March 13, 2008
25 degree Celsius
The moment I stepped into 25 degree Celsius, I couldn't not like it. The vast array of cookbooks in this cookbook shop cum cafe presents such a visual feast that somehow lures you in to sit down for a meal. OK, my visit there was planned but even if it hadn't, I would have sat straight down the moment I walked into it.
The dizzying array of cookbooks will have you 'sampling' Chinese, Thai, Japanese, French, Italian and other world cuisines. There are also specialty cookbooks on cakes, pastries, chocolate, etc. Vegetarian cookbooks are available as well.
My friend had the pork with potato wedges and salad which was pretty tasty but rather unimaginative. Truth be told, the dish also didn't blow me away with its appearance.
I went for the chicken casserole which tasted great when I dipped the bread into it. The chicken was tender and the stew was flavoursome.
It's not a big cafe and there aren't many tables, so it'd be best to make a dinner reservation prior to turning up.
As my friends and I didn't make a reservation, we had to contend with seating at the counter which was OK, but just lacking in a little leg room.
I went back for lunch another day and had the tuna mango sandwich which was nice but tiny in size. If I had to measure it, I would say it was only 2.5cm by 10cm in dimension. It also came with some salad and chips. For dessert that afternoon, I shared the grilled butter cake with my friend. The staff touted it as their specialty and I did like the fact that it was served warm with a slight crunchiness to the surface.
The cafe always has a special of the day where the dish originates from a recipe they're trying out from one of the cookbooks. So you can always look forward to something different on the menu.
Service is good and the staff were friendly. The food is alright, but not wonderful. To me, it's also rather expensive. Be prepared to spend $20 and above per person. But overall, I like the place for its casual feel and just the fact that I can browse all those cookbooks. It's like reading food porn. :p
25 degree Celsius
25 Keong Saik Road #01-01
Singapore 089132
Tel: 6327 8389
Closed on Sundays