Cocoa V

We brought 2 of their cupcakes home with us. When I bought them, I stored them in the mini-fridge in our hotel room. Then when it was time to pack up and check out, I put them in a mini-cooler with 2 ice packs. Once home, they went into the fridge. Today, before eating them, I let them come to room temperature. I handled the cupcakes this way so as to preserve their flavor and texture.

I tried the all vanilla one while my husband had a chocolate with vanilla frosting. We both had differing takes on these cupcakes. While I liked the cake part of mine, I found the vanilla frosting to be too sweet. My husband, on the other hand, said that his was one of the best vegan cupcakes he ever had. Like me, he enjoyed the cake part. It was moist while dense enough to hold together quite well. When we compared notes, he thought that the chocolate cake probably cancelled out the strong sweetness of the vanilla frosting making the whole cupcake very well balanced. So...I would say that the upshot of this would be to say go for the chocolate/vanilla combination and give the all vanilla one a pass.

The shop is small with a few tables. It might be interesting to someday try one of their plated desserts. One thing to note --- there was a sign by the register that said they were cash only "at this time". To me, that implied that they were eventually going to take credit cards.

And, yes, next time we're in town, we'll definitely bring back some more of their cupcakes!

So, I've been a fan of the original Cocoa V before they renovated, moved to Blossom Bakery, etc. I am a genuine grandfathered-in Cocoa V connoisseur (not that anyone flippin cares, but hey, if that gives my review more heft then yay!)

I stopped by last night and was saddened to see only about 8 types of truffles on display, when they had at least 10 - 15 types in the original location. Well, fine, vegan chocolate artistry is tuff. So I expected a stellar tasting truffle in all the truffles I'd end up choosing.

I picked up a bag of smores ($9 for a fist-sized bag) the praline, the pistachio, the earl grey and the lavender vanilla. I haven't tried them all yet as of the time of this review, but I did try the coconut truffle my friend picked up.

Let me tell you: that is NOT pure coconut. It tasted super synthetic, like it came from a flavor lab, not from some boutique vegan chocolate shop. I was thoroughly unimpressed for something that cost $3 per tiny ass truffle.

I initially was only going to buy the smores (which were decent but nothing really that special), but I figured I'd support vegan business by buying the truffles too. Now I kind of regret it. I'll update this review though after I've tasted the ones I bought.

Also, the shopkeeper lady had the face and 'tude of someone who just sucked on a lemon. No smile, no effort to explain their products, and if I asked, she'd use flowery language to describe the truffles (dark chocolate infused with cherry essence blahblah) that kind of turned me off. No thanks, this renovation was more like a re-NO-vation. lol.

ps: they used to give out a cute box if you bought 4 truffles, but now you only get it if you buy 6. Lame!

My friend is a vegetarian. His wife is lactose intolerant. So the two of them combined equals a vegan. And that is how I discovered this place.

After an unmemorable lunch( except for the company), we went on a hunt for dessert. Right next door is a vegan to-go place called Blossom. So if you wanted to be a fake vegetarian for a day, these two stores would work for you.

The place has a nice cozy feel. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. We asked the woman at the counter, Hey what is good?" And she replied, "Well despite this place specializing in chocolate, the lemon cake is my favorite." We both scratched our heads for a moment, contemplated the lemon cake for a split second, and then came to our senses. We opted for the chocolate cake.

There is a bar along the wall and we sat down and settled in. The woman brought us our slice and we devoured it in no time. Despite the fact that the cake was lacking essential cake ingredients (ie anything with dairy), it was surprisingly good. Fluffy, light and just the right amount of chocolate.

We both left satisfied and happy. I will be back to try the bonbons and also the chocolate sampler, but probably will stay away from the lemon cake, even if it is the counter lady's favorite item.

I went to Cocoa V after strolling along the High Line, and I had a mission: buy myself a sweet ass birthday treat! And that I did.

The cafe is quite cozy, and has a few small tables if you're going to sit in to enjoy the desserts & drinks on offer. My travelling companion and I had many more stops that day, so we just dropped in as they were opening to get some treats packed up to go. (It was good to get in before any sort of rush, but with just one person behind the counter if more than a couple of people are there it can mean a bit of a wait).

