Veruca’s Nutty Parfait
As many of you know, the amazing Charlie and The Chocolate Factory musical has recently hit the stage of the stunning Theatre Royal Drury Lane in Covent Garden.
To celebrate this hugely exciting event, (I LOVE MUSICALS!! Shhhhh…) the pastry chefs at The Montagu (which has been awarded 2 AA rosettes.. oooooh) have conjured up a delectable new dessert menu, inspired by the story and bursting with imagination.
Last week, I and some friends toddled down to The Montagu to experience this new menu for ourselves… and it was so good, Mr Wonka himself would have been mighty impressed.
We toasted the beginning of our chocolately adventure with flutes of champagne, while John the pastry chef (newly named ‘chocolate wizard’) talked to us excitedly about all his magical creations. We were going to be trying six (SIX) desserts. (Can I just check that you read that correctly – SIX. SIX. SIX.) Each one packed with nostalgic, childhood flavours, (bubblegum macaroons?) Wonka wizardry and lots and lots and LOTS of chocolate.
“Oh my God, we are going to die” said Mimbles, as John skipped away, to bring us our first two desserts.
I was confident we weren’t going to die, but I knew we needed a strategy. “Pace yourselves..” said Gem, earnestly. She’s very clever.
Ding ding! Round one…
Mike Teavee’s Chocolate Cake
Mike Teavee’s chocolate cake – ‘squares of rich, moist chocolate cake with a dark chocolate glaze and an edible piped TV screen and remote control’. Served with an amazing raspberry sorbet (which was one of my personal highlights).
“Wow” said Lena. (She said this a few times throughout the evening, but this particular ‘wow’ stuck in my head as it was a really big one and accompanied by big, wide eyes. ‘WOW’.)
The second dessert was the one at the top – Veruca’s Nutty Parfait – a nut shaped parfait, made with roasted hazelnuts. Ridiculously delicious and incredibly smooth..
Spoons down! John came over to see how we were doing and whisked all the plates away.. we breathed, stretched and, um, drank champagne, (this may not have been the best way to prepare for more sugar, but it looked so pretty..)
Ding ding! Round two…
Bubblegum Macaroons
Bubblegum Macaroons – multicoloured macaroons which actually tasted, (really and truly) of bubblegum. Proper nostalgic, Hubba Bubba styleee. It was so weird! And so great! I felt like I was a kiddiewink again..
And..
Violet’s Blueberry Mousse
Violet’s Blueberry Mousse – round chocolate cups bursting with blueberry mousse, with poor little Violet’s head and feet poking out… I remember Violet Beauregarde coming to a bit of a sticky end in the film, (the 1971 version was particularly purple on my television) and this dessert was the perfect way to depict it. What’s more, we got to pour the blueberry compote all over her as well, to add insult to injury…
And finally.. (we were seeing sugar stars by now..)
Augustus’ Spicy Chocolate Soup
Augustus’ Spicy Chocolate Soup – a spiced milk chocolate soup, flavoured with red chilli, cinnamon and star anise and decorated with marshmallow mushrooms…
and..
Willy Wonka Crazy Brownie
Willy Wonka’s Crazy Brownie – John’s homemade chocolate brownie, decorated as a Willy Wonka chocolate bar, complete with edible gold leaf wrapping.
By now, we could barely communicate with each other. Mimbles was staring into the middle distance in a strange sugar haze. I could no longer feel my bottom lip – I may have been dribbling. Lena and Gem seemed to be fine. Odd.
The desserts were all amazing – really beautifully presented, utterly delicious and so much FUN.
In addition to the new menu, every diner who orders a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory inspired dessert will be entered into The Montagu’s prize draw. The lucky draw will include a range of prizes such as a complimentary glass of champagne or first course to an overnight stay at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill. (Guests will be able to redeem their prize on their next visit to The Montagu.)
And (it gets better) each week one lucky winner will pick the Golden Ticket and will enjoy two top-priced seats to the new West End production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Hurruh!
I wobbled home in my sugary haze, dreaming of chocolate soups and bubblegum macaroons. Roald Dahl once said, “a little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men” – I couldn’t agree more.
The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory inspired menu will be available at the Montagu Restaurant until 18th July 2013
For reservations, call: 020 7299 2037
The Montagu Restaurant
Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill
Portman Square www.london.churchill.hyatt.com
Now THAT is a death by chocolate experience I would gladly succumb to. How utterly lush! If only I didn’t live on the other side of the globe…sugar envy sigh!
Ahhh what a shame you missed it! Nope, no mousse in my handbag, but I’ve got a couple of chocolatey treats coming up on the blog very soon! Eyes peeled.. 😉 xx
RoseBell xo
OH MY GOD THIS LOOKS AMAZING!!!
I LOVE THE LITTLE GIRL CUPCAKE!!!!!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
http://rosebellxo.blogspot.co.uk/
Poppy Loves
Ha ha Rosebell! It was DELICIOUS!! xx
Em Callaghan
Now THAT is a death by chocolate experience I would gladly succumb to. How utterly lush! If only I didn’t live on the other side of the globe…sugar envy sigh!
Poppy Loves
Ahh what a shame! Charter a plane immediately!
Hannah Cox
I just had to take two minutes to try and compose myself so I did not just let my hands fill your poor comment box with absolute waffle but…
OH MY GOODNESS.
This is one of the most exciting things I have seen all week!!!!!!!!!!!! And I am gutted to have missed out on this experience 🙁
Any chance you have a Violet’s Blueberry Mousse in an old handbag somewhere?
lovelettersandsnippets
xxxx
Poppy Loves
Ahhh what a shame you missed it! Nope, no mousse in my handbag, but I’ve got a couple of chocolatey treats coming up on the blog very soon! Eyes peeled.. 😉 xx