Stop over at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for that late-night caffeine shot. But steer away from expensive snacks
Caffeine Rush
Stop over at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for that late-night caffeine shot. But steer away from expensive snacks
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) is a spanking new addition to the upscale CR2 at Nariman Point. Walk in and
brace yourself for a loud "HI, COFFEE BEAN!" At first we thought it was a really excited coffee-enthusiast on her mobile phone.
Minutes later, the yell resonated across the quiet, cosy cafe once again and we realised it was the staff bellowing out a welcome to every new customer. Once you get used to the unusual reception, it doesn't take long to warm up to the place. The cafe has an array of wooden tables and large comfortable sofas the kinds you can spend all afternoon curled up with a book on.
We scanned the menu for a meal (not many choices there) and decided on a Chicken Mushroom Fusilli (Rs 249) from the pasta menu and the Chicken Caesar Salad (Rs 200). The coffee and tea menus were extensive though, ranging from the modest cuppa to CBTL's famous Ice Blended coffees. (Quick flashback: CBTL dates back to 1963 as the first gourmet cafe in California. It is one of the largest privately-owned, family-run coffee and tea companies in the world and is renowned for its ice-blended beverages.)
The Ultimate Mocha Ice-Blended was our choice and we had to cough up Rs 130 for a small glass. The Swedish Berry Iced Tea was priced at Rs 107 for a regular serve. A pleasant, very helpful waiter took our order, explaining that the ice-blended varieties had a special coffee powder that was their key ingredient. The food arrived promptly and we tucked into our Caesar Salad, which tasted a tad bitter. We were also disappointed with the stingy portion of chicken, considering there is an additional charge of
Rs 53 for it. The Fusilli made up for the salad with its thick, rich flavoured sauce and juicy bits of chicken.
The Ultimate Mocha turned out to be value for money. The thick heady drink is very filling and didn't seem to get over. You also have the option of sprinkling cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla or nutmeg powder to your drink.
The Iced Tea was bland and when we asked the staff to add some flavour, they promptly turned up with a cupful of vanilla syrup. We poured a little in, sipped it and finally were forced to pour in the entire cup, but to no avail. Dessert was Cappuccino Cheese Cake at Rs 215. With a hint of coffee and a sprinkling of chocolate chips, the smooth cheesecake was a perfect end to the meal. It may be a good idea to stick to the coffees at CBTL as the food comes with meagre portions and exorbitant prices. The beverages though make the cafe an ideal after-meal stopover.
At: Cross Roads 2, opposite Bajaj Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai 21.
Log onto www.coffeebean.com
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf didn't know we were there. What's On reviews anonymously and pays for meals
