Sweet Week 2: Christophe Roussel

Note to subscribers: I accidentally left the I-Phone Apps in the subject line of yesterday's mail. Please open it to read about Sweet Week 2: Chez Bogato

Instead of having a mundane, overpriced gift shop in the lobby or trendy cocktail lounge, the Cadran Hotel had the genius idea of installing a chocolate bar. Is that a great concept or what?

Christophe Roussel is a rising star in the crowded, high-stakes Paris sweet shop world with his unusual and exotic flavored chocolates and pastries. The designers of spare, sleek lobby space wisely choose black as the background color, so that the brilliant shades of the macarons and the hot pink accent color of the packaging would pop. Caramel with salted butter, rum and Coke, chocolate & banana, lavender & apricot, green tea, and lime daiquiri are just a sampling of the dazzling macaron flavors. I safely chose a salted butter caramel and I am glad I did because it was not too sugary and the salt gave it bite.

For my lone chocolate, I decided to get more exotic, choosing the ganache with green apple and when I bit into the hard shell, the green apple flavor pierced my taste buds immediately with its intensity followed by the rich, creamy texture of the chocolate. Superb! Other flavors I sadly skipped were gancahe with tiramasu, almond paste from Provence with pistachio, intense ganache with African chocolate, Passion fruit, ginger with lime, and bergamot scented ganache.

The manager, lovely Anne-Sophie, gave me a pair of chocolate lips which I PROMISE I didn't eat and gave as a gift.

There is also a lounge area with black leather club chairs to enjoy a hot chocolate, coffee, and of course the heavenly chocolates and macarons.

I think it should be mandatory that every hotel lobby have a Christophe Roussell BAR a Chocolat.

Christophe Roussell BAR a Chocolat
Cadran Hotel
10 rue de Champs de Mars, 7th arr.
Metro: Ecole Militaire, 8 line
Tel. 01 40 62 67 13

http://www.roussel-chocolatier.com/

READ my chocolate lips

Green apple chocolate in the middle

Sit back, relax, and bring on the chocolates and macarons

Lovely Anne-Sophie- How does she stay so thin? 

Coming soon: Eye Prefer New York Tours

New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotte’s professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.

Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Minimum of 3 students, maximum 6 students.

Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.

Comments

[Diogenes]

Richard, these pictures are ravishingly good. I'm having my morning coffee and want to reach through the screen and grab those macarons!

[Emy]

This place is really wonderful. Savour a delightful macaroon combines with a cup of chocolate... A perfect break during a long visit of Paris!
I had a nice moment in this bar during my stay in Paris in last December, an unique place in Paris!

[LauraJ]

These pictures seem to be very delicious . And if you don't know,
In June the 5th, Christophe Roussel will organize a tasting work.
At this meeting, Christophe Roussel will teach you about his developpement of his creations.
You can taste the products of his shop (macaroons and chocolates)
Moreover you can receive some advises of him. You're gonna spend 3 hours to appreciate the pastry chef.

http://cadran-hotel-gourmand.com/apres-midi-gourmande-au-cadran-avec-christophe-roussel/