Best Chocolat Chaud - Paris

[hong_kong_foodie]

Hello:

Where can I find the best chocolat chaud in Paris? Here are some places I am looking at:

Angelina
Patisserie Viennoise
Patrick Roger
La Chocolaterie
Michel Chaudun
Christian Constant
Jean Paul Hevin
La Maison du Chocolat
Ritz - Bar Vendome
Cafe de Flore
Lenotre
Dalloyau

Thanks!

[Ptipois]

My three best:

Pâtisserie Viennoise
Café de Flore (with a jug of hot water on the side)
La Maison du Chocolat

I tend to avoid touristy, overdone hot chocolates like Angelina's which takes me 12 hours to digest. My idea of hot chocolate is drinking it, not eating it. For the same reason I think Jacques Génin's is extremely tasty but much too rich and thick.

[RandyB]

I have posted a recipe adapted from one of the Maison du Chocolat recipes. It is intense.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/753979

When I was at one of the boutiques a couple of days ago, they were giving out free cups while we waited to be served "because it was so cold out."

[Delucacheesemonger]

Just checked and regret to say the wondefrful older woman who ran Steiger-Constantine died @ 6 months ago.
The shop is now uninhabited, l will miss her as for my money her chocolate chaud was the best food thing in Paris.

[ChefJune]

Were you ever able towatch her while she prepared it? Was there anything unique she used that made it so special?

[Delucacheesemonger]

She melted a few chocolate bars, 72 or higher in a small saucepan, then added some already melted chocolate and poured it into a cup. Each cup from scratch. Thank God l had many years of it. l will sorely miss the madame.

[ChefJune]

Only chocolate, no dairy? or water? hmmm, might be worth playing with. ;)

[olivierb]

I don't understand how that would be possible... with 70% chocolate, it would be waaaay too sweet.
At home, I usually melt some Valrhona Guanaja (67%) pills in milk and if I want it to have the consistency I like, it's still a little bit too sweet for my taste.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Tasted like melted chocolate, noted no rice flour thickness as in Spanish tazo. She told me no milk ever touched it, perhaps melted chocolate, some was milk chocolate. Always described it as Angelina's on steroids. Regretfully never had it with Souphie, as his descriptive powers really trump mine.

[PBSF]

It is personal taste but 70% is in the 'bittersweet' catagory and I don't find it too sweet. What is interesting would be if it is actually just melted chocolate, be it bittersweet and milk; one would have to eat it with a spoon. I just can't imagine sipping it or it can even pour. I when I melt either types of chocolate by themselves for baking, it does not liquified and it would burn or sieze if I try to heat it too hot. It's a mystery. I think there is some sort of liquid in it; maybe a some water mixed with cocoa powder.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Agreed, but had texture of thin pudding, and was barely drinkable, more spoonable. This, with water, is the way Angelina does it, and again texturally, this was similar.

[jenniferhoiyin]

i know this is over a year later, but i found a pdf file that has a bit about madame constantin and her chocolat chaud method. http://www.parisnotes.com/restricted/...

[Delucacheesemonger]

Thanks so much for the memory, l appreciate it.
Stefan

[torontogourmet]

Although I haven't tried all of the places you've mentioned... Angelina's is something i dream about... It was fantastic and the ambiance is also spectacular so I highly recommend!

[Peech]

Yes, the chocolat chaud à l'ancienne is good at Angelina, and they also have the hot white chocolate although I found it too rich and sweet. One thing I never liked was the ambiance and service at Angelina, though...

[MyMelange]

I love the authentic French hot chocolate at a little place on the I'sle Saint-Louis called la Charlotte de l'isle. Delicious, thick and in such a small, cute setting in one of the loveliest spots in Paris. Make it a sugar overload and stop at Berthiliion on the way there or back! You can find some photos of the place, cups of the chocolate and a link to the website here http://bit.ly/4nya4

[rainbsprinkles]

Angelina's is pretty damn good. And try one of their Mont-Blanc! I'm not a fan of chestnuts, but even I adored it.

[ChefJune]

According to Delucacheesemonger, "none of the above!" I hope h e will show up to name the place he waxes poetic about, because I can't remember it for the life of me! and I haven't been there yet.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Place l wax poetic about is Constantin-Steiger on Rue ( not Blvd ) Capucines. However, someone told me about a month ago, it is closed or sold or something. Little old lady who ran it worked like a horse and must have been 80, hopefully my info is wrong. Please check for me and post your experience. Will be in Paris next month, so if no answer, will go and find out.

[hong_kong_foodie]

Thanks for the info. I will definitely try to check and let you know if Constantin-Steiger is still open.

[parislovernyc]

I believe I'm the one who reported that Constantine-Steiger was closed. We went in search of it in March and it was definitely closed--and I don't mean just for the day or for a holiday. Maybe it has reopened, but it didn't look likely to me.

[Michelle007]

I really like the hot chocolate served at Angelina's best.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Thanks for post, and probably bad news, this place made Angelina taste like Nestle's Quik, OK an exaggeration, but it was the bomb

[hong_kong_foodie]

Based on everyone's input, we're going to try the following places:

Angelina
La Maison du Chocolat
Christian Constant
Café de Flore
Michel Chaudun
Cote de France
La Chocolaterie by Jacques Genin

We can't seem to reach Patisserie Viennoise, Fontaine au Chocolat, or Patrick Roger, so I guess we'll have to try them another time.

Thanks again!

[PBSF]

Patisserie Viennoise is in the 6e, 8 r. de L'Ecole de Medecine
Patrick Roger is nearby on Blvd St. Germain, between Blvd St. Michel and rue Danton, also in the 6e (no hot chocolate but beautiful chocolates).
Keep in mind that Paris is hot in August as you are planning doing a lot of hot chocolate. Might want to try a chocolate frappe. I find Paris hot chocolate to be very rich and frequently served in a good size pitcher, therefore, might consider ordering one for two people to share, especially at Angelina. Avoid the pastries as much of it is overly sweet and dull.

[hong_kong_foodie]

Those are great points re: getting chocolate frappe instead of hot chocolate and sharing an order if the portions are big. Thanks!

Re: Viennoise, Fontaine, and Patrick Roger - I have been calling them for the past week and no one's picking up.

[PBSF]

I am surprised that if you called Patrick Roger during their business hours (around 10am-7pm), that nobody is answering. They have other branches in the center of Paris, on r. Renne and Faubourg St. Honore. As these outlets are in busy commercial areas, they are very convenient to just drop in when one is strolling these neighborhoods.

[shiraschnitzer]

Both Patick Roger's locations--in the 6th and the 16th--are currently closed, though I don't know for how long.

[PBSF]

Patrick Roger, Michel Chaudun, La Maison du Chocolate, and most Lenotre outlets are retail chocolate shops. I don't believe they serve hot chocolate. And those that do would be standup only. Sometimes it is not the best tasting that makes Paris so special. The setting can be just as seductive; if I want to dress up and be served on the finest china, the Ritz Bar Vendome would trump Patisserie Viennoise but also depends on a given day if I want to pay three times as much.

[f2dat06]

The Blvd Madeleine la Maison du Chocolat has a small salon that serves coffee, hot chocolate and other things they have in the store.

Christian Constant, 37 Rue d'Assas has a small salon too, but it is separate from the store.