Cocoa V, decadence & bonhomie!

Happy Pumpkin Pie Day! 🙂

‘I want to be a part of it; New York, New York…

My little town blues; they are melting away…’

Aah, as Elvis prances around singing New York, New York, my heart races with anticipation! Psst – if you haven’s already guessed, I am a total city girl at heart 🙂 And, New York City is undoubtedly my favorite city in the world – museums, skyscrapers, eclectic stores, jazz bars, theater and for a foodie like me – the incredible smorgasbord of restaurants! Dining out in New York City with one of my favorite people in the world, my dearest friend, Bindu…’a perfect evening’ !

Happy Birthday girl! To many more gastronomic adventures...

So, on her birthday – this post is an ode to her and the amazing time we had spending a divine spring evening at an allergy friendly dessert bar. Here is to my beautiful friend who has been with me through teen dilemmas, boys, body-image issues, college, work, marriage and now children as we try our best to be good moms – ‘Cocoa V, decadence & bonhomie’

CocoaV_chocs1 — Designer chocolates (Photo courtesy:www.cocoav.com)

One of the projects I have undertaken for my blog has been to visit allergy friendly restaurants, dessert places, bakeries et al around the world. First stop – Cocao V, NYC. What a delightful experience it was in this quaint little vegan chocolate boutique in fashionable Chelsea, NY!

bonbon_1__44233_zoom — Chcolate love (Photo courtesy:www.cocoav.com)

truffle_1 — Truffles - we could not get enough of it! (Photo courtesy: http://www.cocoav.com)

Founded by Pamela Elizabeth, the incredible variety of bon bons, truffles, cakes and more is mind-boggling. What catches the eye the moment you walk in is the attention to detail and the contemporary aesthetic appeal – the eclectic decor, hardwood floors, tastefully arranged chocolates on elegant white plates, the small kitchen visible from the counter and chic packaging – sheer indulgence!

Salted Dark Chcocolate - my fav! (Photo courtesy:www.cocoav.com)

IMG_2073__33281_zoom — Trendy and upscale packaging! (Photo courtesy:www.cocoav.com)

But, what makes their chocolate so special?! As the Cocoa V website puts it, ‘ The cocoa beans we use are grown in the Dominican Republic, processed in Switzerland, and then the chocolate makes its way to us. The rich, smooth texture is one that is hard to find, and seems to be satisfying even our most persnickety customers.’ Also, there are not too many 100% vegan, organic, fair trade chocolate shop . Finally, their unique and traditional spread – from their signature Hot Chocolate, decadent cup cakes, Cookies and Cream Bar, salted dark chocolate, jasmine tea caramel, pretzel clusters makes this place a must visit for everyone with a sweet tooth 🙂

IMG_2317__79527_zoom — Cookies and Cream Dark chocolate bar - my son's first love... (Photo courtesy:www.cocoav.com)

They also offer an extensive variety of cakes and cupcakes. But, what truly warms a foodie’s soul is the artistic touch bursting forth in all their products.

: Pretty as a picture cupcake! (Photo courtesy:www.cocoav.com)

The grand finale of the evening – the unadulterated joy in my son’s face when he saw a box of beautiful individually wrapped truffles in dainty boxes, clusters and chocolates bars in pretty cellophane bags. He could not believe that something he could eat could look as good or better than the beautiful chocolate boxes he would wistfully watch others partake of. Yes – allergy friendly foods rarely look exclusive. So, for the visual treat alone – thank you Cocoa V, not to mention the delightful taste of the treats themselves!

So, the next time you are in the Big Apple, a visit to this delightful dessert bar is highly recommended:

Address: Cocoa V Chocolat – 174 Ninth Avenue, NYC

Phone number: 212-242-3339

In case, you cannot make it to the city – lo and behold they have an online store at www.cocoav.com where you can order chocolates, cakes, cupcakes, wedding cakes and more.

With a song in my heart and a bounce in my step – once again, I wish my dear friend a joyous and healthy life on her special day. Thank you for making the journey of a child with food allergies and his mom not only easier but a whole lot of fun 🙂

2 thoughts on “Cocoa V, decadence & bonhomie!”

Ashwin says:

13 Oct 2011 at 11:02 pm

hey, that was sweet (pun intended) i am sure you had a grt time tho i can myself indulging a vegan choclate…somehow the idea of it being pure and healthy dosn make it sinful enough 😉
i am getting to know a lot about people with food allergies and i admire your efforts in bringing out a healthy and safe alternative through your blog….let the good times flow

1. Anu Rao says:
  
  17 Oct 2011 at 8:18 pm
  
  Thanks Ashwin! It is really heartening and encouraging when those without allergies visit AllergyFoodie. Do keep us in the loop if you find an allergy friendly dish on your many travels to far off locales.