The perfect cup

AS THE NAME suggests, American coffee chain Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is one of the few places where coffee and tea connoisseurs can dine out together without arguing over the quality of their respective preferred beverages. Java juice disciples can enjoy the light and subtle Jamaican Blue Mountain beans or rich and smooth Guatemalan Antigua while their tea-drinking buddies can choose from 13 varieties of whole-leaf teas including fragrant jasmine and spiced chai.

In operation in Southern California for half a century and with 990 stores in 27 countries, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or CBTL as it’s known for short, only arrived in Thailand two years ago. Local franchisee Fico Coffee has been quick to expand and today CBTL boasts 14 outlets in Bangkok and two in Pattaya and Hat Yai. The latest to open is at Central Embassy mall.

“Our philosophy is ‘from seed to cup’ and we select only the top one-percent Arabica beans from small farms and private estates in East Africa, Latin America and the Pacific. Our whole-leaf teas are the top three leaves, which are hand plucked and kept in single-serving, pyramid-shaped muslin sachets allowing the two leaves and a bud to fully expand for maximum flavour,” says the brand’s marketing manager Jirayu Setthapun.

Melon and tea lovers will love the two new beverages infused with sweet melon flavours and refreshing mint that are available until the end of August. The Iced Melon Mint Tea Latte (Bt120-Bt145) uses Bogawantalawa Estate Ceylon ground tea infused with the melon and peppermint and is brewed in CBTL’s multi-purpose espresso machine by pushing pressurised water through the ground leaves to bring out the flavour before mixing with ice and milk.

CBTL also claims to be the first chain to produce frozen coffee and tea beverages through its Ice Blended line, first launched in California back in 1989 and now popular the world over.

Various flavours and mixes are offered and the sweet and creamy Pure Melon Ice Blended (Bt130-Bt160, made by blending concentrated melon powders with milk and finished with a whipped cream topping is definitely one of the stars. 

Refreshing yet still retaining its caffeine kick is the Coffee Affogato (Bt135) – two scoops of vanilla ice cream topped with a shot of hot espresso. The Tea Affogato (also Bt135) is also delicious with two scoops of passion fruit ice cream mixed with a shot of tropical passion-flavoured tea, itself an interesting mix of Ceylon black tea, passion fruit and guava flavouring with malva and marigold flowers. 

Besides the single serving in a mug, the Central Embassy branch offers a set that provides your choice of tea in a pot and two cookies for Bt120. You can go for Genmaicha green tea – a combo of Sencha tea, toasted rice and puffed rice, spiced Chai blended from black tea, cinnamon, clove and cardamom, or Pomegranate Blueberry – green, oolong and black teas flavoured with blueberry and pomegranate.

Hungry Thais can tuck into Tuna Tom Yum Salad (Bt149) or Tuna Tom Yum Sandwich (Bt155) while those wanting something milder can sample an all-day breakfast of Egg Club Sandwich, Salmon Scramble or Egg and Salmon Sandwich – each Bt165.

Freshly baked bakery items include Apple Turnover Tatin (Bt80), French Butter Croissant (Bt65), Chicago Cheesecake (Bt125), White Choc and Raspberry Mousse (Bt125) and Chocolate Muffin (Bt65).

 

TASTE THAT DELIVERS

>>The latest branch of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is on the third floor of Central Embassy. It’s open daily from 10 to 10. Call (02) 160 5823 or visit www.CoffeeBeanThailand.com.