While it’s enjoyed daily all around the world, there is also a great amount of artistry and labour that goes into producing a high quality chocolate. Cacao trees only grow in specific climates, requiring consistent temperature and rainfall. The ideal location to grow it is 10° on either side of the equator, known commonly in the industry as the cocoa belt. Cacao is difficult to grow, prone to disease, and requires a lengthy and highly controlled process to convert it into the familiar form of chocolate, making a very good chocolate bar in many cases quite expensive.

However, the price of a good chocolate is almost nothing compared to a vintage wine, so that’s where we as budget-seekers tend to derive our pleasure. Vietnam, as a country which grows cacao, is becoming a major player in the chocolate industry. Maison Marou is one of many chocolate makers who produces bean-to-bar chocolates, meaning they control every process from the cacao bean to the final product. This differs from chocolatiers, who craft confectionaries from chocolate (though that’s an equally admirable trade).

Though these chocolates are a little more expensive than your average bar of Cadbury or Hershey’s, they’re also worlds away in quality. Much like a good wine, these artisanal chocolate bars deliver smooth, refined flavours influenced by the cacao tree’s terroir, and the fermentation process. These make for great souvenirs for your foodie friends, or for our case, for us to nibble on to reminisce over the trip.

Maison Marou not only sells the chocolates in their boutique stores in Hanoi and Saigon, but also operate cafes at these two locations with full-length viewing windows to watch the process in action. This means you can not only purchase their products to take home, but enjoy them on location as well. This was not an opportunity we could overlook, so we made it a definite plan to visit a Maison Marou when we could.

OUR ORDER

Signature Bold Hot Chocolate ₫110,000

While Maison Marou has a basic hot chocolate, we felt it would not be an experience without going all out. To us, forking up the extra ₫10,000 (~US$0.50) was nothing for a better experience. While we don’t know what the standard one tastes like, we think it’s safe to say that the extra cash was well worth the flavour.

The hot chocolate was intense – rich and thick, with a deep cocoa flavour and a faint sourness likely from the fruity flavours of Vietnamese cacao. It had a luscious mouthfeel without the distinct graininess one might encounter with hot chocolates thickened by starch. Instead, it was smooth all the way through, like we were drinking liquid chocolate straight from the factory in the next room.

This is not a drink for knocking back in one. It’s meant for sipping, for savouring. For appreciating the flavours and textures, and the experience of travelling to a foreign country to taste some of the best food in the world.

Brownie ₫60,000

A brownie may be simple in comparison to the rest of the selection in the Marou cabinet, but it’s also a timeless classic in chocolate desserts. We were curious as to how Marou would tackle the beloved American pastry while showcasing their products, and we certainly weren’t disappointed.

Where do we begin? First, the texture. Unexpectedly dense, it had a smooth, rich texture more akin to a ganache without being so sticky like fudge. It was also topped with a biscuit-like crumb, and nuts folded throughout the batter, adding different kinds of crunch throughout.

Much like the Signature Bold, the flavour of the chocolate shone through more distinctly than we expected. Rich and smooth, the brownie seemed to be dotted with pockets of caramel that added bursts of buttery, nutty sweetness that complemented the dark, fruity chocolate well.

Desserts like this you need to be careful with. It was hefty, but also so satisfyingly delicious that we’d work through a pan before slowing down.

Tart au chocolate ₫115,000

The tart au chocolat was one of the most eye-catching desserts on display, so it was something we both immediately wanted to try. The shell was filled with a thick ganache, topped with chocolate mousse, roasted nuts, cubes of brownie, and decorative chocolate. Stunning, yes, but we wanted to know how good it tasted.

The pastry shell was the thinnest we’d ever come across. Despite that, it broke cleanly, standing up to the thickness of the ganache without crumbling and losing its structure or crispness. The ganache was rich and almost pudding-like, and the mousse light without the foamy texture of a mousse set with gelatine. Accompanied by the crunchy roasted nuts and the bittersweet brownies, this one surprised us in that it was not overwhelming, while meeting expectations exactly.

To top it off, the chocolate piece on top showed off just how good Marou chocolate is. None of that waxy mouthfeel that a compound chocolate might have, just pure, smooth, decadent dark chocolate. The tart was nothing short of artful, both in its design and production, and reflects all the thought and effort in combining textures and flavours without overwhelming the palate.

Call us snobs – we won’t deny it. Chocolate is a particular weakness of ours, and Maison Marou just ticked all our boxes. Still, for chocolate lovers, foodies, and those with a sweet tooth, it’s a location in Vietnam that’s not to be missed.

Maison Marou Saigon
167-169, Calmette, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Mon-Thurs 9am-10pm
Fri-Sun 9am-11pm
marouchocolate.com

Maison Marou Hanoi
91a Thợ Nhuộm, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
Sun-Thurs 9am-10pm
Fri-Sat 9am-11pm