Mokka

With a name like "Mokka," it's got to be good.  And this little independent coffee house at 3075 Telegraph Ave doesn't disappoint.  Though they specialize in organic/fair trade coffee, Mokka also features a "sipping chocolate" on their menu, which is the reason I made the trek to south Berkeley, just past Ashby, away from the crowds and the parking meters. 

Because I often have my car with me, parking does become a big factor when finding a spot to enjoy an afternoon of drinking chocolate, studying, relaxing, indulging.  I was a bit concerned about finding a space in this area near Alta Bates, but I found a few 2 hour street parking spots just a block away. 

While I would have loved to try their "mokka," sampling their drinking chocolate was the primary agenda.  In talking with the barista, they make each cup individually, melting 65% cacao Madagascar Guittard chocolate with your choice of milk.  With soy milk as an option, I was able to make mine vegan from the get go, even though the soy milk was an extra $.50 over the $3.50 price.

Though all the tables were full, I was able to find a seat up on the window bar.  The space has a warm modern ambiance, and I was ready to settle in for a little work.  When my name was called and my drink ready for pick up, I was surprised by what I saw.  Rather than an espresso cup of melted chocolate, their "sipping chocolate" was an 8 oz mug topped with froth.  It looked more like a mocha than a drinking chocolate. 

I sampled a spoonful of the chocolatey brew, and to be honest, I was impressed.  It was not thick like the Italian cioccolata calda, which I adore.  And it wasn't the more liquidy drinking chocolate I regularly savor at Bittersweet.  This drinking chocolate was somewhere in between.  Rather than have a creamy texture, it was frothy and foamy as it was prepared using the frother on the espresso machine, instead of in a pot on the stove which melts the chocolate to create a thicker consistency.  It was different but I was enjoying it, one spoon at a time.  

There seemed to be a lighter chocolate taste in Mokka's creation, which was not as rich and decadent as your standard "sipping chocolate."  It did have a nice balanced taste of sweet and bittersweet, with fruity undertones, reflecting the chocolate they used.  Because this drinking chocolate wasn't too thick and wasn't too liquidy, it became the perfect dip for a chocolate biscotti.  The biscotti didn't go soggy; it kept it's crunchy texture; and the lightness of the drinking chocolate worked well with the darker bite of the chocolate on the biscotti.  A nice little marriage.

As I made my way through the froth, I eventually found more of a chocolatey brown color.  And as it cooled, it stayed fluid, not hardening up quickly like the sipping chocolate at Serendipity.  In other words, there was no need to rush as this large cup of goodness stayed warm and liquid for quite a while. In many ways, the chocolate became more "mousse-like" than "ganache-like" as it cooled, allowing me to savor my time at Mokka and extend my chocolate pleasure.

Though this was not an Italian-style cioccolata calda, it was a light, refreshing alternative that I can imagine craving again.  There was something about the frothy texture that was seductive.  In addition, given that Mokka's "mokka" is their "sipping chocolate" with a shot of espresso, I know I will definitely be back for more.