Aussies Bring Sweet Sweets to Beijing

Good news for cacao and coffee bean lovers: Black Koko has finally filled the gap for a specialty store specializing in both these types of divine essence. Australian-Chinese owner Kelvin Meng considers chocolate and coffee as his greatest passions, and after a global search for the perfect chocolates and espresso beans, he’s created a sleek space consisting of display counters and cupboards, all in black, featuring a wise selection of self-branded chocolates and handcrafted coffees.

Try the chocolate soufflé (RMB 35). That’s what Black Koko calls it, but it’s more like a chocolate lava cake, and probably one of the most indulging chocolate lava cakes I’ve ever tasted in town. It’s big on size and elegant in flavor, and you’ll swoon for the amazing smoothness and depth in the molten chocolate ganache.

Other signatures include a series of affogato (RMB 48-75) and hot chocolate (RMB 32-45). Ranging from 33.3% to 57% to 70.4% in levels of solid cacao, you can also buy them to take home – packaged chocolate chunks (RMB 32) fixed on the top of a spoon made from the wood of a cacao tree – just stir it into a cup of hot milk, and enjoy the fun of doing it yourself.

Service is superb. The wait staff respond rapidly and smartly, with free-flow lemon water and mint water poured and served as soon as the customer sits down. Drop a name card in their lottery box, and the staff may even remember your name on your next visit.

The next sugary news from a Beijing-based Aussie is a new bakery called Sweet Tooth. Meilian Tan, an Australian with a strong passion for all things sweet, is the brains behind it. This home bakery has started to do deliveries with made-to-order specialty desserts such as pavlova (RMB 230/8-inch), Tim Tam Cheese cake (RMB 280/7-inch) and Lamingtons (RMB 70 for 6). Quality local and imported ingredients are used to produce a range of cakes, cupcakes, muffins, cookies and bars. I haven’t tried anything so far, but one of my colleagues at beijing kids couldn’t help texting me with big compliments like ”They're amazing!!!” and “Everything Meilian makes is uber-delicious.” So stay tuned for a review.

If you can’t wait, check their website for details and news on their latest desserts. An RMB 15 delivery fee applies for deliveries within the 4th Ring Road, including Wudaokou. Additional surcharges apply to addresses outside these areas.

Sweet Tooth

Chaoyang District (150 1121 7173, order@sweettoothbeijing.com, contact@sweettoothbeijing.com) http://sweettoothbeijing.com/

Black Koko

Daily 10am-10pm. Stall 167, 1/F U-Town Shopping Center, 2 Sanfeng Beili, Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
(5909 6620)
朝阳区朝阳门外大街三丰北里2号悠唐生活广场1楼167号