This past weekend, as I entered Mitsuwa Marketplace, a group of teenagers entered alongside at the same time.  One of the teenage girls suddenly exclaimed with glee, “OH MY GOD!  They have ROYCE’ chocolates!”, and immediately darted towards the chocolates display to the right of me, leaving her friends looking puzzled and asking each other, “What is she talking about?” … “I think she said something about chocolates?” … “What’s so special about these chocolates?”  Seeing her excitement naturally made me curious, and I followed and wondered to the bright blue ROYCE’ sign atop a small display in the middle of the Japanese sweets and confectionery department.

After exhaling from her moment of pure happiness and awe, the young lady joyfully explained she had her first taste of ROYCE’ truffle chocolates in New York.  From her reaction, that one taste years ago was everlasting.  Yelp reviewers on ROYCE’ share similar sentiments too.  With that, I had to try a box of ROYCE’ chocolates – splurging $18 and hopeful for an everlasting tasting experience too.

ROYCE’ chocolates are truffle chocolates, which “is a type of chocolate traditionally made with a chocolate ganache centre coated in chocolate, icing sugar, cocoa powder or chopped toasted nuts.  ROYCE’ chocolates are meant to be eaten chilled.  Their chocolates are displayed in a small, open refrigeration unit and, upon purchase, are placed in an insulated cooling bag along with an ice pack.  This packaging is to ensure the chocolates stay at their optimal temperature during transport from the store and until it can be refrigerated again.

The interior packaging is unlike a traditional box of chocolates.  18 rectangular truffles are densely packaged in a thin plastic square container.  Once opened, the truffles should be consumed by the best before date marked on the exterior cardboard box.  All 18 intense chocolate pieces will undoubtedly be enjoyed well before the best before date.

ROYCE’ chocolates offers the following varieties at Mitsuwa Marketplace:
  •   Nama Chocolate “Au Lait”
  •   Nama Chocolate “Bitter”
  •   Nama Chocolate “Ghana Bitter”
  •   Nama Chocolate “Maccha”
  •   Nama Chocolate “Champagne (Pierre Mignon)”
  •   I was too timid to try the popcorn chocolate and chocolate potato chips.  Those seem dangerously addictive.  Which are your ROYCE’ favourites?

“Put ‘Eat Chocolate’ at the top of your list of things to do today.  That way, at least you’ll get one thing done.” — Anonymous

— — —
Related articles:
[1] Wikipedia: Chocolate Truffle
  •   Eat Along With Me: ROYCE’ Chocolate
  •   Kitchen Cow: ROYCE’ Chocolates
  •   New York Eater: ROYCE': How Japan Does Chocolate
  •   Not Just a Food Blog: Royce Nama Chocolates
  •   Shanghai Girl Eats: ROYCE’ Chocolate
  •   Wikipedia: ROYCE’