Anna Mckay shares a recipe perfect for celebrating Chinese New Year
Laura Reynolds reviews the latest arrival to the York cafe scene
Anna Mckay tempts us to break the new year healthy eating streak.
Just 4 days until Christmas..get in the mood with some festive nosh!
The premises itself is somewhat inconspicuous-there is little signage to tell you of its existence save the logos on the windows which are only visible in certain lights. The door was also shut when I visited, understandably in this weather. Look for the chalkboard hanging from the door handle that’ll tell you if it’s open.
Entering this business (I’m not too sure whether to refer to it as a cafe or a shop, as it comprises both, and also has a workshop space in the corner), was a little bit flustering. The till is straight ahead of you, and the cafe is around to the right, and I was left floundering as to whether it was a seat-yourself kind of place (it had that sort of an atmosphere), or whether I should wait to be shown to a table. Truth be told, I’m still none the wiser, but I subtly sidestepped over to the counter, and ordered a hot chocolate, at which point I was told to take a seat.
Prices were not readily available on display, and neither was a menu, causing me to err on the side of financial caution and simply order a hot chocolate. There was a choice of white, milk or dark chocolate. Having ordered (milk, in case you wondered), the service seemed to take quite a while considering how empty the shop was (at 11am on a Friday, I was one of only 4 customers), but when my order arrived it was well worth it. Instead of the hot chocolate I was expecting, I got a glass of steaming hot milk and several large chocolate buttons, which are then stirred into the milk to make the hot chocolate. It takes a bit of practice but the end result is definitely enjoyable.
Cue another round of awkwardness where I was unsure if they bring the bill over to you or if you get up to pay. The person on the next table was clearly having the same dilemma
In the end this came to £3.20 for a slightly smaller than average beverage, about normal when you compare this to the chain cafes that lurk on every street, and factor in the novelty of mixing your own drink (call it novelty, or call it lazy).
Browsing the shop, many of the items didn’t have prices on, leaving several customers wondering whether the various works of chocolate art were actually for sale, or just for decoration.
They will soon be running chocolate workshops on the premises, so watch the website for details of these.
This is not your stereotypical student hangout, but a good place to go with the family if they visit York and are looking for somewhere out of the ordinary to go (and especially if they are paying the bill).
If you are planning a visit, it’s worth ringing in advance to check the hours; at time of publishing, this information was not available on the website, and the chalk board in the window only includes details for the current day.
York Cocoa House is now open at 3 Blake Street (directly opposite ASK Assembly Hall restaurant)
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