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If there is one coffee shop that we consider as our favorite, it’s The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. As such, we were so happy when we found out that there is a branch just at the ground floor of SM Jazz Residences.

In the past, when Ynah and I were not yet married, we would always ask our friends to have coffee with us at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, either at their branches in Ayala Triangle or Eton Centris.

Breakfast spread like Brek O' Day and Sardine and Garlic Linguine at at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Our brunch spread at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf consisted of Brek O' Day, Sardine and Garlic Linguine, and, of course, coffee

Brunch at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

What we liked best about The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is its easygoing ambiance and friendly staff. Apart from those, it just seems that the crowd who frequent this coffee shop is the more quite and more mature ones. Those are just our observations in the outlets where we have been.

Our brunch meal experience at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Just recently, Ynah and I decided to take Miguel for brunch at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Although we have previously eaten here, it was our first time to try their breakfast items. We ordered Brek O’ Day, which seemed to be the most popular item among their breakfast choices. Ynah was craving for Sardine and Garlic Linguine, one of our favorites, so we ordered that, too. The Brek O’ Day came with a free cup of coffee, refillable until 11:00 AM, but we also ordered a large cup of our favorite drink, hot caramel macchiato.

Brek O' Day

Now, the Break O’ Day is actually a light breakfast composed of salad, bagel, eggs, and your choice of ham or sausage. It is presented beautifully in a plate, the fresh salad looking lively with its bright colors, so the sight of which will liven up your appetite. The salad did not disappoint because it was fresh and crisp but we could use a bigger serving.

For the meat, only chicken sausage was available to we had no choice. Anyway, it was really good. The sausage was of high quality and the meat was firm. Meanwhile, we requested for scrambled eggs which were served to us creamy and silky smooth. We later found out that they add milk, cheese, and seasonings to their scrambled eggs.

While we were enjoying our Brek O’ Day, we realized that Miguel was not satisfied with his milk so we ordered Food for Thought because we thought he might like scrambled eggs. We requested for the eggs well-done and with no milk, cheese, and seasonings. The scrambled eggs were delivered just as we requested them to be: well-done and unseasoned. It was also a nice gesture of the cashier to write a note that read “for the baby” in the order slip.

Anyway, we also ordered another of our favorite dish at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf which is the Sardine and Garlic Linguine. This pasta dish has generous helpings of Spanish Sardines sautéed in garlic and olive oil, a savory combination which never fails to leave our palates satisfied. A serving of this pasta is definitely filling for one person.

Our other favorites

Although they do not have rice in their menu, we love the food served at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. We particularly like their Chilled Spicy Chicken Pasta Salad. It’s a simple salad composed of lettuce leaves, macaroni, cucumbers, and strips of chicken breast sprinkled with bits of chili flakes. I don’t know what dressing they use for it; my guess is that it is just seasoned with plain salt and pickled red onions. Aside from this, the Classic Caesar Salad is another light choice that we would keep coming back to at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. For dessert, a slice of guiltless chocolate cake always caps our meals at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

All in all, it’s always a wonderful experience every time we visit The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The ambiance and the food are good enough reasons to return whenever we need to relax and sip a good cup of warm coffee.

If you need to see the different items in the menu as well as the store locations of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, you may visit their website here.

Things to watch out for at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Some of the things that patrons watch out for are The Giving Journal, which are collectible planners that you earn after accumulating points from your coffee purchases. Part of the proceeds from the sales are donated to charity so it's two birds with one stone -- you enjoy your favorite coffee and you support social responsibility.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf also sells sustainable merchandise like bamboo tumbler and bamboo straws. Aside from supporting environmental sustainability, it also supports the livelihood of local farmers.Find out more about those products here.

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