After all, there's chocolate being made in London

[filipe]

I was introduced to Paul A. Young recently openned shop by some egullet-friends. It caught my attention, because it's not usual to know about these kind of opennings in London. Since I was visiting the city, I've decided to give it a try.

I was DELIGHTED with my visit to his shop. First of all the place is quite cosy. And second, because Paul himself is there, "giving his face" for his own creations, having a nice chat with his clients.

His products have an awesome presentation and are really fresh, daily made at his basement kitchen, only using Valrhona and Amedei chocolate.

The only thing I think that he could improve is about pastries... I think he should give it a go, as he's a very talented young man.

This is is best-seller Sea Salted Caramel, which is AMAZING

But although its success Paul it's not that kind of "own-belly-button-focused" type of guy. And he told me about his friend's shop, at Nothing Hill, called Melt.

And I went there too, on a saturday morning.

The place is very nice, on Ledbuy Road.

It's a very "minimalist" shop, with an open kitchen and tasting room at the back, filled with natural light.

At the end I bought some truffles...the cinnamon ganache ones were VERY NICE, those were my favourite.

I like the look of the chocolates, very chunky and hand-made

After all, there's chocolate going on in London...

Edited May 8, 2006 by filipe (log)

[tan319]

Nice report filipe, thanks for posting!!!

It all looks fab!

[Fat Guy]

This is great to hear. Thanks for the report. Do you recall what the prices were like on any of the above-mentioned chocolates?

[Ling]

First, thanks for the pictures!

A chocolatier who only uses Valrhona and Amedei in his chocolates! Sounds like heaven to me...

The set-up at Melt looks very different from chocolate shops I've visited in my hometown. Is there no glass dividing the customer from the plates of chocolates? I like how the plates are all lined up on a shelf like that.

[filipe]

This is great to hear. Thanks for the report. Do you recall what the prices were like on any of the above-mentioned chocolates?

←

It was like 4-5 pounds for each 100g. Not cheap, but we're talking about hand&daily made chocolates... a little less for the chocolate bars, like £3,50 or so.

[filipe]

Is there no glass dividing the customer from the plates of chocolates? I like how the plates are all lined up on a shelf like that.

←

No glass, no partitions. Everything is there before you eyes..and hands.

This is how it works at Melt : you pick a wooden plate (like if it was a shopping trolley, resized for this specific produt), you choose what you want and pick it up (not with your hand of course), take it to the counter where they weight it, and they pack your chocolates ready for you to take them home.

[Tweety69bird]

filipe, how was the 64% dark chocolate with Maldon salt? Usually I see the salt with caramel, and I wonder how it is on it's own.

[confiseur]

...........with regard to 'MELT' in Notting Hill an important factor in its immediate success is the fact that Bill McCarrick, an immensely talented AMERICAN! pastry chef has been a major figure in the background. This guy is extremely gifted but modest with it and thus appears very rarely under the general public.

[Franci]

Thanks! I will have to check it out

[mmm_chocolate]

The Brits always seem to do chocolate and dairy a little better than us Americans...just looking at those pics makes me want to pop in to the chocolates shop and have a nip. But 4 pounds for one chocolate sounds like too much to me....? Even if it is super tasty.

[SweetSide]

The Brits always seem to do chocolate and dairy a little better than us Americans...just looking at those pics makes me want to pop in to the chocolates shop and have a nip.  But 4 pounds for one chocolate sounds like too much to me....?  Even if it is super tasty.

←

It was 4-5GBP for 100g of chocolate. That is $34 to $42 US per pound of chocolate. Not unlike the prices here for good chocolates. At $45/pound where I was working, 1 average size truffle was about a buck. No, not cheap, but not outrageous.

[filipe]

They're not cheap indeed. But we're not talking about Hershey's chocolate bars bought at some supermarket...

I don't know which chocolate/cocoa they use at Melt (but, for my taste is a lot worst than Paul A. Young) but one can't have other price range when Valrhona and Amedei are the only ones used.

[escry]

I too make a range of chocolates in the UK from just Valrhona and Amedei couvertures. Paul is cheaper than me, for £4.50 I'd only sell you 70g of unwrapped chocolates, not 100g.

Given that Amedei's Chuao costs just over £20 per kg (including delivery) selling chocolates based on this for £45 per kilo is an act of charity.

[Matthew Tomkinson]

Where in West Sussex are you based?

[escry]

My kitchen is in Graffham, near Petworth. I sell online and through delicatessens and chocolate shops. I guess the nearest shop to you at present is the Cheesebox, Haslemere.

[danlepard]

...with regard to 'MELT' in Notting Hill an important factor in its immediate success is the fact that Bill McCarrick, an immensely talented AMERICAN! pastry chef has been a major figure in the background...

The person to credit for the chocolate at Melt is Damian Allsop, the talented and experienced pastry chef who set up and runs the chocolate production. Bill simply helped a little on days when it all got too busy, and when help that talented is offered you don't say no. I know that Bill would agree that he's hardly been the "figure in the background", so to be fair you need to credit Damian for the chocolate you taste at Melt.

regards,

Dan