I have to admit that I love brunch. Whether it be fancy at a hotel or super-casual at a greasy diner, it’s almost always great. Recently, my husband and I stopped by MoRoCo Chocolat (Mo and Ro stand for Montana and Rory, children of the owners, and the “Co” is, of course, chocolate) in Toronto’s Yorkville. This was only my second time at the restaurant even though the restaurant opened in 2008.
Tomato and Avocado Eggs Benedict
Though “chocolate” is in its name and yes, there is a sweets shop just as one walks in the entrance, it is much more than that. The brunch menu plays a twist on some old favourites – at my recent visit, I had a tomato and avocado eggs Benedict – a great choice for those tired of the typical meatless Benny of eggs Florentine. Accompanied by a small green salad, the eggs are, as with a regular Benedict, poached. The ham or bacon is replaced with a slice of tomato and avocado salsa and hollendaise with a spicy aoili. It is, therefore, lighter than the standard Benny and perhaps even a Florentine.
Of course, one cannot possibly leave the restaurant without having anything chocolate related. For dessert, I had one of their sipping chocolates. There are three sipping chocolates to choose from: regular dark chocolate, which is 66% cocoa, a white chocolate with vanilla and orange and a milk chocolate infused with chai, which I ordered. This extremely concentrated chocolate drink is served comes in a pot, is drunk in an espresso cup. It is accompanied by whipped cream, which one scoops and mixes with the chocolate as well as a piece of chocolate truffle. Because it is so concentrated, one does need to sip slowly to savour. In fact, it is not really a drink, but more of a dessert. For those who are not interested in chocolate, the restaurant also has an extensive tea menu. They also serve afternoon tea, complete with tiers of miniature sandwiches.
Delicious macarons sold in the boutique
Décor-wise, the restaurant has a very baroque, European feel in terms of furniture and design. In fact, a Foodies Inc. review from 2012 said that looked like a “set of a Marie Antoinette movie.” Though that’s probably a bit of an exaggeration, considering the modern conveniences that the restaurant has, but the atmosphere is there, nonetheless. While many may have thought the restaurant was a bit of a novelty at first, it definitely isn’t the case today, considering that it has been around for nearly five years.
MoRoCo Chocolat’s hours are Tuesdays to Thursdays from noon to 11 PM, Fridays from noon to 1 AM, Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 AM and Sundays from 10 AM to 6 PM and brunch is served on these days. MoRoCo Chocolat is closed on Mondays. MoRoCo Chocolat are participating in Winterlicious this season and will also offer a Valentine’s Day menu. In addition to a multitude of chocolates, the boutique portion also sells delicious macarons in a variety of flavours.
