Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2010

Until you’ve tasted the artisanal creations of François Pralus, you’ve never really tasted chocolate. Pralus, who hails from Roanne, is one of only three French chocolatiers who still make their products by hand directly from cocoa beans. He’s now brought his delicious sweets to Japan with his first boutique, located in the depachika of the newly renovated Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza.

For his single-origin grand cru chocolates, Pralus sources cocoa beans from the finest plantations in South America, Indonesia and Africa. And you can see from the sparkle in his clear blue eyes how much fun he’s having. “What I look for is a balance of floral, fruity and acidity,” he told Metropolis at the opening of his new shop. “What I try to do is keep a very good balance between bitterness and a hint of acidity.”

Pralus makes all his chocolates using the same recipe, so the amazing range of tastes in each of his 19 grand cru chocs derives from the terroir and the type of cocoa plant. He says he especially loves working with the rare Criollo cocoa bean. His Madagascar grand cru Criollo is a revelation: smooth, complex, with a bright fruity acidity. Pralus’ chocolate bar, Barre Infernale Noire, features a rich dark couverture enclosing a luscious ganache studded with roasted almonds.

In addition to chocolates, the boutique will feature Pralus pastries, including the renowned “Praluline,” a praline brioche first created 50 years ago by his father, Auguste, one of France’s most famous patissiers.

B2 Ginza Mitsukoshi, 4-6-16 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-3562-1111. Open daily 10am-8pm. Nearest stn: Ginza, exit A7.