📍 San Francisco, USA

One of the handful of salad choices available at the chilled section in Walgreens. All of the salads come with calorie counts on their labels. The Caesar salad is supposedly 490 calories with lettuce, chicken, shredded cheese, Caesar dressing and croutons.

The salad greens are really fresh, maybe fresher than we as Singaporeans are used to due to the bitterness of the lettuce leaves. The stalks were incredibly sweet though. The chicken was tender and well seasoned, but the croutons and cheese were really salty. We ended up not using the dressing much as there was no need for it. Great for sharing with a friend for a fibre boost or for a light lunch/dinner!

Sweet and creamy iced coffee weighing in at approx 60-90 calories. We enjoyed this the most so far out of all the coffees we’ve had in SF. It’s probably cause it’s sweetened and not as acidic or bitter as the other black or white coffees we’ve had. Definitely a refreshing cup, and quite worth it for $4.25. Recommended!

The baked items on display at Blue Bottle Coffee are not made in house, but sourced from another bakery. I originally wanted the Liege waffles but they were out of them, so I settled for this in the display cabinet.

The cookie wasn’t heated up, which was a pity. Unlike what I was expecting, the cookie wasn’t very crispy. It was more on the soft side, fudgy and dense. Also a little too sweet for my liking. I wouldn’t order it again, but the flavour profile was quite interesting as it was sweet, salty, nutty and chocolatey. They don’t scrimp on the chocolate, which means you get a whole thick layer of chocolate in the cookie too. Whether you appreciate this probably depends on how you like your cookie textures!

Part of the small selection of food items to go with your coffee or drinks at Blue Bottle Coffee. The Breakfast Sandwich is the seasonal frittata and bacon on a brioche bun which goes for $12. This comes in at 450 calories. What calorie counters and weight watchers will appreciate is that most of the menu at Blue Bottle Coffee comes with calorie counts.

You have the option of having the food to go, or in the cafe which has indoor seating at a large communal table, window bar seats, or tables outside. It gets pretty squeezy indoors especially when it’s busy so if you don’t enjoy human company, get your stuff to go.

The Breakfast Sandwich is prepared when you order, and it’s served hot. It’s worth every one of its 450 calories. The egg frittata was literally a fluffy and delicious omelette, with a few slices of fried bacon, some arugula and relish. The buttered brioche was so soft and decadent, yet not too oily. I’ve never had anything like that in Singapore. While it’s pretty expensive at $12, I think it’s a worthy indulgence for a solid breakfast. Portion is large enough to share with a friend if you want to get other items and drinks too.

Finally visited the famed Blue Bottle Coffee at their cute Mint Street outlet. It’s tucked away in a small lane behind a car park, but this small coffee shop is packed with people!

Ordered a hot cappuccino with almond milk (the only dairy-free alternative on their menu board), as well as some breakfast and small bites. Note that prices are not inclusive of tax and a 4% additional charge for their staff. Service is still pretty warm and good despite the crowd, which is always nice. So far, however, I haven’t actually enjoyed the majority of coffees I’ve had in SF. I find the unsweetened coffees very bitter and somewhat sour with none of the fruity nuttiness I enjoy in our local Singaporean coffee joints. Although lots of people swear by Blue Bottle Coffee, I can’t say the same for their cappuccino. We had better luck with their New Orleans, so I suggest going for that instead if you’re used to coffee in Singapore.