CHOCAHOLICS stand by - your dreams are about to drown in brown.

How about a restaurant with a room chock-a-block with choccie?

The award-winning J Baker's Bistro Moderne in Fossgate, York, is blending chic with choc in a bid to pay tribute to the Chocolate City.

Its upstairs Chocolate Room opens officially next Friday.

But waitress Audrey Outhwaite was determined to preview some of the extensive chocolate menu which will be on offer.

She tucked into milk chocolate and lavender fondue with choccie-smothered hand-made marshmallows, hand-made Armagnac truffles, washed down with - wait for it - chocolate beer.

Chef-proprietor Jeff Baker, who opened the restaurant a year ago, said: "We had the idea for the Chocolate Room pretty much from the start.

"Given the city of York is world famous for the manufacture of chocolate, we thought it a fitting tribute to that local industry having part of J Baker's zoning in on nothing but chocolate.

"We've created a chocolate menu, which encourages anyone who loves chocolate to enjoy chocolate's every dimension - quite simply you can eat it, drink it - even sniff it."

But what about the calories?

Jeff said: "Who cares? Once you start indulging in chocolate that is an after-thought.

"We serve a lot of fresh, lean food in our restaurant, but everyone is entitled to pamper themselves. We won't have any scales lying around here.

"We're not looking and nobody's telling. Your choccie secret is safe with us."

Other examples of what is in store for the choco-diner are the UK's first supply of fresh chocolates from Ovadias in Belgium; chocolate and vanilla milkshakes; traditional blend hot chocolate; Espresso and crème-de-cocoa.

And the chocolate beer? Everything in moderation. It is 6.5 per cent alcohol by volume, so downing it in one go could prove a choc to the system.


J Baker's Chocolate Room Menu

CHOCOLATE HEAVEN
Banana split (chocolate ice cream and toasted nuts) £4.50

Today's Sweet Shop Chocolate Bar (in the style of Crunchie, Bounty or Toffee Crisp) £4.50Milk chocolate and lavender Fondue (with hand-made marshmallows and fruit kebabs) £4.50Armagnac truffles (plate) £1.95. (In a box) £3.50

CHOCOLATE DRINKS
Chocolate and vanilla milkshake £3.50 (adult version £1.75 supplement)

Meantime Chocolate Beer £3.50Traditional blend hot chocolate £3.50Espresso, cream de cacao (Yorkshire cream) £3.50