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Cocoa Tree
1 Green Close, Borrowdale
870848, 0772 433 945

 

AN OASIS OF TRANQUILITY AT COCOA TREE 2012

After a gruelling morning traipsing around the dreaded Sam Levy’s we were totally exhausted and in dire need of some sustenance.  It was one those really hot, humid days that we experience when it has rained the night before and when the sun comes out it’s like walking through a sauna.  All the coffee shops cum restaurants in the village were full of noisy families and even noisier college and university students.  My partner, familiar with the vagaries of ‘the ladies who lunch’, suggested Cocoa Tree in the Village walk – and what a good suggestion it was!

From the second that we walked through the gates of Village Walk it was like a different world.  Gone were the heaving masses and raucous students.  It was like entering a little Eden – cool, shady and quiet.  The landscaped gardens surrounding the café are absolutely exquisite with huge palm trees, gently murmuring waterfalls and calming tropical greenery.  The café is situated on an extensive colonial veranda, next door to elegant interior design and antique shops.  The wrought iron tables and chairs are reminiscent of French street cafés.  Incorporated into the café is a rather quaint shop specialising in exquisite handmade chocolates, biscuits and fine filter coffee.

The menu is simple but quite extensive for a coffee shop, with a variety of teas and coffees on offer, as well as milkshakes, chocolate drinks and fresh juices.  To accompany the drinks there is a selection of cakes, waffles, scones, pancakes and croissants.  If you fancy something savoury and a bit more substantial you could have the breakfast of potato pancakes, bacon, tomato, eggs and a cup of coffee.  The menu also offers potato and bacon soup, lentil and chickpea soup and a soup of the day, all of which I declined, but would be a great pick-me-up on a chilly winter’s day.  Other small savoury delights on offer included muffins, savoury croissants, bruschetta with a variety of toppings, toasted sandwiches and quiche Lorraine or spinach quiche.  If you’re in the mood for something more substantial you could choose chicken kebabs or a burger.

I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice (real orange juice not out of a bottle or a cardboard carton!) and my partner had a wonderfully refreshing homemade iced lemon and ginger drink.  My partner was not especially hungry so ordered a savoury croissant with bacon and cheese.  The croissant was deliciously fresh and buttery and the bacon was crisp and nicely salty.  I had the bruschetta with chicken livers although I was tempted by the chorizo bruschetta – something I’ve never considered before.  The chicken livers were excellent, slightly burnt with a pleasant smokey flavour and a rich onion sauce.  It was served with a small salad complete with a delicious dressing on the side.  It was exactly the right amount to satisfy my appetite but not too much to leave me feeling heavy and lazy.  We finished off with a filter coffee and the best espresso that I’ve tasted for a while.

I can strongly recommend Cocoa Tree as a superb spot to revive oneself after a tiring day battling with the determined Borrowdale shoppers.  The atmosphere is cool, tranquil, quiet and laid back and the lush, green, tropical gardens really help to revitalise and lift a jaded spirit.  The prices are reasonable and the service cheerful and friendly if perhaps a little slow.  But hey, I guess that’s part of the calm, soothing, unrushed ambience.

Coffee Shop
Plates 4
Expect to spend $10 - $15
1 Green Close, Borrowdale, Harare
Tel:870848

 

The Cocoa Tree Café – exquisite café fare in a unique setting 2011
If, like me, you have parked in Borrowdale TM’s carpark and scarcely spared a look for the walled annex named “Village Walk” I urge you to mend your ways immediately.  On reflection, in which I can now indulge, people emerging from “Village Walk” have a knowing look of serenity bordering on self-satisfaction or maybe they just look content!  For inside is a garden centre which even someone like me who is “horticulturally challenged” found interesting with its wide variety of plants and palms interspersed with metal sculptures and various other artifacts both amusing and beautiful, a tranquil flowing stream liberally stocked with fish and the amazing Cocoa Tree Café.

Before today’s visit the Cocoa Tree was only known to me as the home of delicious Belgian chocolates in Doon Estate in Msasa where one could also have an excellent coffee and cake.  I believe this shop has now moved to Arundel and the café in Village Walk of the same name is an independent business. That’s as may be but there is no mistaking the same logo, the mind blowing selection of chocolates and Easter eggs in its shop and the high class fare in its café.

