The Food Byte: Seattle's Best Coffee New Menu

Seattle's Best Coffee is one of those places I'd frequent right before a client meeting. Usually, I'd get to the venue ahead of time and make a beeline for the cafe. The venue would always have a distinct aroma wafting through the air- the unmistakable trademark whiff of freshly baked cinnabons. I would resist buying those warm, melt-in-your-mouth gooey desserts because they are to be enjoyed not during a client meeting, but while watching the full season of Stranger Things 2 on Netflix (what a show, eh?).

So, when the cafe invited me to review their new menu, I had flashbacks of client meetings, sipping on warm Chai Latte and of course, cinnabons!

As I walked into the cafe in the evening, I was greeted by the familiar sweetness of cinnabons. Their new menu definitely intends to keep people at the venue longer than just for coffee/tea.

There's a good selection of salads that cater to both, vegetarians and non-vegetarians. From the Lentil Farm salad to the Green Chicken Pasta Salad, there's something for everyone. We tried the Lite Chicken Pumpkin and the Glorious Shrimp Caesar Salad, both of which were surprisingly good. And I say that because you don't expect a fresh, crunchy leaves salad at a place that specializes in caffeine based drinks. I quite liked the Chicken Pumpkin salad- it had everything I love, from quinoa to spinach leaves and red pepper, pretty much a fulfilling salad.

There's an array of snacks, wraps and sandwiches out of which, we ordered the Delightful Beetroot Hummus, the Savoury Taouk wrap, the Pulled BBQ Chicken and the Urban Chicken Tandoori sandwiches.

I was pleasantly surprised that the Beetroot Hummus tasted quite delicious and matches the ones I've had in some well-known Lebanese restaurants around town. Smooth, creamy and just the right amount of beetroot, this is best consumed with the crispy Arabic bread crisps they are served with. It stays fresh until the next day if you refrigerate it- best snack to chomp on when watching the remaining episodes of Stranger Things 2. The wraps and sandwiches were equally delicious- the chicken was tender and flavorsome.

My favorite? The Pulled BBQ chicken. You must try the Urban Chicken Tandoori sandwich- while the ingredients stay true to what a Chicken Tandoori meal is like, the addition of beetroot made it quite delectable. If you want to try something meat-free, I'd say pick the Pesto Halloumi. While I did not try this, the combination of roasted peppers with zucchini, olive pesto sauce and rocket leaves sounds like something I'd pick up in the morning just before starting the day at work. If you'd like something light, then try the Ultimate Veggie Wrap. It's loaded with eggplant, zucchini, caramelized onions, labneh sauce all wrapped up in a spinach tortilla.

What's a meal without dessert? Visiting Seattle's in the evening and leaving without cinnabon is a food crime! We ordered the Cinnabon Bites- pecan and chocolate along with Seattle's latest Chocolate Hazelnut Javakula, Caramel Coconut Javakula and Chai Latte.

I haven't had cinnabon for some time and I was delighted when I had my first bite. The classic rolls still taste heavenly and haven't changed a bit in taste or consistency. While I usually go for the chocolate version, I decided the pecan would do for the evening. Delicious is an understatement- the warm cream cheese frosting, flowing through each swirl of the dough along with the caramelized pecans made it an exquisite evening treat. The Javakulas are refreshing and the cool chocolate blend along with hazelnut/ caramel coconut is a drink you must try (at least once!).

Overall, I was pretty impressed by the new menu, the serving size, the prices, the customer service and atmosphere at Seattle's Best Coffee. I recommend trying the Lite Chicken Pumpkin Salad, the Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich and the Chocolate Hazelnut Javakula.

Connect with Seattle's Best Coffee on Facebook and let me know what you try from the new menu!