We are starting to see interesting dessert places like Chocolate Cafes/Bars around Makati. In the battle of the best Chocolate Bar/Cafe in town, who do you think will win between Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe vs. Max Brenner Chocolate Bar?
Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe
The Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe is from the importers of premium European chocolates, which include Toblerone, Lindt, Ferrero Rocher and Ritter Sports Chocolate. The place at night is softly lit, romantic and conducive to conversations. They did a good job with the acoustics of the place so that you are not able to eavesdrop on the next table.
As you enter the cafe, you’ll be greeted with a photo wall with Maitre Chocolatier as the background in black and white. Sometimes, there’s a free fondue tasting.
Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe Menu: Chocolate Drinks | Chocolate Desserts and other Food
I like the menu because it is just focused on chocolate drinks and chocolate desserts. There are pasta options, but if you would like to eat, I would recommend just eating in Whistlestop beside it.
Ferrero Hazelnut Crunch Cake (P280).
The chef’s special dessert (when the cafe opened) is essentially a Ferrero-inspired cake. The cake is rich with a moist chocolate topping. It has a taste of hazelnut and a little bit of crunch. The presentation is really nice and it is good to share for a group of 2-3 persons.
Bailey’s Chocolate Vodka Martini (P130).
I love Bailey’s, so I had to order this one. It is an interesting choctail drink served with olive-shaped chocolate on a stick. But wait, there’s more! 🙂 At the bottom of the drink is more intense chocolate.
Chocolate ice cream is also available.
This has become one of our favorite dessert places after dinner. A good way to end a romantic date (especially for Valentine’s). 🙂
Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe by Eva Wong
2A, No. 28 Jupiter Street corner Astra Street, Bel Air, Makati
(Beside RJ Bistro, Whistlestop & Starbucks)
Telephone: +632 897-8559, 896-2529
Email: mchocolatier.manila@gmail.com
Open until 11pm on weekdays and 2am on weekends.
Note: Parking could be a problem, especially at night, because of the combined crowd from Whistlestop and Fiamma.
Max Brenner Chocolate Bar
Max Brenner was the first chocolate-focused cafe in Manila, and it recently transferred to Greenbelt 5. You can have your chocolate al fresco or dine inside a small air-conditioned area.
I like the ambiance of the old Max Brenner better because the new one is more like a fastfood/diner. It is not the type of place you would want to hang out with your special someone.
Max Brenner Chocolate Bar Menu: pasta, pizza, tapas, burger, bistro sandwiches | soups, breads, greens, starters, chilled indulgence, sweet icons, chocolate bakery | hot chocolate, suckao, choctails, chocishakes, aphrodisiacs, coffee, chilled drinks
Instead of just being focused on Chocolate, it now has a complete menu if you want to dine-in. But with the many options around the Greenbelt area, why would you eat here?
Suckao – a concentrated chocolate shot (P188 +10%sc).
“Suckao is the espresso of all chocolate drinks. A small, dense and concentrated quantity of pure chocolate. The term is made up of two words describing the utensil, the ritual and the unique drink.
Suck – inhaling the dense liquid through the metal straw.
Kakao – the cocoa beans from (which the) pure chocolate drink is made and which determines its quality.”
One of the popular drinks is the Suckao, where you mix and dissolve the chocolate in fresh milk. Then, you can drink the concentrated chocolate from the metal stirrer, which is also a straw.
Venezuela Dark Hot Chocolate (P158 +10%sc).
You can also order hot chocolate with the cacao originating from various parts of the world. But the bald waiters are not doing a good job of explaining the different attributes of the chocolate drinks.
In contrast, Heavenly Chocolates in Tomas Morato is doing a much better job of educating foodies on appreciating chocolate based on their origin.
Max Brenner, Greenbelt 5
G/F Greenbelt 5, Legaspi St., Legaspi Village
Makati City, Metro Manila
(Beside Le Petit Artisan)
Telephone: (+63929) 486-0234
So in the battle of Maitre Chocolatier Boutique Cafe vs. Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, my vote goes to Maitre Chocolatier. I would actually go all the way to Jupiter to get my chocolate fix. I was a bit disappointed with the newly reopened Max Brenner in Greenbelt 5 because it was not as exciting as the first store they opened.
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P.S. I can’t wait for Chocolate Fire to open in Salcedo Village! I heard they have problems with the city hall and are trying to transfer to a different location. Any news on Chocolate Fire?
I am looking forward to the day that a proper Chocolate shop will be established in Manila – something similar Cacao Sampaka in Spain 🙂
Quality of Service… that is one thing establishments like these should work on… not just the thinning hair on their heads LOL
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Maybe they thought the first one wasn’t such a hit, hence the need for a revamped look … but I have to agree … the first one was more cozy and likeable …
Yeah, it will happen hopefully sometime soon. What's so special about Cacao Sampaka in Spain? I haven't been there.
you brought back the versus concept… i like it! i will try maitre chocolatier boutique.. like Ms. Polly’s chocolate cake winning.. been buying it frequently since they’ve opened in Galleria.
