Coming soon from Starbucks: Hot lunch sandwiches, new beverages

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.

Vegetarians around the country can now celebrate a sandwich with them in mind. The Roasted Vegetables on Flat Bread sandwich is made of Mediterranean vegetables marinated in Italian spices and drizzled with mild chili dressing, served with grilled flat bread.

IN ALL BRANCHES (Except Baguio, Boracay, Bacolod, Cebu, CDO, Davao, Iloilo and Naga)

The Clubhouse is your traditional club sandwich stuffed with chicken breast. It is generously slathered with a pickle relish mixed in mayo mustard dressing with sliced tomato, honey ham, cheese and greens on toasted flat cranberry bread.

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 hard‐boiled 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.

Some of my blogger friends loved the Hazelnut Mocha variant but me? I went for the Mint Java Chip frappe because I just love mint chocolates and this one reminded me of it.

PLUS: A SINFUL CHEESECAKE

Our tummies were filled (almost) to the brim with the sandwiches and beverages but when there's dessert, you always make space, right?

The name alone - Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cheesecake - is enough to warn people of its gustatory nature. It's a rich, creamy and velvety chocolate cheesecake loaded with chewy-chunky fudgy walnut brownies and chocolate chips baked on a dark chocolate cookie crust. Yum!

On August 9, go to your favorite Starbucks branch and choose from any of the hot sandwiches and new blended beverages. Don't forget the cheesecake! 

Thanks to the Starbucks team behind the event for having us.