Three pointer at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Anything that suggests a cluster reaching the number three is normally dismissed as trouble: triplets, 3-in-1, triumvirate, three’s a crowd. Oh, and there’s the Triple Decker Cheesecake at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL).

[caption id="attachment_1717" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Three's so not a crowd with this one."][/caption]

No need to sense troublesome presence of calories and saturated fat, not to mention sugar - three whole layers of it - as they smack you right in the face with their creamy temptation! However it’s best to disregard these upsetting numbers especially when a slice is loaded with layers of fabulous cheesecake, guaranteed to kill any craving. The topmost dark cookie portion is a wonderful find and best kept as "the last bite." The coffee layer may be a nuisance for insomniacs (like me) but this issue was easily addressed with good ‘ol water. Lots of it. Or decaffeinated tea, of course.

I wouldn’t recommend sharing this with anyone, as a bite less and you’re sure to scowl. Compared to Starbucks, Conti’s and some Parvati miniature bestsellers, this one’s a hefty serving—all fun, all cheesecake, all yours.

Or mine.

Then there’s this Chicken Chipotle Sandwich on the side, which took forever to prepare. I spied cucumber and one big chunk of panini—a kid’s jaw can’t get through that threshold. Since there was nothing special about the sandwich, except that it was sprawling with greens, we’re better off splurging on sweets when in CBTL.

CBTL in Trinoma provides a park-like venue for the bored or hungry—wide and overlooking Mindanao Avenue. Beside Peking Garden and Kimpura which are rarely filled—more space for everyone’s enjoyment and a breather compared to the top floor Starbucks which is forever congested in human haze.