Bread & Bean Cafe: More Than Just Freshly Baked Breads

If you have read my post about Bread & Bean Café along J. Abad Santos St. in San Juan, you probably have an idea how I consider this café as one of those I hold dear to my heart. It has always been one of those I frequent to when I was still in college up to now that I am already working.

Needless to say, it has always been one of the few places I always feel at home. Memories have been accumulated all these years of my countless visits at the café. People whom I have shared a meal or two at Bread and Bean has come and go. Some remains, while others, well, they will always be remembered. Just like the fragments of memories I choose to carry with me, there dishes available at Bread and Bean Café that remains to be on the list of my favorites.

While they boast of freshly baked bread they are known for, Bread and Bean Café also offers rice meals, pasta dishes, and sandwiches that are equally satisfying. This is one of the reasons why I find it easy to spend the entire day at the café doing some paper works and finishing my writings because I wouldn’t starve nor get sick consuming bread and coffee alone.

Mocha Frost Fredoccino Php130

Chunks of melting cheese wrapped in ham and thick slab of chicken breast covered with breading deep fried to perfection.  Bread and Bean’s Chicken Cordon Bleu is by far one of the best I’ve had in years.  I love that the breading itself is savory without overpowering the flavor of chicken and all the other ingredients.  The gravy that comes with it complements the dish making it all the more flavorful.  Whether it is paired with rice or mashed potato, it still is a wonderful treat to the palate.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Php170

The photo may not do justice to the actual dish, but every time I order Bread and Bean’s Grilled Pork Belly, I am always in awe at how big the serving has always been.  The pork is tender, well marinated, and perfectly grilled.  This dish always calls for an extra serving of rice. Always.

Grilled Pork Belly Php180

Smothered in mushroom gravy and served with fried egg, the Salisbury steak may look like just the usual burger steak we can get anywhere, but when it comes to flavor, it is ten times better.  Every bite will ooze out juices that scream beefy goodness of a flavor in your face, making one want to grab spoonful of rice or a burger bun.

Salisbury steak Php170

Boneless chicken with mushroom gravy doesn’t sound interesting to me, but when I tasted it, I was amazed at how tasty the chicken was.  Hinting of herbs and spices, the chicken is moist and packed with flavor.  It is already good on its own, but the mushroom sauce enhances the savory flavor of the chicken.

Chicken Mushroom Swiss Php170

Three big savory meatballs on top of pasta in tomato sauce that evokes a push and pull among sweet, savory, and sour flavor is what Bread and Bean’s Bolognese is all about.  I am very Filipino in a way that I favored sweet pastas most of the time, but it’s a different story when there are three big savory meatballs involved.

Pasta Bolognese Php140

True to its name, Bread and Bean’s carbonara is creamy and packed with bits and pieces of bacon, mushroom, and chicken (or pork).  I love that its creaminess isn’t overwhelming and the pasta is always al dente.

Creamy Carbonara Php140

Al dente pasta, right amount of pesto sauce that isn’t overpowering, and generous slices of chicken made this pasta dish one of my favorites among the other pasta dishes offered by Bread and Bean.

Chicken Pesto Pasta Php150

Fredoccino Javajelly Php110 / Hokkaido Milk Steamer Php70

I’ve already shred before how good the breads are at Bread and Bean, so it is pretty much expected that their sandwiches will be equally as good.  I love their Ultimate Club Sandwich.  Note just because of the bread, but because of everything sandwich in between those freshly baked breads.  An order comes with potato chips and is good for sharing.

Ultimate Club Sandwich Php160

Generous slices of farmer’s ham sandwiched between ciabatta bread with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and the whole she bangs.  Just like the ultimate club sandwich, it comes with potato chips and can be good for sharing.

Farmers Ham Sandwich Php140

These are just some of the varieties that Bread and Bean offers which I find myself always having.  Their all-time Filipino favorites and other specialties are also impressive but it calls for another blog post since it’ll be a long list as well.  While I am excited to the possibility of having different dishes on their menu, I am happy that Bread and Bean hasn’t stopped creating new line of breads and cakes to add to the numbers that they are already selling.

Recently I was able to try two of their new cakes; the Coffee Mocha Swirl and the Double Chocolate Cake.  The Mocha Swirl is the reminiscent of the mocha cake I enjoyed during childhood up to this day.  Layers of chiffon cake smothered with mocha cream and thin chocolate shavings on top.  It is surrounded with chocolate champola sticks for added treat.  The Double Chocolate Cake is made up of two layers chocolate pound cake covered with chocolate ganache, and in between are caramel cream and ganache.

Coffee Mocha Swirl Php90 / Double Chocolate Cake Php85

Between the two cakes, my palate favored the double chocolate cake more since I am by nature a chocolate lover.  But the mocha swirl isn’t bad either, only a tad lighter to the palate.  I also noticed that their line of mini cheesecakes is also expanding, so I made a mental note not to forget trying those on my next visit.

Classic Hot Chocolate Php80

I can say that I have witnessed how Bread and Bean grew from the time it carries a different name up to now that it is doing well on its own.  That is why it will always be close to my heart.  I am definitely one of those whose fingers are crossed for its future expansion since their products are definitely at par with other coffee shops bearing international trademark.

Bread & Bean Cafe Bakery Resto
Unit 3 Citiplace Building,
8001 J. Abad Santos St., San Juan City
Store hours: 7:30 am to 11:00 pm daily
Facebook: Bread & Bean Cafe