Oh let’s give these places a chance to fully develop. I’m just excited that more chocolate shops are opening! Gives us more choices and opens our minds about the versatility of chocolate. I wouldn’t really be able to say which is a better venue since both Maitre & Max have different “personalities”. Same goes for Heavenly Chocolate. It would be utterly boring if all the chocolate shops started looking the same and offerred the same items, chocolate or complementary.
Ah good to know Max Brenner is still around, I thought they had closed down. I think their new location is more appealing vs the out of the way old location.
It is true that the old cafe was cozier and date friendly. It must have been a business decision to transform it.
Anyway, until I find an alternate to their Venezuelan Dark and Thick Hot Cocoa then I will still go there for it. However, I find the idea of gelato inside a choco shop truly tempting. I’ll visit it when i swing by Makati.
Yeah, but I miss the old cafe… thanks for the comment!
knowledgeable waiters are a must in any establishment! i just love it when servers talk about their food with gusto when prompted, it kind of draws you in and makes the dining experience more enjoyable!
Hi Anton. Great post! As for Chocolate Fire, I live very close to it and have also been anxiously awaiting the opening. They keep working on it, and just installed new chocolate-colored outdoor fountains the other day. My friend spoke with the owner in January, who also mentioned the challenges you did. Yet, he continues to work on it. I have a hard time believing he’d keep going if didn’t plan on opening here. Fingers crossed…
Thanks for confirming that they are still working on it… Sana magbukas na anytime soon
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various parts of the world. But the bald waiters are not doing a good job of explaining the different attributes of the chocolate drinks.
hi anton! my mom and i tried the ferrero hazelnut crunch cake yesterday. it was really good! highly recommended for chocoholics. ihihihi!
I’ve been itching to try the new Max Brenner pa naman hehe
Sarap no? Thanks for the comment ha!
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Hi Anton I had a really bad experience at Max Brenner in Trinoma. We were rushing coz we wanted to catch a movie. We ordered a couple of burgers and chicken fingers, thinking that it wouldnt take a long time coz there was only a couple with us at the restaurant and they were about to finish eating.
However, it was 45 minutes before they delivered our orders! The burger was dry, and cold! (how they did that i wonder) and the waiter kept on telling us that it was coming out already after we followed it up a couple of times. The fries were too salty. And the manager wasn’t even doing anything.
I will never eat at that place ever again.
Hi Anton. First, congratulations on your latest addition. You have a wonderful looking family!
Just a quick update on Chocolate Fire. They just posted to their FB site that they will be opening on February 23. Can’t wait to go to the corner and sip on a few chocolate martinis. See you there.
Thanks for the tip! We will be there on the 23rd then, hehe
Just came from Maitre. DO NOT GO HERE! Go to Max Brenner, atleast they serve more than ferrero and nutella. I’ll elaborate more soon…. bad bad bad…
Andre, please elaborate…
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Well how should I say, the Waffles with nutella was very plain and tasteless. The drinks took forever and came after we were done eating. The hot chocolate was not hot at all and the Orange chocolate tasted like there was an entire shot of grand marnier in it when the menu said nothing about alcohol in it. They ran out of their most popular dish and the toblerone truffle wasn’t good to serve. Waiter was good, food not good. I almost puked because of the taste of alcohol and couldn’t wait to get home to my throne. Not to mention my wife had some of the orange chocolate drink since we trying to figure out why it tasted like that and the waiter thought it had no alcohol at all. I think I’ll put it in a blog post. 🙂
and I just came from Max Brenner. Place isn’t looking good anymore, small and bright, menu isnt so fancy, the place and shared with the baker. BUT the chocolate is still just as GOOD!
Chocolate Fire is now open!!! Check it out..really great place!! Beautiful chocolates..there is so much range it’s amazing and there’s definitely something there for everyone!!! I highly recommend the strawberries dipped in chocolate and the truffles!!! Wow amazing!!!!
How dare you chocolate hater Andre. I LOVE MAITRE CHOCOLATIER
Andre BAD mouth, and BAD taste, and BAD person.
As i was settling my bills at Cafe Laguna after the RTD, Kuya Ricky and Speaker went ahead to the newly opened Chocolatier and both ordered at the same time.. It took me around 20 minutes as i pack things up and Yok quickly followed the two at ChocoLATE-ier… As soon as i am done with Cafe Laguna, i followed those three..
When i got there, only the speaker’s drink was served and i asked the two if the had already ordered theirs, which they already did so i went i ordered mine..
After 10 minutes, Kuya Rick’s drink was served… So his wait time? Around 40 minutes for his drink of the same type as what the speaker has ordered..
Chitchat of about 10 minutes and the speaker was to leave to pick his wife up and asked if he could have his drink on-the-go, so the waitress took his drink..
Another TEN MINUTES had past…
1.) Drink for take out was not served yet (to transfer the chocoLATE to a paper cup, would take that long?)
