Rabot 1745 (London Bridge)

• You know that moment in the film Chocolat when Vianne wins over the town critics with roast chicken smothered in some kind of chocolate gravy
• That's what I was expecting from Rabot 1745 (London Bridge) and
• This relatively new restaurant is designed to look like cocoa plantation
• It must be said that both our waiter and the manager were excited by their product
• Roasted cocoa taken from the Rabot Estate cocoa plantation in the West Indies is used in all the dishes both (savoury and sweet) and the delightful cocktails
• I couldn't really taste it in my Cacao marinated beef with dauphinois potatoes and garlic creamed spinach
• As chocolate is usually seen as a treat
• The justification for accepting an invitation to dine at Rabot 1745 was all about intrigue rather than any expectation of gourmet dining
• Stocked floor to ceiling with chocolatey treats that seem to catch your nose and draw you in like a pig to a truffle*
• Turns out Hotel Chocolat began life in 1988 although it was another 15 years before they got to their current name
• The Rabot name is what I&rsquo
• Waiting in a shallow bowl were cacao beans
• Think all of the chocolate taste but with none of the sweetness or smoothness
• These bitter and granular bullets are certainly not to everyone&rsquo
• Nose fizzing Prosecco was on hand to wash that intense bitterness away so all was well
• The temptation was to ask for one of everything
• Full breakfasts were quickly ordered
• The Full Plantation Breakfast was the more traditional of the two plates
• The Plantation Garden Breakfast was a little bit more racy
• Both breakfasts came with sourdough toast (doesn&rsquo
• ) and butter spiked with cocoa nibs
• What we had here were great ingredients
• Just as we were feeling pretty stuffed
• We were persuaded (pretty easily) to finish with something sweet perhaps a brownie or some banana bread
• We ended up with both oops
• Hotel Chocolat is channelling its effortless cool in a way few chain shops or restaurants can achieve
• I had the Mac and cheese with cacao nibs
• We had some sides of veg as well and again with cacao in one way or another
• The setting is also beautiful
• Right on borough market the restaurant upstairs is modern whilst the bar down stairs has opening shutters at the front lovely on a summer day
• Best of all upstairs they have on outside seating area which looks out on to the market with umbrellas for shelter and heaters
• The only downside was you are next to the trains
• It's not cheap but it is worth a visit
• Because the food here is certainly not a joke &ndash
• Rabot 1745 is part of the Hotel Chocolat story
• I have to admit that on first glance I was slightly concerned that a chocolate themed restaurant in a foodie paradise as deeply entrenched in the London food psyche as borough market is
• If you are like me and love anything with chocolate in it
• Their whole menu is made with or infused with cocoa
• I knew I was in for a treat as she always knows some of the best places for hot drinks
• The story behind Rabot 1745 is that this cafe is from the people behind Hotel Chocolat
• All of the cocoa beans are sourced from their plantation in St Lucia
• Rabot 1745 is Hotel Chocolat&rsquo
• Set in the heart of Borough Market with an expansive terrace offering commanding views over the market this shop/café
• /bar/restaurant is a great place to sneak a chocolate treat
• Just be sure to enquire about what rums are behind the bar but possibly not mentioned in the drinks list) and/or have a surprisingly sophisticated meal
• Other than a latte this morning from a machine (which scored a zero) was our first amazing offering of a flat white in London
• The only reason it didn't get a 5 was it wasn't quite hot enough
• In general the concept is to make/combine everything with cocoa
• The French fries were delicious and the pork belly was good
• Overall a good and calm restaurant with a nice terrace in the market

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