Tabaq, if you're someone from Dhaka or Bangladesh then you probably know about this coffee shop or have at least heard about it. And if you're an OG, then you've probably known about Tabaq for over a decade now. If we're talking about this branch specifically, then I can quite certainly say that this is where it all started. In this small, compact and quite the cozy spot.
Countless years of quality and taste, reasonably priced as well. Yet, it did take them quite a while to finally get the attention and love they deserve. I'm talking 2008/9 WAYYY before the BOOM of recognition they got quite a few years later. Back then there were maybe one or two coffee shops were actually good, alongside Tabaq.
At present times though, it's a different story, as newer coffee joints keep popping up regularly. The whole hype and booming coffee business started around 2013/14 I guess. And that's when Tabaq finally started taking off as a business and turned into the successful coffee chain it is today. Now it is a top rated restaurants/coffee shop in Dhaka. In my eyes though, they were always successful. I knew from the start that they had something, some damn thing that truly had potential.
I used to hang around this place almost daily in my much younger days, about 12 to 13 years ago or more. But I wasn't much of a "regular" here, the coffee shop I mean. I would just be hanging around this small shopping mall with friends or family every now and then, the coffee shop itself wasn't really the point of interest back then. Hell, I wasn't even much of a coffeeholic back then.
Yet, I surely knew this small and classy little joint existed, simply because of that scrumptious cheesecake brownie of theirs that I had once tasted. And to this day, nothing has changed to be honest. The looks here, taste, quality, service, all just as good as day one and it still remains my favorite coffee shop which serves my favorite dessert.
Now, I'm no sucker for desserts and sweets, I prefer spicy food more than anything else. BUT THIS DAMN brownie of theirs, I don't know who came up with such an idea of putting both a brownie and cheesecake in one. Whoever it was or is, wherever you are, I must thank you for this creation of yours haha. I've tasted many desserts, but non are as perfect as this. The balance of ingredients, the texture, even the looks. You just fall in love with this thing as you keep biting into it. Slowly it fills you up from the insides and somehow takes control over you and then ends up dealing a little bit of damage with its sweetness lol.
I myself could eat this thing three times a day, let it do a little harm and maybe leave behind some flabs on the sides of my waist. And trust me when I say this, I love rocking a slim waist and I eat and train properly to maintain it well hahaha. So, it should be a crime for someone like me to eat such desserts on the daily right? It truly would be a crime in my books, can't deny it. But I don't mind being a criminal when it comes to tasting this sweet little piece of heaven haha.
It's been over year since I've last been to Tabaq, so it's been bugging and calling me towards it for quite a while. That is why I decided to swing by and spend a few minutes there. And if it's Tabaq on my mind, then it has to this exact branch, THE OG. It just feels right, this place.
The coffee, dessert or just the food doesn't make a coffee shop memorable. The vibe also does matter and I know many of you will agree. The decor, design, colors, a proper view maybe, service, these are just as important I'd say.
For the food I went with the OG cheesecake brownie, the one you see at the top, I had to you know. Added to that a cappuccino, the usual. THEN, I noticed they added a new flavor of the cheesecake brownie. The red velvet cheesecake brownie, the one you see above. And I bet you already know what happens next haha. I just had to try it, yes guilty, sue me. But I myself and the noob-shit food lover/reviewer inside of me had to see if it tastes just as good as the OG cheesecake brownie of theirs. After a few bites my questions were answered and I could surely say that it's just as good and yummy as the original. Just a tad bit fruiter in taste.
It was a solid 20 minutes or so back there I guess. Been a while, so it was a much needed one. The place was also half empty, which made the overall experience a tad bit better. A bit of peace quiet you know haha. I'll surely be back for some, don't know when, but surely.
Cheers guys, I thank you all for stopping by and for sticking with me here till the end. ☕️♥️
