Colocal Chocolates! Dhan Mill — Restaurant in Delhi

In this blog post, I cover COLOCAL, a first-of-its-kind artisanal chocolate brand from Delhi that offers an out-and-out unique chocolate dining experience.

I’ve had my share of trying times over the years but nothing has come remotely close to what I am going through right now. The second wave of coronavirus has not just created mayhem in India, it has also brought with it acute grief and unprecedented pain to a large number of people.

It's hard to remain calm when there is a loss of lives everywhere. Countless are forced to bid their loved ones adieu. These are untimely and heartfelt goodbyes!

I’m appalled by the situation, just like anyone who didn’t saw this coming. Never imagined the situation to be this bad. If the first wave of the coronavirus left us gasping for breath, the second wave has completely devastated us emotionally.

The hospitality sector is at the receiving end again, as one of the worst-hit industries. Restaurants and bars have either permanently or temporarily shut down, leaving many out of work.

For dine-in outlets, it's the final nail in the coffin. Trying to get back on their feet after the second wave is over will be a tall order if you were to ask me.

So what do F&B brands do, given that their very existence is at stake? Is the F&B industry in India up for a massive makeover? Are food deliveries going to be the future of F&B? I asked these questions to power couple Sheetal Saxena and Nishant Sinha, whose brand COLOCAL is redefining the chocolate indulgence experience in the capital.

According to Sheetal, “When we started working on this project recently, everyone questioned the timing. On top of that, artisan chocolate requires a skill set and formal knowledge. We broke this barrier and learned that all we need is sheer passion and dedication to succeed. All our team members are from a village, adopted and trained by us, they were unschooled before about the details. They make the most amazing chocolate with all the love, care, and precision. COLOCAL for us as we say; artisanal, sustainable, zero waste, passion-driven and approachable.”

Nishant adds, “Our objective is to educate people about chocolate and create a market for them to explore the whole process and technique of making chocolates. Our audience is inquisitive, experimental, chocolate lover, coffee lover, and a foodie.”

Artisanal brands like COLOCAL provide the much-required respite and encouragement in these trying times. After all, who wouldn’t want to learn the process of making delightful chocolates from locally grown cacao and transform it into one of the finest, skillfully blended chocolates!

Now you can also experience and get introduced to the world of craft chocolate by ordering real chocolates with their flavor profiles, made out of premium quality Indian beans.

The menu at COLOCAL is expansive and assorted with a mix of Italian and Continental fare such as the sourdough pizzas, handmade pasta, scrumptious burgers, and sandwiches, not to forget the most popular and celebrated coffee menu from the Roastery Coffee House.

My favorites include the South West Chicken Burger, Cranberry Coffee, and Twice Baked Chocolate Cake. You can place an online order for their in-house chocolate bestsellers like hot chocolate, cold chocolate, cacao cold brew, to name a few.

The brand is planning to blend food with chocolate, so expect some savory and flavorful star recipes.

COLOCAL also offers baked goods and bakery items revolving around chocolates. Go for appetizing desserts such as the Chocolate Soufflé, Chocolate Tarts, Cakes, Chocolate Babka, Sourdough, Croissant, Pain au chocolat, amongst many more indulgent treats available on the menu.

The avant-garde COLOCAL is an extension of Sheetal’s and Nishant’s gifted personalities. For me, the brand represents unalloyed passion infused with creativity and grit. With COLOCAL you’re witnessing chocolate in variants like...

I traveled all the way from Ghaziabad - more than 30 kms - to reach the outlet I have heard on and about for the last couple of months. And yeah ...the journey was well worth it indeed. Colocal Chocolates + Artisan Cafe is a sprawling property situated in the picturesque corner of the Dhan Mill compund. This Cafe has a certain European feel attached to it which makes it a perfect place to date and have great food along with appreciable coffee. You smell fresh coffee & chocolate aroma once you are inside that makes you feel lively and gets you ready for the lovely food that awaits you.

I had a good look at the menu while waiting for my food accomplices for the evening and sipping on freshly brewed spiced cold coffee. My spirits were higher as soon as my friends joined me and we ordered for the first course which included- loaded cheesy fries, veg tacos, avocado bruschetta and Saffron Prawn Mezzulene Pasta which was a special of the day! Well all the items were top notch indeed. Special mention here to the Prawn pasta which had a saffron sauce that I have never tried before and it really is mesmerizing! The hand rolled Ricotta Mushroom Tortellini too had its own highs and again the alfredo sauce was quite palatable . This led us to try the Pesto Gnocchi with Feta Cheese and Pumpkin puree which is unique and toothsome in its own ways. So don't leave this place without trying their pasta options which stands apart from the competition in town.

The Pulled Chicken Burger contained barbecued shredded chicken breast with cucumber, fried onions and a bit of mint mayonnaise which was accompanied with peri peri fries that were not that chilly though. We asked for a half n half sour dough pizza with fresh farm veggies on one side and garlic prawn pizza on the other. The sour dough pizza base was prepared fresh but I guess the Mozzarella was a bit too less than usual. Have the prawns on the pizza only of you digest sea food well since they were way more than aromatic than it should be. Overall we all had a good time over the food since the service was as fast as it could be and staff was very courteous indeed! Do take a trip of their chocolate factory on the first floor that would enthrall you with fresh aroma and flavors...

Let me start by saying this: I wasn’t expecting anything cheap, but for the premium prices they charge, the least I expected was decent service and quality. Unfortunately, this turned out to be one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve had, especially considering the hype surrounding this place. Broken Cup and Poor Quality Control: The cup I was served was broken at the mouth—a clear lack of attention to detail. How does a place charging exorbitant prices overlook something as basic as serving ware? Misleading and Disrespectful Service: Despite specifically requesting no non-veg items, I was served their Colocal Campfire Chocolate, which includes a brownie (made with eggs). This is absolutely unacceptable, as dietary preferences were completely disregarded. Even the hot chocolate itself tasted off—far from the quality you’d expect from a “specialty” chocolate brand. Mediocre Food Presentation: The creamy Alfredo veg pasta was another letdown. Instead of the traditional preparation, they paired it with a low-quality, stale bun. It felt lazy and uninspired, especially for a restaurant in a so-called “luxury” setting. Uncomfortable Seating: To top it all off, the chair I was seated on was wobbly and uncomfortable. At these prices, even basic comfort is apparently too much to ask for. Hype vs. Reality: The overall experience is a classic example of style over substance. The luxe look and Instagram reels may draw crowds, but they mask the reality of subpar food, inattentive service, and unjustifiable prices.

Coming from Ayodhya, where The Crescent Restaurant serves exceptional food and service, this experience made me appreciate my local gems even more. Places like Colocal Chocolates are nothing more than traps for those swayed by social media hype.

I may not be a big influencer, but my verdict stands: skip this overhyped establishment and save yourself the...