2.) My drink and Yok’s was not served yet
3.) Speaker’s wifey now calls where he is and what’s taking him so long…
So my speaker stood upnand went to the serving area and asked where his cup is an webt back to our table..
5 minutes past, his cup was here and he went off…
STILL, our drinks aren’t served yet!!!!
Yok went up and close to the owner/s he asked the waitress:
Yok: Asan Cr niyo?
Wtrs: wala po sir, sa mall lng meron, pasok pa kayo dun!
Yok: (making sure those owners could hear) magiisang oras monna kaming pinaghihintay sa order tapos wala pa kayong CR? How inconvenient!
Went back to our table and drinks were served..
55 minutes for our orders to be Served!!!!
And to our dismay,
A glass of chocolate drink which COSTS 150 pesos taste like CHUCKIE WITH ICE (but CHUCKIE is way better)
So we asked for the bill as we would want to leave chocolate hell…
10 minutes passed, bill was not on our sight and we had to follow it up before they gave it..
Paid and all, and asked for the O.R.
TO MAKE MATTERS WORST,
When the change was given, NO O.R. was included.. And all they’re saying is that they don’t have O.R…
Taking me so long at the cashier’s table, Yok came in and asked what’s happening, as i informed him, Yok was HB1 no more, but rather HB2!! As for me, HB1… Yok asked for the manager and they said his shift was done so he went home.. They went to those TWO STUPI% RICH D%MB%SS Owners and told to speak with us..
This chinese lady came and told us that they dont have an OR and that printed one is their official… (she spoke in english, was she trying to intimidate us?)
(though my nose bleeds)
Told her that: if this serves as an official reciept then why cant you include our company’s name here?
She can’t answer, she just said it was their bookeeper who told them that it is Ok and the need for manual OR or including Company’s name is not needed, she said if we really want, she could ask her BK tomorrow, have a manual OR printed after a month and then she asked me to comeback to go get it..
Kuya Ricky: HB1
Me: HB2
Yok: HB3
We left and swore to never go back and will spread the…
WORST CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE WE JUST HAD
Davao Abreeza Branch
I’m not sure quite why if Maitre Chocolatier is the importer of chocolates such as Frey/Ferrero/Lindt then how come they sell those chocolates at higher prices than the local supermarket nearby between Greenbelt 3 and Glorietta 4.
The atmosphere is quite a shot away from Brenner’s in NYC and the service really ruins your experience. We had a suckao and a white chocolate mocha and there was only one table aside from us but it took a while to get our drinks. The Suckao’s presentation is always a delight to see but I’m surprised that no one took the initiative to nicely explain its concept and the ritual behind it, the staff shouldn’t ever assume that their guests know what do with it. To add to that, I was served with pure white chocolate instead of mocha and when I asked if they can replace it, the server made it sound that she misheard me when she took the order (note that she actually repeated our order after leaving the table). Oh well, they happily replaced it which took another lightyear to finish up and so we got bored and asked for the drink to-go. They put my mocha in a to-go cup and gave it to me in a doggy bag. Huh?
I had higher expectations and I hope they’ll soon meet up to that.
You talk shit, as if you never make other people feel what you done to others. You are one sided personality with no respect and patient as well. I never encounter such bad experience at Maitre Chocolatier like you do, it must be one of your bad karma and so you get bad experience wherever you go.
Max Brenner is dead like nothing you can enjoy
We had a horrible experience at Max Brenner Greenbelt last night. We just ordered two souffles and a fondue, and it took almost an hour and several follow-ups before they got served! we were a group and wanted to share, so we asked for additional forks and again it was a very looooong wait. as for the food— the souffle was more like a burnt brownie. No chocolate oozed from inside and it was just slightly warm, not the temperature it should be. The ice cream that came with it was melted too. Must be from sitting too long while the souffle was cooking (or should I say overcooking). and the fondue came with a couple of brownie bites and marshmallows— none of the bananas and strawberries as indicated on the menu. When we asked the server where the fruits were, then she served them, but only bananas and apples that weren’t crispy at all. no strawberries! could it get any worse? Oh yes! We asked for water, and guess what? Another eternity. There seemed to be only one waitress that night plus the manager who was also the cashier who was also serving… Very disappointing service and food quality. We will definitely NOT go back.
Love Maitre Chocolatier was there several times, and love their new menu new look and new items esp during xmas. New basket color were also available to choose from. maitre were also available at Cebu and Davao had a great experience as well–they have improved a lot from my previous 1st two visits. All the Best Maitre Chocolatier, pls open here at Pasig or Greenhills area.
The Suckao’s presentation is always a delight to see but I’m surprised that no one took the initiative to nicely explain its concept and the ritual behind it, the staff shouldn’t ever assume that their guests know what do with it.
You are one sided personality with no respect and patient as well. I never encounter such bad experience at Maitre Chocolatier like you do, it must be one of your bad karma and so you get bad experience wherever you go.