Thailand, land of smiles ... and chocolate. Home-grown cacao beans and locally made bars embraced in Bangkok
- Thai chocolate is a relative newcomer, but the beans are grown in four provinces and numerous chocolatiers are making their own bars
- High-end restaurants and boutique cafes in Bangkok are combining chocolate with other Thai ingredients in desserts and drinks, including cocktails
What is Bangkok’s most extravagant buffet? The one in the lobby of the Sukhothai Bangkok hotel is a worthy contender. Its chocolate selection is a tribute to cacao in all its forms.
The highlight is a silver trolley loaded with tiny pots filled with chunks of chocolate from all over the world. After a short interrogation about flavours, textures and aromas, pastry chef Antonio Yang will combine any number of varieties to create a bespoke chocolate drink, whether it’s a steaming hot chocolate made with the Caribbean’s best cacao or an iced concoction based on Ugandan plain chocolate.
Suddenly, the average drinks trolley looks rather boring.
In recent years, the selection has included a newcomer to the scene: Thai chocolate.
When you’ve got a better product right here, why wouldn’t you use it?
“We currently use chocolate from four regions in Thailand,” says Yang, who admits that chocolate produced by European brands such as Lindt and Valrhona is still the most popular, although change is afoot.
