Saturday, June 15, 2013

A TOAST TO THE GOLDEN YEARS




Wow, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is older than me! It was first brewed in Southern California in 1963 so the franchise marked its 50th anniversary this April. In Malaysia, the franchise is in now into its 15th year with 50 outlets opened nationwide.

I bet few of you knew that it's also the oldest and largest family-owned specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States. Steeped in tradition, the company prides itself on sourcing and providing a diverse selection of the highest-quality coffee and tea based on long-standing collaborations with the finest private coffee farms and tea estates around the world. 
Wong Wei I, marketing exec of CBTL Malaysia briefing us on new products & promos
“As we celebrate this milestone for our company, we want take this opportunity to truly celebrate and thank our dedicated customers and fans who have been so loyal in their support throughout our 50 year history,” says President Mel Elias. 
“The 50th anniversary celebrates the spirit of our heritage, our passion with fans—old and new—as we look ahead to continued growth for the brand and future innovations. We are dedicated to further our one-on-one relationships with growers around the world and are constantly challenging ourselves to come up with innovative new beverages at the forefront of coffee and tea culture, as is evident by our  single serve beverage systems.”

 
We were effusively invited to sample some of the CBTL's new menu items at a recent celebration held at the latest concept outlet in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. 
 
 
 
If you want gourmet coffee at home, the CBTL Single Serve Beverage Machine makes a nifty gadget to own. Take your pick from Americano, Contata or Kadi models that can brew up espresso, coffee, tea or chocolate drinks. Buy it in June and you'd get RM50 off and 50 free capsules.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® will commemorate its 50th anniversary with special in-store new beverages - Rocky Road and Birthday Cake and special promotions until end June 2013, including:
§   50th Anniversary Open House on the last Monday of June, from 2-6 p.m. Enjoy The Original Mocha/Vanilla Ice Blended® drinks at 50% off

Fresh lettuce topped with chicken bacon bits, poppy seeds, juicy mandarin orange wedges, almond flakes, drizzled with lime juice, olive oil and onion vinaigrette make up the Poppy Citrus Salad (RM18.00). We like its refreshing and light accents on the palate.
There is an Oriental spin to the Chinese Chicken Salad (RM18.00) which has fresh lettuce topped with fried vermicelli strands, chicken breast, Chinese cornflakes, almond flakes and sesame seeds drenched in sweet and sour sauce. Equally tempting albeit a tad sweet for my liking.
If you like pesto and pasta, you'd like the Pesto Farfalle (RM14.50) - a dish of bow-tie pasta tossed with basil walnut pesto, grilled mixed capsicums, mushrooms and pinenuts. Its rich, nutty flavour scented with the fresh basil aroma will induce you to finish it with gusto.
 
 Minced chicken, hearty tomato sauce and lots of cheese dominate in the Chicken Lasagne (RM16.50) while tender turkey slices and poached egg with melted cheddar with a choice of Panini or Ciabatta bread and fresh side salad make the Egg Club Sandwich (RM18.50) my favourite for the afternoon.

Less indulgent but just as tasty is the Turkey & Melted Cheddar Cheese Sandwich (RM16.50) - a classic combination that has turkey ham and melted cheddar cheese on crusty Ciabatta bread 
The Pesto Chutney Zucchini Burger (RM15.50) turned out to be a nice, delectable surprise. 
We all gave thumbs up to the irresistible  zucchini & Parmesan cheese patty laced with pineapple chutney and basil walnut pesto that came in a soft Vienna bun and some cranberry salad.
Having a party? The Deluxe Canape Party Pack (RM58.00/pack of 20 pcs) will go down a real treat with four savoury nibbles: crisp “vol-au-vent” with salmon cheese mousse and smoked salmon topping; mini ciabatta with savory herb cheese and avocado; fresh-baked pita stuffed tuna mayo and mini baguette with light egg mayo.
Meanwhile, the Sweet Pickings Party Pack (RM58.00/pack of 20 pcs) offers bite-sized coffee eclairs, brownies, praline puffs, fruit tartlets and white-chocolate raspberry cake.
New cakes on the block include a rich, chocolate-coffee infused Mocha Cheesecake (RM9.50/slice; RM88 whole) and Hummingbird Cake (RM8.90/slice; RM85 whole) - an enticingly light sponge cake enriched with crunchy walnuts, bananas, coconut flakes and chocolate chips topped with decadent butter icing.
 Look out also for the new range of bottled tea in different flavours - you can select from carbonated or non-carbonated versions as well as a wide range of commemorative tumblers, mugs and plush teddies to mark the historic milestone.



 



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1 comment:

Ciki said...

love the food .. looks so healthy! Wash it all down with coffee.. my my.. what a perfect meal:)

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