This isn't the first time I've been to Cocoa Wilds, I came here about two months ago with all my Australian friends just to try the marshmallow rim hot chocolate that's plastered all over Instagram and there's probably a thousand cafes out there that do it now.
Last time, I got the 70% Specialty Hot Choc:
It was a bit disappointing. I didn't feel the marshmallow rim added much, though I wasn't that big a fan of marshmallows to begin with, and the chocolate blend, while done in that trademark steam wand style, failed to capture me. It felt like a fad and nothing more.
I arrived at 8:30 am; a lot earlier than I expected and I even dallied in the nearby park. I had made the common assumption that--oh, it's just New Zealand. Nobody lines up for anything, it's not like I'm in Melbourne or Taiwan or Japan--and the place only opens at 9 am anyway.
This was the line when I got there:
It more than doubled behind me by the time the store opened.
By 9:30 am, I finally got mine (I did manage to squeeze into the first 100, so it was free!). A little jaunt later to get to a private space (they were still filming Instagram promos outside and being perceived remains one of my top three fears in life), I got to try it.
I'm a big fan of matcha. But I hate things that are too sweet, ergo I strongly dislike white chocolate.
This is a white choc hot choc. And I like it.
There's something about the texture here that's thick and smooth. And even though it was white chocolate, the sweetness wasn't sickening. I tasted no bitter notes, though personally I would've liked the matcha itself to be heavier and more interesting like the ones I had in Uji. And the marshmallow--well, I had fun today. Guess I'm learning to play with my food as well.
Is it possible I'm biased because I had to wait outside for a whole hour? Probably? But I'm very used to lining up for incredibly mediocore things. I waited 2 hours for the worst lobster roll of my life. Melbourne had me chilling in the cold for 1.5 hours just to get noodles and a drumstick. I also spent 45 mins sweating in the sun for a curry bread near Shinanomachi and to this day, I don't know what that particular hubbub was about.
But this one? This one was good. I liked it.
💜