moorabool valley chocolate by design

Sorry to say, our experience at "Chocolate by Design" was so awful it has prompted my first ever cafe 'review' on Trip Advisor. It was that bad. The entrance driveway up to something that looks like it could be a farm house has a promise of something real and unique, but what we find is a cafe living in the 80's and not in a good way! This place has an air of taking the customer for granted on every level. It may well be resting on the laurels of a previous good reputation for a speciality in chocolate, because we really couldn't find anything in our experience over lunch to recommend here. Sure, it has a cabinet of 'house-made' chocolates (which in appearance were very average fare by today's chocolatier standards), and the 6 we sampled as part of our order tasted old and had that cloying compound chocolate taste - not that velvety mouth feel of fine couverture chocolate. Unimpressed. And as for the 'hot chocolate' ordered, we've had better hot Milos at home. We started with savoury lunch. Two of us ordered the 'specials' - Cornish pastie and beef and Guiness pie. Reasonably priced at around $11.50 plated up, but you presume the specials to be just that - and at least the freshest things on the menu. Both pastry offerings had stale-tasting, chewy pastry and the filling on the Cornish pastie resembled a grey mush and had a tainted gamey unpleasant meat smell and taste. If you told me it was dog food I still wouldn't have passed it. The Guiness pie was bland in comparison. Both served with a passable chutney and a 'salad' which was a pinch of wilted mixed leaves, some cubed tomato and cucumber strips with a couple of drops of something trying to be balsamic dressing. Someone else had the Plougman's Platter - again everything on the plate looked tired and old. Nothing looked or tasted fresh. Was really awful food. The ice I asked for in my soft drink tasted like it had been in the freezer since the 80's too. So with the equally bad chocolate chasers, you may understand why we left there vowing never to return. In addition the 'decor' is shabby and uninviting and the first thing to 'greet' you is a laminated warning sheet on the table regarding a caution to children about running around, touching or scaring the horses (apparently this house cafe is connected to a horse farm). Not very welcoming. Not sure what connection the horse farm has to do with the cafe, but it may explain the smelly meat in the Cornish pastie. The final straw was observing a supermarket home brand icecream container (which tells you that they spare no expense for offering the customer quality) containing refrigerated chocolate goop that was spooned into smaller pots and heated in the microwave. That became the melted chocolate dipping sauce for skewered sticks of marshmallows and strawberries - strawberries taken directly unwashed from their plastic containers. Massive fails everywhere! Just not good enough in 2015 people - we expect more from food establishments. The food can be simple, but it must be fresh quality produce (of which we have in abundance in this country), tasty and well presented. And if you are putting a shingle up pointing out your expertise in chocolate, well then at LEAST be good at that! Must say, that the young counter staff taking orders were pleasant enough, very friendly, efficient and smiley, but anyone over the age of 25 (including someone who looked like the grumpy proprietor and some older people hovering in the kitchen area) didn't look too enthused to be there and it reflected on the tone of the whole place. Despite all these fails there seemed to be a fairly constant trade of people dropping in. Can't see what attracts anyone to come here unless they just simply don't get out much so know no better, or its the only place for miles.

I've been here before two years the last time I was in Australia and it hasn't changed a bit. The staff were helpful and polite and the food was delicious (I only had the ice chocolate drink and two chocolates but that was enough). You can see the amount of detail and they take into making the chocolates and were very reasonable priced.

We stopped in here for a hot chocolate and it was lovely. we both had the hot chocolate on a stick (you have a chocolate on a stick that you dip into your hot chocolate and it melts) It's a nice little place for a quick visit, i've heard the meals are nice though we didnt have one ourselves. But even though it wasnt busy we did wait quite a while for our hot chocolates which was a pity.

I celebrated my 40th birthday here with 19 people. I planned in advance with Lynne via email. Lynne was very accommodating and prompt with replying to my emails. Food was yummy, service was friendly and prompt. Many of my guests had never been there and now intend to return.

