Location Review:99 Yorkville Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
416-961-2202
Last week Danny (@Danny_MB) Cammi (@CammiPham), Melissa (@star_chronicles), and I had a girls night out at MoRoCo (@MorocoChocolat)! Nothing beats going for some fancy food and chocolate fondue :)
MoRoCo
MoRoCo is located on Yorkville street, but you wouldn't be able to see it just standing on the street. The entrance is kind of hidden, and I acutally missed it the first time. After walking into what feels like a hidden pathway, you come face to face with a purple-pink sign to let you know that you've made it. You've arrived to the chocolate lover's paradise that is MoRoCo.
Candy and Chocolate Boutique
The entrance to opens to the chocolate boutique, with a counter to order hand crafted chocolates, macarons, ice cream, and even take-out fondue (yes, you read that correctly!). The boutique is completely occupied with clean white furnishings, which in the presence of all the mirrors and bright lights, makes the space look a lot bigger than it really is. The subtle pink glow in the room makes everything look so pretty and elegant, I just want to buy everything in there!
Dining Room
If you're here for dinner, the hostess will take you into the dining room just beyond the boutique. The lighting and atmosphere changes almost drastically between the rooms, from clean and bright, to posh and dark. while still keeping the same feeling of upscale luxury. It's almost like a high end VIP boudoir --dimly lit interior, crystal chandeliers, plush sofas, giant framed mirrors, and thick draped velvet curtins.
WashroomsEven the washrooms are nice! Though it's a one person washroom, I was really amused by the quote printed on the gigantic mirror hanging on the wall:
MoRoCo Menu
So finally to the menu. They have about a handful of entrees and salads, but is outdone by all the pages of sweet treats. Macarons, cakes, pastries, puddings; all types of desserts to suit any type of sweet tooth.
But of course, dinner first.
Truffled Mac & Cheese ($18)
I tried a spoonful of Danny's Truffled Mac & Cheese, and it was heavenly! The pasta was infused with an abundance of super creamy cheese, and crusted with a nice crunch on top. Without even trying my own entree yet, I already wished that I had ordered this instead. It's decadent without being overdone.
Lamb Shank ($15) - Seasoned New Zealand lamb braised in a tomato ragu
My entree was the Lamb Shank which came as one chunk of meat on a bone. I was a little disappointed that it did not come with any pairings, because quite frankly it wasn't exactly a satisfying portion. The dish itself was average. Nothing too special. The lamb was cooked well, but I felt they could've done more to jazz up this dish aside from just a mountain of tomato sauce.
Maple Glazed Salmon ($14) - Oven banked atlantic salmon
Both Cammi and Melissa ordered the Maple Glazed Salmon, and the smells made my mouth water when it came. I didn't try any of it, but they both commended on how tasty it was. It comes with a small serving of deep fried thinly sliced potatoes.
Chocolate Fondue for 2-4 people ($26)
To finish off the dinner, we ordered a Milk Chocolate Fondue for four people. They give you an option of 3 different types of Valrhona chocolate (66% dark, white, milk). The platter comes with a variety of dipping treats including strawberries, pineapple chunks, marshmallows, macaron cookies, and bananas. I first dipped a pineapple into the small cup of melted chocolate, and thought the consistency was a bit too runny. But as time passed, it definitely cools to the perfect consistency. It's not too sweet, which is always my biggest fear with chocolate fondue. Perfect fix for that chocolate craving. :)
While MoRoCo is a lovely venue with a savory menu of food and desserts, it's relatively pricey. Tack on that mandatory 18% tip regardless of your party size, and you might be surprised at what your bill will amount to. But I do think it's worth the splurge. Just make sure you enjoy the beaautiful venue, expensive china, superb food, and all around luxurious experience, as much as you possibly can!
