Beautiful weather, a breath of fresh air, some sunny spells and an attractive view, mornings at Zaitunay Bay is not to be missed. It was nine in the morning and coffee was freshly brewing... The wind and vibes were just perfect that day... it put a smile on my face for the whole week. Walk inside to a space inspired by Starbucks, this cafe offers a selection of food... drinks menu, and salads, sandwiches, pasta and desserts.
A large space with a long name caught first caught my attention in Hamra, as I was doing a coffee shop round up a while back. In Zaitunay Bay, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is located on the right side when going out of the parking. My breakfast journey started with a freshly brewed pot with a proper taste, right acidity and no bitterness. Concentrated and not watery.
- Eggs Benedict: they're everything except eggs Benedict! They're not poached, I didn't see any sauce Hollandaise and the English muffins are inexistent. Anyway, as they are -with a changed name- this egg and cheese sandwich is tasty. A crispy focaccia upped with melted cheese, a slice of turkey ham and a moist fried egg on top. On the side is a portion of butter and another of jam and dried fruits. Change the name and it's a delicious and generous breakfast dish.
- Goat cheese: two slices of focaccia bread in a sandwich filled with cream cheese mixed with colorful bell pepper. Lightly crispy borders and a chewy heart with a nice warm goat cheese filling. With that are tomatoes, cucumbers and olives.
- Banana and walnuts in a super moist, extremely flavorful muffin. No need for more description but this muffin is simply awesome. One of the best I've had in Lebanon. Not chewy, not condensed but airy and light.
- Scone:bread, too much bread for me with dried raisins. Nothing exceptional I would order again.
- Chocolate croissant: Delicious fluffy and airy chocolate stuffed croissant with a flaky feel. An excellent chocolate taste and aroma, an amazing dough, a huge sized croissant... Impressive!
- The Triple Decker cheesecake: It's for LBP9,000, a small piece devoured in couple bites but worth checking out. A layer of crunchy biscuit, a layer of creamy espresso, cheese cake and Oreo on top. Very well balanced, not gooey and not too sweet. A good one.
On the bay, a coffee shop can host you for coffee and more.
