The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is an important unit of one of the leading players in organized retail restaurant business, Pan India Food Solutions Private Limited. With 6 outlets in Delhi NCR, It’s catching up as a developed cafe among all age groups. Quite common to popular opinion, a cafe is usually crowded by varied people, right from youngsters sharing a pep-talk to entrepreneurs meeting over a proposal. You’ll find avid readers and acute pro-caffein-ators.
The basic concept of including sides in the menu is followed up by coffee bean but it doesn’t seem to work out when it comes to our taste buds. Yes, the HAZELNUT LATTE is probably the best latte brewing in any of the economical cafes of the city, so is the Ice blended Hazelnut along with the Double hot Chocolate. A moderate Indian, who does not like an overdose of sugar, need not add some to this hazelnut latte. It’s appropriately sweet, obvious reason being the nut that’s blended with coffee. And there is something very different about the Ice Blended Hazelnut, which makes it superior to Starbucks for the selected few(I’m considering myself as one of them).
Coming to the new additions on the menu; a must-have for vegetarians seeking a filling bite is definitely the Malai Paneer Sandwich. It’s not one of the best preparations I’ve been exposed to, but definitely scored the highest on their vegetarian menu. Something that I did not relish, or for that matter, would advise anyone not to, was the Quesadillas. Ample effort put by the chef in innovating around the product but SPICY POTATO QUESADILLAS did not catch me. Nor did the simple Corn and Cheese quesadillas; uncooked tortillas with mozzarella scarcely carrying corn. Nah!Next on list is the Roasted vegetable sandwich in brown bread with hummus. Contrary to the attractive name, the sandwich is a little different from what is portrayed. With no vegetables, it’s dominated just by egg plant and might end up spilling water over your expectations.
Coffeehouses focus on providing coffee and tea as well as light snacks. But when it comes to light snacks, cookies and desserts are advisable over main course that’s being offered at these outlets. Their Nankhatai baked in their kitchen, might not take you back to the streets of Old Delhi, but can be savoured with a hot cup of cinnamon tea. Cheesecakes, definitely a hot-notch for the sweet-toothed; no harm in indulging in them over a sweet conversation or on one of those dull days.BUT, the social ambience and the pleasant hospitality cover it up completely.
You can’t visit ‘The coffee bean & Tea leaf’ and not be satisfied with the courteous manners of the staff. One cup of hazelnut latte with the perfect people around you sets your mood right. If that doesn’t work, grab a mug of POP CAKES and enter the bliss of childhood. All in all, I won’t call it a morose experience, but other than the coffee, It doesn’t classify as one of the best.
Review by Harshili Malhotra
