. There were a number of pink and white mini-marshmallows served in the saucer and there were syrup designs visible through the glass. This was the most elaborate of presentations. Fortunately the taste of the Lindt hot chocolate lived up to this presentation. It had a rich distinctive Lindt Swiss milk chocolate flavour and cost $6.50.

Puccini's

309 Fullarton Road used to be the location of Savior and Camellia Tea Rooms. Now the place has had a sophisticated makeover and is a fine table service restaurant called Puccini's. This restaurant has been open about six weeks and got its liquor license last week. Despite focussing on the lunch and dinner market it was open on Saturday morning when Merkel and Myrtle enjoyed a hearty breakfast.

The hot chocolate came in a tall glass that was too hot to touch with a dark brown froth. It contained a deliciously rich, distinctive tasting Haighs hot chocolate. The hot chocolate cost $5.00.

Chocolate Bean Caramel

It was time for another hot chocolate at the Chocolate Bean. This time it was the Caramel Hot Chocolate. It came in its usual generous mug with a bubbly froth and a small dollop of whipped cream in the middle. There was some trepidation as I tried the Caramel as this can a fairly sweet flavouring but it worked well with hot chocolate giving it a chocolate bar flavour. The cost of the medium mug at Chocolate Bean is $4.80.

Adelaide Coffee Bar

Merkel returned to the Adelaide Coffee Bar for lunch. This is long surviving specialty coffee shop.

The main attraction for keen hot chocolate drinkers is the the Italian Hot Chocolate. As the chocolate mixer was hidden away Merkel tried their standard hot chocolate. This was was served in a white ceramic cup and saucer with a white froth and semicircle of chocolate powder on top. The chocolate flavour was good with out being outsanding. The standard hot chocolate was $3.40.

Merkel returned a couple of days later for the Italian hot chocolate which was $4.50. This was great drink. It was unmistakably Italian hot chocolate although not as thick as some. It was served in a ceramic cup and topped with whipped cream and sprinkle of cocoa.