We stopped by the chocolatier during our trip along the great ocean road. It is a small cafe and chocolate store, with a window peering into some of the chocolate artists doing their work (we expected to be able to see more of the land/do some kind of tour, but this is not that kind of place).We ordered 4-5 small boxes of chocolates (which cost nearly $100). We picked out the chocolates we wanted in each box, and the server pulled them from the case and set them on the counter. We paid, and the server said she would box and give us the chocolates shortly.It took 40 minutes for us to get our chocolates, and we watched several people enter, order, and leave the store before our chocolates were ready. It took nearly one minute per piece of chocolate ordered, and I was totally disappointed by the time they finally were ready.That said, the chocolates were gifts for other people, and they were all very well received. Not sure why our service was so slow, but that chocolates were definitely worth the price. I just wouldn't return after having so much of my time wasted.

We booked, no problems being served or in the length of time our order took to arrive. Staff seemed pleasant, the view was great. The fire was on so it was a lovely atmosphere. I had a devonshire tea ,my coffee was mediocre and the scones dry. The jam was very tasty but obviously they are rationing the jam and cream, not much is supplied. The toilets are very clean. Overall, probably won't go back in a hurry but willing to give it another try as it was relaxing and comfortable in lovely surroundings. I head the chocolates are delicious but I haven't tried one yet.

Called in for morning tea of fresh scones, jam & cream plus coffee. Everything was delicious and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. There was a large "girls day out" group next to us so service was a little slow but we were both given a yummy chocolate as a thank you for waiting. Interesting surroundings with the horses. Would love to go again. I'd rate it 4 1/2.

I am a local from Geelong and I took my friend from the uk to visit . It was very disappointing to have to wait for 1/2 hour for our food. Our hot chocolate was the best we had ever tasted , but the brownie was ok. It would be nice to see the staff able to give more smiles and more enthusiasm here as I think it is a wonderful concept for MY side of town to have something so unique. I appreciate that it was busy when we went but undo believe when younare running a cafe that it needs to be more structured and not to leave patrons eating for the length of time that we did.Regards Nina

Visited for morning coffee and lunch on the 18th April ,2012.I have been here before ,with different guests,they have all loved the place.The food is simple light country meals,$10.00 was the most for a meal. We had the homemade pie and pasties,that had a salad an fruit chutney served with it. It was delicious and great value.the coffee and tea we had was also at a high quality.the service was excellent.The view is great too overlooking the gardens and horse's.they have outdoor seating as well. There is also a fantastic lookout at the end of the car park,go there and you will see the view of the Moorabool valley,its stunning.Homemade chocolate are handmade by the owner lyn and her staff.they are amazing!!!! Order them with your coffee or takes some home.they do pack the choc's in a lovely clear gift box.I would highly recommend the cafe to everyone. Its would be best to make a booking as it is a popular place to visit.Check out there website for menu.CheersElisa. BPH.

What more can you want? Good service? Well you get it!Take the time to walk up to the viewing spot.

The website directions were spot on for an out-of-towner to follow. Yes, it was a Saturday afternoon of the school holidays so we did have some expectation of not being the only patrons. However it was surprising how many groups were in the modest cafe area and the counter display did indicate there had been a run on the favourites. Still my group of three placed a simple order of beverage and choccie treat and sat down to wait. Well, wait we did and in the process we noticed we weren't the only ones having to go and ask after 30minutes about our order. Unfortunately it was no better in placing the take away choccie order.Having already waited 45min to get our chocolate and beverage, one of our group braved placing a take away order. After standing at the counter for another 40 minutes, during which time staff served people at random and refused to acknowledged my friend's presence, a small box of chocolates was obtained. The others in the group decided against ordering take away items. Total visit 1hr 45mins and only 3 modest chocolates consumed. I can see why the website suggests booking if you want to 'eat in'.So if you are patient and don't have to be anywhere in a hurry you wont be disappointed by the chocolates. Don't bother if you have a horse allergy (it is situated on a horse agistment place) or want avoid being ignored by petulant teenage staff. I presume that's how they can afford to agist their ponies.Otherwise order from their website!