Holiday Hot Chocolate

This one just ticks all the right boxes for me. It was number 1 on my indulgences. What makes it even more special was ,that, I had no idea what I was getting and the way it was going to be packaged !!!

Picture this ,it was a cold Sunday morning in Bangalore. It could not have been more ideal for a lazy brunch at The Monkey Bar ! Woke up late ,lounged about with friends ,had a leisurely bath. With nothing but coffee to line the tummy ,my spouse and I took much delight in hearing the rumbles that signified an emptiness …which we were eager to fill up around noon ! He knew what he wanted to eat,his favourite egg paratha with a side of kheema… I ,on the other hand was going to scan the menu and decide !

The man in charge ,Karthik ,is an extremely cheerful chap who is more than happy to help you have the best possible dining experience at The monkey bar. They also showed us a temporary anglo indian food menu ,that is being showcased at the moment. Along with yummy brown bread and butter pudding ,cheese soufle and other things , I spotted one of my all time favourites-  HOT CHOCOLATE !!!!!

I needed no further prodding than Karthik’s beaming smile and agreed to his offer of lacing it with a dash of rum. However ,not being one to overdose on the hard spirits , I asked him to bring it down from the 30ml he offered, to a mere, medicinal dose of 10 ml.

In the conversation that flowed ,the hot chocolate was soon forgotten. The food arrived and all we starving diners tucked in ravenously,savouring every bite. I had the delicious eggs benedict with a velvety hollandaise sauce and my older off spring had the marvelously satisfying breakfast slider. There we were happily chomping away ,stopping now and then to smile at each other and our choice of grub !

Then…. lo and behold…there arrived a vision…direct express air frieght from the North Pole…looking like it was lovingly made by Mrs. Claus herself ! Truly ,the warmth seeped in to my being, even before I gripped the glass. Before me ,was the most beautiful seasonal offering of hot chocolate I had ever seen ! I could not take my eyes off it …and my smile of pure delight spread contagiously throughout the table. All neatly bound in a lovely red and green Santa scarf with a dollop of cream like a fresh scoop of snow,this hot chocolatey creation was all mine…the red straw with the white polka dots completed the look to perfection ! Of course , I did share a tiny smidgen but the rest was all for me.

It was without a doubt ,absolutely lip smacking. Pure liquid dark chocolate mixed into frothy milk with an underlying hint of sharp rum that at once warmed the bones….it comforted ,satisfied and satiated all the senses, at every level, together. I think this devilishly naughty drink is up for grabs only for a limited time . So for those of you in the garden city or visiting Bengaluru,go grab yourself one NOW ! It’s soooo worth your time !