In my recent trip to London, I’ve discovered many new jewels, as is expected from this city. One of these new jewels speaks directly one of my ultimate passions; dark chocolate… Actually, mouthwatering-gourmet dark chocolate.

I was walking around and shopping for magazines amongst other things in Selfridges, and I see these very simple and chic looking chocolate bars on display around the corner, with names such as Wild, Smoke, Love, Orange, Wine, Chili, Blackberry & Cinnamon, Organic, Ultimate, Mint, Popcorn… (are you salivating yet?!)

So the nice lady at the counter approached me, explaining a little bit about the mystery of “Melt”, the chocolate sensation I apparently missed all these years being monopolized by Swiss and Belgian gourmet chocolates (and they still have their special part in my heart). So, she offered me some pieces to try such as the Smoke dark chocolate, Wild dark chocolate and the Chili dark chocolate (the latter being my favorite combination for years now).

And let me tell you, as soon as those pieces of exquisite heavenly dark chocolate hit my tongue and started to melt slowly, it was like a blissful fall down a luxuriously tasteful rabbit hole.

So I bought a few chocolate bars… Went to my hotel, and Googled “Melt” online (the packaging of the chocolate bars is fabulously simple, with great information about the chocolate you’re about to delve into).

(Scroll down for a video of The Art of Chocolate Making by Melt)

I discovered that it is amongst Londoner’s favorite chocolatiers, and that they have an amazing little shop in Notting Hill on 59 Ledbury Road (I was planning to visit this haven, but unfortunately could not). Apparently, “Melt” has a unique approach, you can see the kitchen in the shop where the chocolate is being made right in front of you, you choose your chocolates and they will gift wrap them for you. They have freshly made chocolate truffles, chocolate bars, hot chocolates amongst other things…

I also find this piece of information from their website (which you could order your chocolates from online) quite interesting: “Chocolate is the only food that melts at body temperature, hence our name. You can only appreciate chocolate if you let it melt slowly in your mouth – so we encourage you to taste the best chocolate and eat it in a different, rather slower and more seductive way. What we are doing at Melt is creating truly sublime chocolates using the best ingredients in the world.”

If you’re in London or planning to visit London, you must MELT!