The Chocolate Room is one of the most popular hangouts for Mangaloreans these days! Ever since it opened a few months back, I always wanted to visit, but never got a chance. The day finally came today as my friends and I went to TCR (short form of The Chocolate Room) for lunch. It is located on the Upper Ground Floor in Empire Mall. There is ample parking for two and four wheeler, so you do not need to run around in circles looking for a parking spot!
We reached around 1:30 PM and the place just had a few customers. As soon as we walked in, we were in awe with the ambiance. It was bright with just the right amount of lights to ensure it looked more like a cafe than a restaurant. Since it had been Republic Day yesterday, the whole cafe was decorated with Orange, Green and White Balloons.
There are a few small tables where just 2 or 3 people can sit. However, we decided to sit in the booth seating. The chairs are made of leather and quite soft and comfortable. The waiter came over to our table with the menu. When I held it in my hand, I was shocked to hold such a heavy menu! Come to see there were 10 plus pages in it! There is a vast variety of food which includes Italian, Mexican, Continental and American. The list of Beverages such as coolers, coffee – both hot and cold – milkshakes is really long and you might be wondering what to order!
After skimming through the whole menu from page 1 till the end, we decided to order the following:
1. Lemon Ice Tea – If there is a drink which I love to order for lunch or dinner, then it has to be a Lemon Ice Tea. The drink was served in a cute mug and there was a paper umbrella kept on the side. The Lemon Ice Tea had been garnished with Mint Leaves and I think that is what added more flavor to the tea. I have a habit of adding sugar to tea and coffee, but just after taking one sip, I could feel the sweetness of the tea trickle its way down my throat. Hence, I did not have to add extra teaspoons of sugar. Definitely something to order if you are an Ice Tea drinker.
2. Cremosinas – One of my friend ordered for a Litchi flavored mocktail by the name of Cremosina. It was served in an extremely tall glass and just like the Ice Tea, the Cremosina had been garnished with Mint Leaves. I took a small sip and really liked it. The litchi flavor is mild and not too strong like in some other drinks.
3. Granita – Granita is an Italian drink which is made by mixing sugar, ice, flavoring and water. My friend ordered for a Blue Slush Granita. When the waiter placed the mug on the table, all I could see was a beautiful and bold shade of blue! It was a very soothing color and reminded me a lot of the sky. Whenever one makes a Granita, they have to be careful with the amount of ice that is used. If there is too much ice, then the taste will not be sweet and too watery. Fortunately, the taste of this Granita was just right and the temperature was really, really cold. I would recommend this if you prefer mocktails with lots of ice.
Now coming to the main course - My two friends decided to try out some Italian dishes and I went ahead by ordering a portion of Wraps. Each dish was better than the next and I am definitely going to try out various dishes next time I visit TCR.
1. Al – Funghi Pasta – You must be looking at the “A” word and thinking what on earth is that? Well, do not worry, because I did not have a clue as well. But after reading the description, I figured out that the word “Al – Funghi” means Mushroom. As my friend prefers white sauce over tomato sauce, she decided to go ahead and order this dish. The portion is quite huge for one person, so I would suggest that you share it with whoever you have come with. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the white sauce was creamy. The Penne had been tossed with slices of mushroom and small pieces of green and yellow pepper. Last but not the least, there was a generous amount of pepper which had been sprinkled on top. On either side, there were two tiny pieces of garlic bread which were soft and had a dash of garlic smeared on each piece! You can choose to eat it by itself or dip it in the pasta! Just be careful when you take your first bite, because the dish will be piping hot. It was so hot that we could see the steam circulating around us!
2. Veg Garden Fresh Pizza – Another friend ordered for one portion (6 slices) of Veg Garden Fresh Pizza. As per the description in the menu, this is a traditional Italian thin crust pizza with mushroom, black olives, capsicum, and onion and mozzarella cheese. It had also been garnished with red chili flakes. Pizza is an item which I will never say no to! As soon as I took a bite, I could taste the tanginess of the tomato sauce. However, I think they used a different kind of sauce as it did not taste the same as the tomato sauce which we are used to eating in other places. There was so much of cheese on the pizza that it covered the rest of the ingredients like a blanket! Nevertheless, the taste was delicious.
3. Caesar Salad Wrap – Being extremely diet conscious and not wanting to eat a very heavy meal in the afternoon, I decided to order a Caesar Salad Wrap. Just by reading the description, my mouth started to water and I just could not wait any longer to order and take my first bite. The wraps were made of Chapatti which were indeed soft and not crispy. The filling included Roma Tomatoes, Cucumber, Grilled Cottage Cheese and Iceberg Lettuce with Garlic Croutons and Caesar’s dressing. The dressing was so creamy that you would want to order another plate of the wraps just to eat the dressing. It was that heavenly! On the side, there was a small salad which was decorated with olives, capsicum and red chili flakes.
As my friends could not finish their drink/dish, we requested the waiter to pack the leftovers and it was done in a neat manner. Even though the desserts were eyeing us like a hawk, none of us had even an inch of free space left in our stomach!! We decided to visit TCR next time just to try out the various desserts!
The time just flew and it was time to pay the bill and leave. I was able to click a few photographs of the place while waiting for the food.
Now let me tell you something about the service at TCR because it is definitely worth mentioning. The waiters are really courteous. They speak in a nice manner and explain the dishes in case we have a doubt as to what it is. When we were waiting for our food to arrive, we tried to take a few groupies at the table. However, the photo was not coming very clear. Before we knew it, one of the waiters saw us struggling and volunteered to take our photo. It came out well and we were extremely happy.
After paying the bill, we decided to stroll down to the display counter to see what all items were there. You will find Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate in various kinds, sizes and designs. Though the name of the cafe is The Chocolate Room, you will find other items like what we had eaten.
I spoke to a person behind the counter – Not sure if he was the owner – but happened to ask him about the timings of TCR and he confirmed it is open from 10 AM to 11 PM. I also happened to let him know that the food was excellent and that we will definitely visit in the future….not once or twice, but frequently!
Before leaving TCR, we decided to take a group photo and requested the waiter to take it for us. He advised us where to stand so that there was sufficient light in the photo as well as how to stand – that is the angle and the exact place. Even the people behind the counter turned on the extra lights just so that we could take the perfect picture! Finally, as we started walking towards the door, the waiter thanked us for coming and requested us to come again too. Well, there is no need to tell us because we have decided to keep coming often :-)
Here are a few reasons why you should visit TCR:
• All the Staff are extremely friendly. They also have lots of patience and will explain the various dishes if you have any doubts.
• The food is not only tasty, but does not feel heavy on the stomach.
• TCR is clean and well maintained.
• They have a party room at the entrance as well and you can choose to sit here if you have come in a big group and want some privacy.
Today we had come for lunch and the next time I visit TCR, I plan on making it for Breakfast or Dinner. TCR is a place for people of all ages. It does not matter whether you are a Vegetarian or Non – Vegetarian; I am sure there will be something to please everyone’s palette!
If you have not visited TCR yet, then just walk down to Empire Mall and indulge yourself in delicious chocolate delicacies as well as in other cuisines. It will be a visit worth remembering!
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 5/5
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