Chocolate Alchemy

3.5/5 stars

The cakes at Amandine may be a touch uneven, but the sheer boldness of flavors on display here astonishes. The young pastry chefs behind the counter whip up some amazingly creative desserts that you’ll either love or hate. There’s no middle ground here, and that’s actually a plus. Their unique tastes are definitely worth pausing for. We especially liked the passion fruit cake (¥35). The spicy gingerbread bottom delightfully contrasts with the silky smooth vanilla mousse and the light, fruity filling. We’re still dreaming about the potent blend of flavors packed inside. The Brittany pie (¥25) is another worthy treat, with a soft custard-like filling dolloped over a crumbly, buttery base reminiscent of English shortbread. One misstep was the chocolate crispy pie (¥28), an adorably cute cake with a glistening layer of ganache. The crunchy texture and smooth praline sounded good on paper, but didn’t quite come together well in real life. All in all, the offerings at Divina are more consistent, but where else are you going to get a bonbon flavored with olive? (Surprisingly tasty, we might add.) The atmosphere inside is pleasantly faux-Parisian, and is a comfortable enough café for anyone with a few hours to kill in Sanlitun SOHO.

Lisa Gay, September, 2011