CBTL 26th Bistro and CBTL Coffee Bar

When I first caught sight of the CBTL being constructed along 26th Street in BGC I thought it was a little too grand from other CBTLs. Curious, I passed by again last week to see if it was done, and it was (they're just on  soft opening though.) Surprisingly, it wasn't their usual cafe but a restaurant, the first CBTL Bistro branch to open in the country (I assume?) Immediately, I had a yearning for whatever it was they served.

My first impression of their interior is that it somehow reminded me of Starbucks' (the one with the drive-thru) Filipino themed furnishings...but then again it's CBTL, so they do no wrong.

It's both posh and comfortable.

The Grilled Lamb Chops is the most expensive thing in the menu.

They serve dessert besides cake!

I was in for a treat with their extensive menu...the only down part was that they charge a little bit more than the cafe. An example would be their Eggs Benedict which costs P325.00, while the one in the cafe costs P245.00. Their tea lattes also cost more as their Chai Latte was at P165.00 while in their cafe it would only cost you P135.00 - P155.00...plus there's a 10% service charge added to the bill. So if you're there for just tea or coffee, it's gonna cost you. But I have to admit, the service is pretty good as servers are quick on their feet...still, I think a tip is always better than a hefty 10% service charge.

After a long self-debate whether to have something savory or something sweet, I went with their US Angus Tapa (P395.00.) It comes with a sunny side up egg, garlic rice, baked pesto tomato, jellied achara, and a large coffee with lots of milk on the side. It took about 8-minutes for my food to arrive.

Ack! Coffee nightmare!!!

US Angus Tapa (my actual plate)

I thought, like many other restos, the beautiful plating only happens during the photo shoot of the menu; but in this case, the same picture came to my table in all its photogenic charm. And when food this pretty is served on your table, one cannot help but take photos to make your friends envy you. 

With a plate looking that good it would be a crime if the taste didn't do it justice--not to mention the price. In this case, let me describe it through an oxymoron: it's an innovatively familiar take on our local tapa. The meat itself tasted what tapa should taste like, but if you smear it on the reduction (the brown thingy that looks like brown paint on the plate,) it tastes close to an american steak marinated in red wine. The meat was tender but still retained that chewiness we often associate with tapa. The reduction which they artfully painted my plate with had a very concentrated flavor of worcestershire sauce that kicks you in the end with its spicy note and a little acid...probably red wine. The egg...well it tasted like egg, and the garlic rice didn't taste garlicky enough.

What intrigued me though was the achara that came in the form of a cubed gelatin. At first I thought they mixed my dessert with the entree to save on plating, but then it reeked of achara goodness that it was a good surprise on my end. The baked pesto tomato was light and was a good side dish that came with the tapa.

My biggest challenge was the coffee because the bistro doesn't give you the option to choose between tea or coffee (unlike in their cafe.) I was stuck chugging down their very bitter coffee...in the end, I had to leave it half-full. 

The question is...will I be going back there? Of course! It's CBTL!!!

CBTL's Guiltless Chocolate Mousse (Php135) Made with Splenda. 

They open from 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.



The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 26th Bistro
G/F Net Lima Building
4th Ave. cor. 26th St.
Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City

The CBTL Coffee Bar

They have a minimalist approach on this one.

I was over in Muji at High Street when I saw the sign, "the CBTL Coffee Bar is now open." Now, I had my doubts because I simply couldn't take their coffee...but the sign intrigued me, so I went to investigate. 

Apparently, the concept is that they use their CBTL Single Serve Beverage System...the one with the capsules and costs over P13K. Anyway, it's like this cool lounge area where the barista don't do much but push a few buttons. That's why they're also cheaper. Most of their drinks costs P100.00 and their tea lattes costs P130.00...the price comes with a slight difference in taste though. 

They have a very limited selection of drinks (as few as the available capsules.) They also serve a few savory pastries like chicken pot pie and quiche...and a brownie...actually, those were the only three things I saw.

Your drink from the Coffee Bar are made from these capsules.

The skylight ceiling makes for a pretty effect on the bar.

They share the space with Beauty Bar, so they're stuck with a small portion of the floor. They only have three seats available inside, but the one on the terrace had enough chairs for friends to hangout. If it's windy enough, you can actually forget that you're breathing in polluted air.

Lemon Mint Tea...no coffee for me.

I really couldn't bring myself to buying and force-drink myself with another cup of their coffee, so I settled with Lemon Mint Iced Tea. It tasted like Italian soda with that slight fizz of carbonated flavored water...but I suppose I'm just far too spoiled with CBTL's loose tea leaves being actually brewed. 



CBTL Coffee Bar
Level 3 (right above Muji) SSI (Gap Bldg.) 
Bonifacio High Street
Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City