Green Bean Coffee: A 3 Star Coffee Shop

When most people watch the James L. Brooks movie "Spanglish," they probably remember the beautiful Paz Vega, the Type A-on-steroids Tea Leoni or the soft-spoken genius chef played by Adam Sandler. For me, the most memorable thing about the movie is the sandwich that Sandler makes when he is relaxing at home. His super duper BLT with cheese and perfectly fried egg stole my heart. Chefs are not normal people--they go out of their way to make things as delicious as possible, even at the risk of injury or shopping beyond their means.

What happens when a three star chef and seasoned restaurant pro team up to open a coffee shop? You get a place like . The beans are from Chestnut Hill Roasters, the gelato is from Capo Giro, the pastries are baked by a skilled pastry chef and the excellent sandwiches and salads are made to order.

They offer different roasts of coffee on different days, and all the bells and whistles are available courtesy of their fancy coffee machine. One of the co-owners is a skilled barista in his own right, so don't be shy about asking for a bone dry cappuccino or red eye, this guy knows his stuff.

The ice cream case is filled with numerous flavors of Capo Giro gelato so you no longer have to schlep to the city to get your fix (and in light of recent gas prices, this is especially good news).

The pastries include traditional French croissants, danishes and even some gluten-free cookies.

The soups are made in house and change regularly. The day I went in they had chicken & rice and potato, broccoli and cheddar, which was flavorful and comforting without being overly cheesy.

The sandwiches are fantastic. The smoked salmon and herbed goat cheese ($8.50) is the perfect answer to your "is it breakfast or lunch time" conundrum. The Waldorf chicken salad sandwich ($8) was exemplary and light tasting even in the presence of mayonnaise. There were plenty of big chunks of chicken intermixed with plump red grape halves, crisp walnuts, celery and some lemon zest. The side salad featured baby greens, frisee, young celery leaves and a pleasant red wine vinaigrette.

I washed it all down with a large latte ($4) and grabbed some delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookies to go ($2). Next time you're in the area, take the time out to come in for a coffee, a cookie, a sandwich or your chocolate gelato fix. You won't be disappointed, and at the very least you can brag to your friends that you enjoyed a lunch made just for you by a three star chef.