Coffee Bean

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is one of the few eateries in the Penang International Airport; the other is McDonald's. I arrived early for my flight to Singapore, so it was a choice between the two. Since I visit McDonald's more often (but still quite rare), I opted for Coffee Bean instead.

Besides getting my shot of caffeine for the day, Coffee Bean also allows me to use the Wi-Fi connection with my laptop computer to kill time while waiting for my flight.

I have not taken any food since I woke up, so the Breakfast-All-Day menu is obviously a good choice. This menu has over a dozen choices ranging from pancakes to bagels. The price ranges from RM10.00 to RM18.50. Each choice is served with Today's Brew - either Coffee or Tea. The drink is refillable until 11:00am, but I will not stay that long anyway.

My choice today morning is the Egg & Salmon (RM17.40). The sandwich consists of smoked salmon and poached egg sandwiched in a muffin bun.

The smoked salmon is very appetizing. It is slightly salty and has a fatty texture, which means that the salmon is not overcooked.

The poached egg is slightly overdone. Ideally, the yolk should still be soft even when the whites has solidified. I prefer the sensation of warm yolk oozing out of the whites when punctured. A light sprinkle of black pepper makes the egg more enjoyable to consume.

The muffin itself is fresh and has a slight crisp. It is also quite fluffy and delightful for my teeth to sink into.

Some lettuce and sliced cherry tomatoes are included. The salad is sprinkled with some olive oil and vinegar.

Since I often have Coffee at Coffee Bean, I thought that I might as well try Tea instead. It comes in a neat teabag in a fancy cup and saucer. Hot water, sugar and milk is available at the self-service counter. The teabag is sufficient for 2-3 cups. The Tea is smooth and refined, but I still prefer the Coffee from Coffee Bean.