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2013-12-09
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Fans of Royce' staying in the Western part of Singapore will be soooo glad to know that a branch has just opened at Westgate! I am not really a frequent patron of the brand due to the price tag of their chocolates. But I just can't resist chocolates, so I had to check out this branch at Westgate. Plus I also wanted to take a look at their Christmas selection this year.The shop had a slightly more rustic (though still classy) look compared to the sleek and posh decor at the Ion branch but I fou
The shop had a slightly more rustic (though still classy) look compared to the sleek and posh decor at the Ion branch but I found it less intimidating to browse around at the Westgate branch. And browse around I did, taking my own sweet time to check out the chocolates! Despite that, the staff was quite friendly and was patient with me even though I took quite a while to decide exactly what I wanted.
I ended up not getting any of the Christmas selection, although I got the ever popular Nama Chocolates "Au Lait" as well as the Petite Truffle "Praline". These were wrapped in cooling packs to maintain the coolness (and quality) of the chocolates on my way home.
Nama Chocolate "Au Lait" ($15.00) You can really taste the difference in quality compared to other mass-produced chocolates. Most mass-produced chocolates tend to get brick hard upon refrigeration, which is why I usually don't like eating my chocolate chilled; I prefer eating them at room temperature for that immediate dense and gooey chocolate sensation when you pop them in the mouth. (Okay, okay, so I'm all for immediate gratification!) The Nama chocolate was in a different class altogether. It was one of those chocolates that was still in excellent condition and still tasted divine even when eaten chilled. Firm, but still soft and tender within. Did I mention it tasted really rich too? The first sensation was the slightly bitter chocolatey taste of the powder, followed by the velvety, super creamy chocolate that was just so fresh and simply melted in the mouth. Simply pure bliss!
Petite Truffle "Praline" ($12.50)This was noticeably harder than the Nama Chocolate upon refrigeration, but no less inferior in taste. This was the only truffle in Royce's Petite Truffle selection that was liquor free but I got it as I also like nutty chocolates (think Ferrero Rocher). The delicate soft ganache chocolate was coated with chopped almond bits, which made it very nutty and crunchy on every bite! Despite the nuts, I could still taste the freshness and creaminess of the chocolate inside. I actually never tried their truffles before which was why I got this with the Nama Chocolate and I am so glad I did! The "Praline" is currently one of my favourites from Royce!
So far, I have only tried "Au Lait" from the Nama Chocolate range and "Praline" from the Petite Truffle selection so I don't have much to offer in terms of flavour recommendations. But for the Nama chocolate, the salesgirl actually also recommended the "Champagne (Pierre Mignon)" and "Mild Cacao". I was initially debating whether to stick to "Au Lait" or get "Mild Cacao" or "White" to try, but in the end I decided to just stick to "Au Lait" since I found this to be a safer choice for myself especially since its price tag meant that these chocolates are a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of treat and I didn't want to be stuck with a flavour that I didn't enjoy as much. I'd eventually love to try their other flavours though. If you are more adventurous, just go with whatever makes you melt! Otherwise I think that the "Au Lait" (with Liquor) or "Mild Cacao" (Liquor-Free) would be a safer choice. But do take note of the expiry date as these are made with fresh ingredients so they tend to expire much faster than mass-produced ones, usually within a month.
Overall, even though my experience with Royce is currently pretty limited, I think their chocolates are top notch even though I know some people questioned the price and value of the chocolates. Admittedly, the chocolates are pretty pricey and I used to be one of these people a few years back. But you are paying for quality, and Royce' chocolates certainly deliver in both quality and taste. I think it's really hard to understand what the hype is all about unless you really try a piece of the chocolate. Even my parents, who initially balked at the price, took another piece right after their first try, and they are not even chocoholic like I am! I guess you can say that with Royce, it's almost certain to be love at first bite!
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