By virtue of the fact that space in Village Walk itself is limited the Café appears miniscule with small tables scattered on all sides of the verandah.  When we arrived at lunch time all the tables were filled except for those at the back which we declined as they were rather dark and spooky.  Very soon we were seated at our Weya Art “lookalike” table with a short but interesting menu welcoming us to “Harare’s most tranquil meeting place”. On offer was a selection of Sweet Treats, Breakfasts, Soups, Light Meals, two Chicken Dishes and specials of the day which were Vegetarian Lasagne and Quiche Lorraine.  An amazing array of drinks including every possible type of coffee and tea, milkshakes, homemade fruit drinks and of course chocolate drinks completed the other side of the temporary photocopied menu.  As we gazed on the surrounding palms, fern filled baskets and pennyfarthing bicycle metal sculpture, busy waiters dressed in long French bistro style aprons passing our table with piquant smelling dishes helped us focus on the job in hand - ordering lunch.   We chose the Vegetarian Lasagne and Chicken Kebabs with Mole Sauce accompanied by Iced Ginger and Lemon and Homemade Watermelon drinks.  While waiting for our food to arrive we debated what the Mole Sauce might be – being poor at foreign languages I was inclined to think it might be a puréed small burrowing animal but my friend assured me that it was pronounced as two syllables and roughly translated as a spicy sauce!

Our waiter added to this by telling us that it had, appropriately, a small amount of chocolate added! My chicken kebabs were without doubt some of the best cooked kebabs I have tasted with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes interspersed between the moist chicken pieces and accompanied by the much discussed Mole sauce, wedge potatoes and a mixed salad.  My friend’s lasagne was tasty but unfortunately lukewarm but our waiter willingly reheated it in the microwave and all was well.  For dessert, and in recognition of the fact that we were in chocolate heaven, we shared a piece of chocolate mousse cake which was every bit as good, light and delicious, as expected.  Our coffees, the very best I have tasted in a restaurant for a long time and I believe the local La Luce product, were served with a delightful miniature chocolate frog on the side and completed a memorable meal. 

The menu promises “quality fare” and “value for money” and I have no hesitation in reporting that this promise was more than fulfilled and enhanced by the unique garden surroundings and excellent service.  
Coffee Shop
5 Plates
Expect to spend $5 - $10
The Village Walk, 1 Green Close, Borrowdale, near Borrowdale Village

A visit to The Cocoa Tree - catalyst to a great day! 2010
What comes to mind when we talk of “cocoa”? Some of us recall that welcome and warming hot chocolate beverage that our mothers used to give us as children on a cold winter’s evening.

Not so many of us might picture the city of Cocoa in Eastern Florida, USA, famed as a resort-town and for its citrus estates, located very near to Cape Canaveral.

One may next ask what comes to mind when we talk of the “cocoa tree”. Properly named theobroma cacao the tree is native to tropical America, a wide-branching evergreen which grows to a height of 25 foot. Its fruit is a large woody cucumber-shaped pod which contains large almond-shaped seeds. From planting, these trees are ready for harvesting between 5 and 8 years, and will continue to be productive for up to 60 years. Each tree is harvested twice a year. Once the pods have been opened the seeds undergo 3 to 9 days of fermentation where the seed then turns deep brown. In manufacturing it is then roasted and the outer skin is removed. The remaining kernel called the “cocoa nibs” is ground as cocoa or pressed and sweetened as chocolate cakes. The said seed contains theobromine which has a stimulating effect on the nervous system: perhaps this is the mysterious ingredient which causes our quasi-addictions and urges to consume chocolate!

As avid wolves of caffeine and chocolate, many Hararians picture instead of a leafy tree: the infamous coffee shop “The Cocoa Tree” tucked away in the Village Walk, located in the upper-reaches of Borrowdale Village. Here one sits under a slightly different canopy from the one found in the tropical forests and plantations. Similarly though one is also surrounded by the soporific trickling of original water features, thick vegetation in the form of the “Secret Garden’s” abundantly attractive display of plants, all overseen by the multi-hued Japanese koi. The latter keep a periscopic eye on the diners, ensuring that they all get to relax and soak up the tranquil atmosphere.

