Back to Soirette & in line for Thomas Hass !

Our first stop this year for the festival, we had already tried Soirette's 9 O`Clock Gun, which was a really good cedar flavored hot chocolate inspired by Stanley Park. Our last time there, it was too packed to really sit down and get some photos or enjoy our hot chocolate. But this time, it emptied as we ordered!

We went back on Saturday for their Hot Toddy Float inspired by Grouse Mountain, not offered on the same day as the 9 O`Clock Gun. The description for the Hot Toddy Float was this: "You`d stay warm and cozy even in the peaks of Grouse Mountain with this buttered rum hot chocolate blended with wild mountain honey ice cream." We could definitely taste the liquor in this drink, but like any other hotcho that has had honey in it, the honey was sadly lost amongst the other flavors.

Hot Toddy Float served with a "Grouse Grind Reward Cluster" at Soirette Macarons & Tea.

I surprised K with this heart shaped strawberry butter macaron ($2) when he went to fill up our parking meter :)

Naturally, there was only meter parking available in the Coal Harbour area so we did not fill our meter all the way, just in case it ended up being packed again and we were forced to get our drinks to go again. So while K went to fill the meter some more when we discovered seats, I ordered our hot chocolate and this heart shaped macaron to surprise him. I am no fan of strawberry myself, but he seemed to enjoy it :)

Google maps estimated a 10-12 minute drive from Soirette to Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie, yet another beloved macaron stop for me. Here the aromas were amazing, and the line was out the door of the little cafe. Once I reached that door in line, I was once again fascinated by their amazing ceiling as I was last year. I took another photo of that ceiling and I am sure I will get another next year when I return... Please note that there is underground parking (we paid for meter parking again without knowing they offer parking!)

I love the Thomas Haas saucers!

Another photo of their amazing ceiling a year later (see previous year Thomas Haas blog post).

A colorful assortment of macarons offered that day ($10 for 6).

I wanted to get a shot of this crazy line up that only got longer after we got in line!

Too packed to get our drinks in one of their nice mugs, but I love these!

The Passionista (left) and the Campfire (right) at $5.95 each.

And I really loved the cocoa flower that`s on their to-go cups!

The line and lack of seating forced us to grab our drinks to-go, instead of being seated to enjoy them... But you still get that heart and the decoration of the drinks even in to-go cups, how nice! K had the Passionista, a "fresh passion fruit-infused hot chocolate with Grand Marnier chantilly" and it was served with a passion fruit pate de fruit. A Google search revealed that this was a chewy candy with an intense fruit flavor made from the purees of fresh fruit. I had the Campfire, "a classic hot chocolate, only with smoky caramel, smoked Hawaiian sea salt" and this was served with marshmallows and another little pastry that I haven`t any clue the name of. I am a huge fan of sea salt caramel flavored things, and was pleased to say that this tasted like the 9 O`Clock Gun with the addition of that sea salty, caramel flavor. It definitely had many layers to the taste and I really liked it! Both of these drinks are offered everyday through until Valentine`s Day, and I really recommend Thomas Haas` macarons :)

Soirette Macarons & Tea
1433 West Pender Street, Vancouver
Monday - Wednesday : 10a to 6p
Thursday - Friday : 10a to 7p
Saturday - Sunday : 11a to 6p

Thomas Haas (Kitsilano)
2539 West Broadway, Vancouver
Tuesday - Saturday : 8a to 530p
Sunday & Monday : closed

Hot Chocolate Festival 2013 : Thomas Haas Chocolates & Patisserie

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate... *drools*

Thomas Haas Patisserie
2539 W Broadway Street
Tuesday - Saturday 8a - 530p

#59 - "THE LUMBERJACK" Bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup hot chocolate, served with a Douglas fir-infused chantilly, maple & vanilla shortbread.

#60 - "MALTEASER" Barley malt-infused hot chocolate, served with salt caramel malt truffles.

The shop gives a hustling and bustling cozy feel because the patisserie is decorated with really warm tones, which includes this amazing honeycomb fixture on the ceiling  and the use of wood furnishings. Thomas Haas (Speaking of the man himself, Thomas Haas was really friendly!) was probably the busiest location (Thierry might have been just as busy, but Thierry has more of a classy feel than a homey feel), filled with all sorts of people who wanted to try hot chocolate, have a cup of coffee or pick up some desserts for Valentine`s day. It is not hard to get to via either the 9 Broadway bus or the 99 B-line bus. I have heard of Thomas Haas before so on one of the final days of the festival, I really wanted to try it. 阿哥 and I went to the store on West Broadway, but they also have a location in North Vancouver. Check out their website (linked below) for an address.