I was very nearly overwhelmed with the delicious morsels on offer in their truffle/bon bon display case, as well as the packaged sweets on the shelves. Our server was very helpful when we were asking questions about the flavours and products - so much so that I ended up getting myself a box of a dozen chocolates plus one to snack on as he packed them up. I also got a small bag of their cookie bark which is out-of-this-world incredible.

Highlights of my birthday chocolate tray: Raspberry ganache, coconut caramel, Stumptown coffee caramel, spiced agave. All of them were delicious, amazing flavours, amazing quality though! Top notch stuff.

Happy birthday to ME! Thanks Cocoa V.

What an elegant, sophisticated, lovely chocolate and wine shop! And best of all, it's completely vegan.

I came here with a couple of friends and we were all impressed. Cocoa V has dozens of unusual candy options categorized by textures or fillings; we shared a "nut" platter ($13) and a "crunchy" platter ($13). I thought the nut platter was definitely the best, especially the pecan praline and the chocolate almond butter. But the pieces on this platter were small and not easily shared (who wants to take half a bite of a tiny candy piece?). It was also expensive given the size of the candies. The "crunchy" platter is a much better value and you get much bigger pieces of each candy, but I wasn't super-impressed with any of the items on this platter.

We also had a hot cocoa ($4) and a spiced hot cocoa ($4). Definitely go with the spiced one; it's much more flavorful. That said, both are really tasty and decadent; it's basically like drinking chocolate. I'm kind of weird, so I was able to drink chocolate and then happily eat a plate of chocolate candies after, but that's something most people might want to be wary of.

Lastly, we tried a chocolate mousse pie ($7) which tasted good, but looked really old and flat, like it'd been sitting around for a while. The crust, in particular, had gone soft and chewy, which detracted a lot from the pie. It was also pretty small; I understand it's vegan and organic and whatnot, but people's perceptions of value play a large role in whether or not they'll return.

Along that thinking, Cocoa V could make a few improvements: offers a wider variety of looseleaf tea options (especially more greens and blacks from China, India and Sri Lanka) and offer them by the pot, so people can easily share. Maybe a combo deal such as a pot of tea and six big pieces of chocolate for $12-15---that would be a great value and would more easily facilitate the sharing aspect of any date or encounter people might have at Cocoa V. And I suspect this will be a hot date spot.

Cocoa V is a beautiful shop and worth a visit for the novelty value of a vegan chocolate and wine shop alone. I'll definitely be back.

After a great vegan lunch @ Loving Hut, my roommate and I were craving for some cupcakes. Thank God for Yelp, I found a variety of places to choose from on 9th Ave in Chelsea. When we got there, Billy's was the place to be, with a line of hot guys (too bad they were gay) falling out of it and delicious smell (of cupcakes) that followed them. But since yours truly was on the Lent, the only choice was to go to an empty Cocoa V for a vegan treat.

The place looked really intimate and expensive, but it was cold outside, and like I said we didn't have a choice. After all the prices weren't that bad: $3/cupcake and $4/cappuccino. But I wish I could say the same about the flavors. RedVelvet cake looked and tasted like a chocolate one with a weird aftertaste. Cappuccino was very weak, almost like a cappuccino soymilk. The only good thing was that frosting!!! Light, airy, delish...

I think I would rather not eat anything and wait till the end of my Lent to munch on some goodies from Billy's!!! It lured me with the smell alone, but I can already imagine that taste!!!

Sorry Cocoa V, seems like this is some kind of a promotion for Billy's, but that's just how I feel.

They soft opened today, just in time for 2017 Valentine's Day, with nut milk-based (I.e. vegan) chocolates that don't disappoint non-vegan. Their caramels are superb and the bonbons & truffles resemble the usual suspects, using the well-known Valrhona and the more esoteric Felchlin for the creations. Pastries and drinks are available for those looking for something non-chocolatey, or to complement chocolate purchases.

I don't get it. I love chocolate, but this stuff tastes like your average bittersweet dark chocolate, just shaped into some little prismatic form and with cutesy colorful glittery crap on top. The fillings in the bonbons aren't the right consistency (a little too runny, I think) and don't complement the chocolate. And for $2.50 apiece, you'd think they would.

And. Seriously. If you're trying to be all upscale and serve $50 bottles of wine, WTF is up with only taking cash?