Certainly if the koi do not ensure the patrons’ happiness, the waitresses and waiters certainly do. It did not take too long for my companion and I to choose from the plentiful menu. A wide range of coffees and hot chocolates tempts both extremes of the sweetness scale, I opted for a traditional plunger of filter coffee and my indecisive amigo finally fell for the large hot chocolate. Once decided on the above we then had to choose accompanying edibles: from chocolate mousse cake to Belgian waffles, scones, croissants and classic BLT’s to name but a few. We ordered the waffle and a decadent chocolate croissant. The hot drinks arrived first, no sooner had the cups been placed on the table than I pounced on the three little chocolates which adorn one’s spoon! This is a succinct reminder of what awaits you in the heart of the bistro: a well stocked “chocolaterie belgique” worth a visit for its truly exquisite array of delights.

Although we had a bit of a wait for the Belgian waffle (reason being that they were waiting for the fresh mixture to rise, as related by our attentive waitress) it was certainly worth it. Drizzled with caramel syrup and smothered in fresh cream, how could one not appreciate this?! My chocolate croissant was nice and hot and went down as an apt accompaniment for the filter coffee.

So next time you are in the Village and your caffeine levels are low, or you are craving that dark chocolate be sure to head for the Village Walk, what awaits you will certainly  be the catalyst to a great day, if not a suitable repose to get you through it.
Coffee Shop
4 Plates
Expect to spend $5 - $10

Delicious Cocoa Tree – chocoholic’s heaven 2009
Cocoa Tree coffee shop is tucked into the small garden nursery in the Borrowdale Village Walk like a scrumptious hazel nut in one of their luscious, superlative handmade chocolates.  Round tables painted in bold colours by a local artist depict scenes of coffee workers and pickers amongst cacao trees and pods, obviating the need for table clothes and flattering the tropical forest feel of the garden hemming in the verandah on which we sat.

Being a chocoholic means I come with baggage attached – uneasy anticipation and high expectations!  And our visit coincided with yet another of Borrowdale’s interminable, utterly boring power cuts!  Cocoa Tree is not equipped for outages so we were quite restricted as to what was available; the coffee machines were not working and light meals unavailable, which was a pity.  Many of the usual coffees, cappuccinos and variants were listed, along with cool drinks such as iced rooibos concoctions, homemade lemon juice and freshly squeezed orange.  Our neighbours were obviously regulars and were enthusing about and recommending the chocolate milkshake and regretting that they couldn’t have a smoothie either. 

Cocoa Tree is mainly a coffee shop with a small breakfast and lunch menu.  Breakfast revolves around eggs – Benedict, Greek omelette, scrambled egg with mushrooms, etc.  Lunch included a ciabatta I would like to have sampled, and there were also quiche and sandwiches and a side salad.  The waiter was busy shifting the menu – there only appeared to be one – from table to table as new customers arrived so I didn’t have time to leisurely browse through it but the chocolate side was the real attraction – the chocolate fondue, best for a small group, jumped out as an obligatory ‘must try’ for another visit. 

You can’t do better than wander through the small shop, and a wonder it certainly is!  We tried the chocolate mousse cake and the dark chocolate cake with ginger.  This latter decadence was fantastic and the lustrous thick layer of dark velvety glaze a perfect lyrical compliment to the gentle hot bite of the slightly crunchy ginger layer – more!   Again I regretted the power cut as I was reminded of the hot chocolate with chilli they couldn’t prepare.  There was also a chocolate hazelnut cake and another with cream and I can’t remember what – oh dear … I shall simply be forced to return! 

The shop is an impressive display of glorious accomplishments of the chocolatier’s art.  I was drawn to the charts on the wall depicting and describing the lavish range of temptations.  You can choose chocolate bars of various sorts and if you want to spoil yourself or someone else you can’t do better than get lost in the wondrous array of individual chocolates ensconced in their little paper cups – liqueur centres, creams, fruits, nuts and probably more.  Or simply plain – dark, milk and white or mixtures, it’s all Belgian homemade chocolates of the highest quality and little works of art as good as anything you will find in Europe.  I culminated (or is it the start?.. they have a club!) savouring a nut chocolate that was transcendent.  As has been said, and I can only repeat, delicious – I can taste the guilt!

Coffee Shop
4 Plates
Expect to spend $5 to $15 per head