Look at this ceiling!

The Malteaser hot chocolate at $5.95 as well as a vanilla and chocolate macaron at $1.80 ea.

The "fleur de sel truffle" surprised me by not being solid on the inside. It had an interesting taste on the inside, but perhaps I have merely overdone the sea salt caramel obsession and expected it to be like a cake pop. This malt hot chocolate reminded me of chocolate flavoured Ovaltine (one of my favourite drinks), or the inside of a Malteser chocolate if you haven`t heard of that. Suffice to say, since it resembles one of my favorite drinks, I really enjoyed this drink. We also tried a vanilla and chocolate macaron. For a chocolate lover like me, I even preferred the vanilla over the chocolate. The macarons that we had were moist, the shells were not hollow and they were surprisingly not too sweet compared to Thierry or French Made Baking for example. Thomas Haas was one of my last stops for the festival, but I will be back!

*Thomas Haas main website: click.

Hot Chocolate Festival 2013 : Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe !

Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie
1059 Alberni Street
(between Burrard and Thurlow)
M-F 7a - 12a | Sat/Sun 8a - 12a

#57 - "Ohhh CANADA!"
Canadian maple syrup + pecan hot chocolate, served with a sable.
Available: Jan 19 - 29

#58 - "ONE IN A MILLION"
Hot chocolate made with Maranon (the world's rarest chocolate), served with a chocolate-dipped madeleine.
Available: Jan 30 - Feb 10

Unfortunately, Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe stopped offering these special drinks on February 10th, but they are still open for regular service if you`re looking for that romantic setting for a cup of coffee with someone. After a delicious late lunch at Miku with C and B downtown (thanks B for treating us to such yummy foood), we decided to go hot chocolate hopping. They were offering their One in a Million hot chocolate at Thierry that B really wanted to try! C and I couldn`t resist the colourful macarons, so C treated us to a macaron each: C and I both chose a salted caramel macaron and B chose a lychee macaron. (I covered the hot chocolate but thank you both for not only treating me to macarons and lunch that day, but for always treating me to delicious food!)

So many macarons! $1.95 ea, $13.45 for 7 & $21.95 for a dozen.

It was my first time trying a macaron with a buttercream filling instead of ganache, or it may just have been a more creamy filling. The one macaron that I had sated my sweet tooth, and after this festival I am pretty "macaron-ed out"! The shells of these macarons were kind of hollow, but I did not feel that that did anything to alter it`s taste or texture. A dozen of these would last me a long time..!

The One in a Million (I spilled it trying to open the door, sorry!) was $9.75 (before tax)

The hot chocolate itself, I cannot put into words. I did not find it especially sweet, nor did I find that it tasted like anything I already knew. It definitely tasted like chocolate and it was good, but it was not a kind of chocolate that I have ever had before. And I wouldn`t have, given the ingredients include "Maranon (the world's rarest chocolate)". The cup is not very large for it`s price, and considering it supposedly contains the world's rarest chocolate, it wouldn`t be. Unlike most other hot chocolate drinks I have had for the festival, one cup is not enough to share between two (let alone three) because although flavourful, it was not especially rich. I would order a cup for yourself if you are there to have a cup of hot chocolate and not just try it like B, C and I were. The chocolate-dipped madeleine was a small morsel of sweetness.. Unfortunately I felt like it was a kind of forgettable taste. Their macarons would have made a much better substitute, but maybe that`s my sweet tooth talking!

You`re probably wondering why the cup is sitting in a pool of hot chocolate. Thierry was pretty packed when we arrived, so we resorted to sitting outside. I waited inside for the drink as C and B sat outside with the macarons waiting for me, and we did not anticipate that they would give me two plates. One plate for the cup of hot chocolate, and another for the whipped cream, madeleine and small piece of chocolate. They have these wonderfully designed double doors to enter the cafe, but I failed to open the door without hands. It ended pretty miserably, as you can probably tell. We expected it to be cold in their outdoor seating area, but they actually have these massive heating lamps situated above the table and chairs so that it actually did not feel like you were outside. It was a delightful surprise considering it was cold and raining! I think Thierry is a great place to treat yourself to something special, fancy and kind of expensive every now and then: I will definitely find myself back for some of their desserts and maybe another macaron!

*Thierry`s main website: click.