I see no reason to come back.

Exuberance makes you blind. Let this be a lesson to you so that I did not wholly suffer in vain.

My buoyant mood after an unexpectedly satisfactory meal at nearby Omai made me a little careless, a little hasty and just a little too adventurous. I did not even see the name of the place before venturing inside. Recklessness, negligence, yes, I am guilty. However, unbeknownst to me, knowing the name would not have saved me.

Jasmine Tea with Caramel Bon Bon

Years ago, I bought two chocolates at Harrod's: Rose and lavender. Both were made of luxurious "soap" with very generous use of essential oils, which so perfumed the chocolate covered soap that even after the chocolate was spit out and my mouth rinsed several times, I still had rose and lavender in me. No, of course, they were not literally made of soap, but they surely tasted like soap (I should know because as an infantile glutton, I had eaten soap, mistaking it for white chocolate). I thought that was the worst chocolate that I would ever have (I did not ingest) in my life. Well, life is full of surprises, good or bad.

Cocoa V's chocolate had the honor to be the second batch of chocolates to be spit out. In a moment of greasy panic, feeling the oil spill in my mouth, I still must congratulate myself for having managed not to disgrace myself by regurgitating it down my pajama front, but actually held myself together until safely reaching the sink. The chocolate was filled with a mysterious oil, which, reminiscing now after allowing some time for rest and recovery, had an extremely unpleasant chemical taste - as if it was in fact made of petrol. No, there was no jasmine; nor was there any caramel. Just that evil oil and oil and oil covered by well-tempered but ineffectual chocolate coverings. Now, I know the true horror of oil spill: Those fish in the Gulf must have had an agonizing death. Perhaps I would join the rescue effort or shell out on donation the next time.

Salt Caramel Truffle

Suffocating on oil is a terrible way to die; but death from overdose of sodium-chloride is surely not much more agreeable. The chocolate casing had an eerie unpleasantness that I could not put my finger onto; after all, the tiny, careful bite I took (I do learn sometimes) did not give me much time to mull over it, not only because of its size, but also because of the short life it had in my mouth before being spit it out again. Bad, bad, and bad - inside out.

Almond Butter Truffle

Slightly more edible but by no means more palatable, it was merely a piece of ill-tasting chocolate. The strange unpleasantness also permeated this chocolate; as a matter of fact, this unpleasantness was a recurring theme that polluted all the four chocolates. Signature pollution, I suppose.

Earl Grey Bon Bon

The most promising top note, it had, for its Earl Grey flavor - what a relief after all the horrors. It was like an interlude, a short respite where the sun came out and you signed and believed the nightmare was finally over. No, no, no, Cocoa V did not let me off so easily. The Earl Grey flavor was soon overtaken by the evil twins of dark knights: the odorous chocolate and the grease. I replaced the bitten chocolates into the plastic bags in which they came and watched the oil running out and spilling inside the bag. What a sight.

After finishing a cup of tea to calm my feathers, I looked up the chocolate shop on the internet. VEGAN? The word flashed in capitals through my mind and came out of my mouth in an incredulous high squeak. Actually, incredulous should not be the word: it is totally credible and believable. In fact, it just about explained everything.

I wanted to love this place - I truly did. But alas - it was not meant to be.

Something good did come out of it - I will never complain again about the 4 dollar chocolate bar from veganessentials or Whole Foods - or whatever - ever again. : - )

It is a cute place and the staff were very friendly and they seemed to have enough to choose from - nice little selection.

But 8 pieces for $22 - well that made me sadder when they were definitely not worth it. : - ( Plus most were REALLY tiny (especially for $2 plus each) - only 1 was regular size.

the nutmeg truffle - too strong - did not like

chocolate truffle - good but small

coconut caramel - very rich and melts in mouth - wish had more caramel - but decent. This was probably the best one!

coconut truffle - good

vanilla caramel - lots of caramel, different from regular caramel - but good

earl grey - eh - barely OK - was very lihght in flavor - barely there and not worth it

goji with bacon - this was the biggest piece - kind of icky and the inside was very odd, not even a bacon flavor - kind of ewww

the banana something was also decent

Nothing was amazing and sadly I have not been back - nor will I be back....especially since only about half of what I tried were even decent....