THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Success is sweet for Benz

Success is sweet for Benz

The Chocolate Bar has minded the world's best cocoa for a wonderful array of beverages

EVIDENTLY NOT content to sell some of the world’s best cars, Mercedes Benz Thailand has come up with an entirely different kind of “propulsion system”, powered by sweetness, with its first Chocolate Bar. 
Newly opened at Siam Discovery, the pop-up cafe offers a wide range of tantalising drinks and desserts made with premium cocoa selected from around the globe. 
Benz’s Thai distributor is using its ready-made campaign pitch – giving customers “the best experience” – for the chocolate-lovers bistro that will be sharing retail space with leading fashion brands until the end of January. 
The decor is simple but eye-catching with a compact open kitchen and dining area, ideal for a quick recharge of tired batteries. Piriyarat Jirasinkitti, the chef-owner at the popular Amatissimo Caffe, is making the sweet treats for which customers can pair their favourite chocolate with extra toppings. 
“We wanted to get closer to our customers and expand our target market to include younger urbanites,” explains Mercedes Benz Thailand vice president Frank Steinacher. 
“Last year we had a pop-up Mercedes Benz Cafe at the Emporium that doubled as a fine-dining restaurant and auto showroom, but the feedback wasn’t good. People didn’t really get the concept – they thought it was reserved for Mercedes Benz customers. 
“So this year,” Steinacher says, “we’re presenting a new concept, a grab-and-go-style chocolate cafe that appeals to all ages, and it’s been a big hit. 
He says Siam Discovery is the perfect location for the cafe because its “exploratorium” theme pulls in youngsters. “And to make it a fully interactive experience, we’re going to hold cooking workshops this month.” 
On the shelves are more than 70 kinds of imported, leading-brand chocolate, including Ghirardelli and Taza from the US, Goldenkenn and Cocoa Barry from Switzerland, Dolfin and Godiva from Belgium and Valrhona from France. There are also more exotic names like Omnom and Menakao from Madagascar and Montezuma’s from the Dominican Republic. Other choices come from Brazil, Venezuela and South Africa. 
Terrific toppings for your chocolate cup, waffle or fondue are marshmallows, nuts, chocolate pearls, brownies, croissant chips, whipped cream, honeycomb, orange candy, jelly, mixed fruit and ice cream – 20 choices in all, priced from Bt20 to Bt50 apiece.
“Cocoa always has an interesting story behind it, similar to coffee beans,” says Piriyarat. “Thais know about single-origin coffee and I want to educate them about chocolate too. 
“There’s a wide variety of chocolate drinks and dishes that look classic and simple but are also playful. I have a choice of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate or Dulce de Lache from Valrhona for the hot and cold drink, but customers can also blend their own drinks from the chocolate on the shelves.”
Piriyarat recommends starting with the Chocolate Soda (Bt150), a delightful beverage infused with orange that really freshens up the mood. 
Hot Frozen Chocolate (Bt180) is an exciting sip, with liquid nitrogen creating a super-smooth texture that goes very well with toppings like a chewy brownie, marshmallows, whipped cream, crispy croissant chips and a fresh strawberry. 
With prices starting at Bt180, the drink called Thick is a rich and creamy quaff of pure, single-origin chocolate seasoned with sea salt and Mexican spices and topped with chilled whipped cream. 
The Mocha at the Chocolate Bar, with prices starting at Bt165, mingles an espresso shot with the customer’s choice of strong dark or white chocolate. 
For Bt145 and up, Infuese is hot, rich chocolate beverage that can be goosed along with orange, Earl Grey or chilli flavouring and topped with homemade marshmallows. 
White Choc Latte comes with a choice of dark, milk, white or Dulce de Lache chocolate and also arrived for marshmallows, the cost starting at Bt180.
For something crunchy, the classic American-style Waffle (Bt150) is filled with strawberry, whipped cream, nuts and sorbet. Also excellent is the rich chocolate Fondue (Bt250), filled with strawberry, banana, kiwi, marshmallows, brownies and cocoa nips.
  
 
 
GONE CRAZY FOR COCOA
>> The Chocolate Bar is on the ground floor of Siam Discovery. 
>> It’s open daily from 10 to 10. 
 
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