Mörk Chocolate Brew House
It's a sensory explosion of smoke and spritz at Mörk's Chocolate Brew House.
Overview
In North Melbourne, a 1950s bakery is the new home of Mörk's newest venture — their very own chocolate brew house. Ladies and gentlemen wait anxiously with hands held behind backs, poised and eager to absorb the story behind each handcrafted treat. What you're going to do though, is back away from the cabinet (we repeat: back away from the cabinet) and find yourself a seat.
Mörk founders, Kiril Shaginov and Josefin Zernell, have converted the old bakery into a chocolate workshop and cafe. While chocolatier Josefin handcrafts their artisan chocolate powders and marshmallows out back, Kiril manages the storefront. On the bar, abandoned parts of a deconstructed coffee machine sit front and centre; as a store that doesn't serve coffee (and heck, why would they need to when they're fuelling our other addiction?), all they needed was the steaming wand and hot water dispenser.
It may feel a little naughty, but Mörk's minimalist interior really is too nice to leave you feeling guilty for too long. Designed by their friend Danielle Oehrman, they’ve managed to retain Josefin's Swedish background with a very Scandinavian fit out. The roller door may be all that remains of the bakery’s former garage, and in its reincarnation, the space boasts a communal table, several smaller ones, and walls lined with artisan chocolate powder.
Once seated, you're given a taste of vanilla bean-infused sparkling water to cleanse (and tease) the palate. This is just the beginning of a sensory overload. The menu is a selection of their handcrafted signature hot chocolates, some available only as dine-in specials. These specials are out of control and it's what you came here for.
First, we tried their Chocolate Soda ($7). This comes as a rotating single origin and is served by staff whose role is similar to that of an apothecary. A tall glass, half-full of soda water is spritzed with a citrus mix before a vial of liquid chocolate is poured over. The contents bubble and combine into a volcano of light and refreshing liquid. The Chocolate Bar ($8) is a heart-warmer and gives you the choice of pouring house-made caramel sauce over your hot chocolate, or simply grabbing a spoon and eating the components separately. Either way is a delight, so who are we to fudge?
We merely gazed, wantonly, upon crowd favourite, the Campfire Chocolate ($8), as another diner's glass was removed to release the smoking contents before she tipped and dipped the chocolate and skewered her marshmallow in.
And when you leave this chocolate wonderland, you can take part of the show home. Choose a house made vanilla or lemon myrtle marshmallow ($10) or, our cabinet pick, the chocolate brownie ball rolled in peanut brittle ($6). The only thing that could leave you feeling bitter is if you don't grab one of these babies for later.
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