photos: san churros

review: guylian

Michelle and I also visited the Guylian Cafe in search of sustenance.  Actually we went because she hadn't been and needed to know if it was better than Max Brenner or not.  I could have told her that it wasn't, but I'm very much of the opinion that everyone has to try chocolate shops and determine for themselves which chocolate is the best, because then you won't feel bad about supporting Max Brenner and San Churros more than, say, your Compassion sponsor child.  (Okay, you'll still feel bad, but potentially not as bad.)

Anyway, you want to be sure you've sampled them all, and then pick your favorites and stick to them, safe in the knowledge you're consistently having the greatest.  So we tried Guylian for Michelle's sake.  (I, as I have pointed out before, am a very kind and generous friend.  Look at the sacrifices I make!)

We had the exorbitantly priced hot chocolates ($7.10, and it was pretty much the cheapest thing on the menu), which thankfully did come with an adorable little chocolate seahorse (I am partial to adorable chocolate seahorses).  That was the highlight, though, unless you count that you can actually have two full cups of hot chocolate (!!) from one exorbitantly priced serving.  (The least they could do, really.)

Unfortunately, the chocolate is not nearly as good as it could be, if by "could be" you mean as good as Max Brenner's Italian thick milk hot chocolate.  It is too rich (I -- I -- even asked for a little pitcher of milk to add to mine to stret--er, tame it down).

On the plus side, they do also give you a little Guylian takeaway chocolate for when you're finished, but it just isn't enough.  Bottom line?  Overpriced nonsense that isn't up to snuff.  Might look snazzy, but not worth the cost.  Oh -- unless you're talking about the one in the Rocks, where I did have a really amazing ice cream concoction once.  Potentially their other dishes are worth going in for -- really quite likely, now that I stop to think -- but much better, girls, if you can get a guy to take you there and flash a little cash.  I daresay you'll survive.

public service announcement: azteca hot and cold chocolate!

Guess what!!  I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for this announcement, and here it is:  at San Churros, you can order a hot and cold hot chocolate with Azteca hot chocolate (chili chocolate) instead of Spanish hot chocolate if you want to.

Now, if you haven't had either, I don't recommend deviating from the normal recommendation of Spanish right off the bat, but if you've been there awhile and wanting to branch out a bit, well, hey!  Why not try the Azteca hot and cold as well?  It disappears a bit faster, but is absolutely amazing.

And, while we're at it -- the Glebe Point Road San Churros has a very lovely new wooden table you really ought to visit.

And finally -- don't forget to take your customer loyalty card with you!  Or, better yet, take mine!  :)

public service announcement: san churros in miranda!

There is!  For those unaware, Miranda is quite south, on the way to Cronulla.  North Shore types will want to frequent the Chatswood branch, just at the cinemas, while Eastern suburb sorts can stop in at Bondi beach.  City dwellers (or workers) can pop into the Glebe Point Road shop pretty easily.  Those are all the branches I know of, but do let me know if you find more!

(Thanks, post courtesy Matt.)

quicko: san churros

... is just amazing.  Unless you eat too much of it ...

Speaking of which ... might I particularly recommend the churros for two (with milk chocolate and caramel ... or possibly white chocolate), the hot and cold hot chocolate (pictured above -- it's hot chocolate with ice cream, what could be better?), the chocolate covered strawberries and the Azteca hot chocolate.  The banana lambada, I'm told, is amazing as well, but that is highly contingent upon you actually liking bananas.  Guess who doesn't.  Ah, well.  Guess I'll just have to knock myself out with the mint version.  Worse things have happened.