Beginning August 9, 2011, Starbucks patrons will be treated to a whole slew of new, hot lunch sandwiches. At a recent blogger event I was invited to, we were served seven (7) new sandwiches and got to taste two (2) new beverages coming up.
Celine Clemente, Starbucks’ Senior Category Specialist, is the woman behind these new sandwiches. I found out from her that they normally change menus once a year. (Hint: if you have a favorite lunch sandwich now, better eat it before August 9, hahaha).
We were also told that not all these sandwiches are heated up inside and out. Some of these sandwiches are served with the bread hot but the filling cold. That was a surprise for me as I always thought that everything was served hot. Apparently, some sandwiches’ tastes come out better when the filling is cold. This kind of heating, where only the bread is warmed, uses a convection oven. Note — each Starbucks branch has this kind of oven.
Another note. Only 4 out of the 7 sandwiches will be available nationwide. Another 2 will be available in all Starbucks branches except in Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Iloilo and Naga. And to make up for this loss, the seventh variant will be available to those places that don’t serve the two sandwiches.
It was a good thing I skipped merienda that day because we got a taste of all 7 sandwiches. Here they are:
ALL BRANCHES
The Ultimate Grilled Cheese is a grilled cheese sandwich that has six different types of cheeses – Gruyere, Emmenthal, Feta, Provolone, Mozzarella and cheddar with slices of Hungarian sausage. Biting into it, you can taste a hint of roasted garlic and Italian herbed butter on the bread slices as well. I think this will be a favorite of cheese lovers.
A healthy option is the Roasted Chicken Pesto and Shiitake Mushroom on Flat Bread. It’s got roasted chicken breast fillet tossed with aromatic pesto mayo sauce and Shiitake mushroom and topped with melted Emmenthal and cheddar cheese on grilled flat bread.
Carnivores can opt for The Beef Brisket — slices of beef brisket covered with caramelized onions and Emmenthal cheese melted on chewy and crustyead. As I chewed on my share of this sandwich, I could distinctly taste the Dijon mustard spread which gave this sandwich a nice kick.
IN ALL BRANCHES (Except Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Iloilo and Naga)
I love raisin bread. I love Waldorf salad. I love tuna. This sandwich puts them all together into a delicious hot sandwich. The Tuna Waldorf on Raisin Walnut Bread is a tuna salad tossed with red and green apples, roasted chopped walnuts, crunchy celery in yogurt mayo dressing and topped with hardâboiled eggs, served in a raisin walnut bread.
ONLY IN BAGUIO, BORACAY, BACOLOD, CEBU, CDO, DAVAO, ILOILO, NAGA
Tuna Melt is tuna salad and creamy, melted cheese on toasted rye bread. It is topped with melted mozzarella cheese and sprinkled lightly with Spanish paprika.
TWO NEW BLENDED BEVERAGES
Coming to you too on August 9 in ALL BRANCHES are 2 blended beverages whipped up from other popular Starbucks beverages already: Hazelnut Mocha Frappuccino and Mint Java Chip Frappuccino.
Thanks to the Starbucks team behind the event for having us.
