whine & dine

Well, not quite hot, but things are certainly warming up with new kid on the block 25 degree Celsius. A couple of days ago, a dear friend texted to say that she’d found a new cafe/cookbook store in Keong Saik Road (just down from 1929, and across from Whatever cafe). Very familiar with my compulsion for buying things-that-I-already-have-too-many-of (i.e. cookbooks – and also teeshirts), she then requested that I not tell the bunny where this tip came from.

I’d imagined that it would be more of a cafe with a few shelves of cookbooks on sale, but 25°C is more accurately described as a small bookstore, devoted entirely to cookbooks (and a few non-recipe-books related to food), with a test kitchen and a small seating area for the cafe at the rear. I felt like I’d stepped straight into heaven – conversely, and into bunny’s worst nightmare – when I crossed the threshold. Floor to ceiling shelves! Lined with cookbooks! On almost any topic imaginable! By all manner of authors! And reasonably priced too!

I first visited 25°C on Saturday, just stopping in to check it out and grab a cup of coffee – which was delicious, by the way! Apparently, it’s a secret blend they import from Taiwan. I left almost 2 hours later with my pockets significantly emptier, and loaded with four books to add to my already sagging shelves. And mind you, I only left with four since I was limited by she-who-guards-the-bookshelf. Of the four, my favourite has to be The Cookie Sutra, which I only spotted because I accidentally knocked it off the shelf while staring at the books on baking, but immediately had to buy when I flipped through it for its hilarious pictures and witty quips. (Take a look inside and you’ll know what I mean.)

Having been dragged out against my will since it was time for me to head back to work, I made a reservation for lunch there today, and invited two friends who share my love for food (and cooking) to join me in the heart of the Bukit Pasoh Conservation Area. I was really eager to try out the food there (having spotted duck confit on the menu), and couldn’t have been gladder that I did. In the end, I decided to go with the minute steak, which was a lovely melt-in-your-mouth slice of beef, lightly marbled with fat and so incredibly tender that I actually got a slight shock when my knife went through it with almost no effort at all. The confit, which both my friends had, however, was a little overcooked and ended up being slightly tough around the edges – which was a pity – but the one thing that both dishes shared were the friggin’ unbelievably tasty potato sides. The confit was served with a caramelized onion mash, and I had pan-fried potatoes which were lightly crisped on the outside and so fluffy on the inside to go with my steak. The three of us also shared two desserts – a sticky date toffee pudding that was drenched in butterscotch and flavoured with plenty of nutmeg, along with a warm Valrhona chocolate fondant which tasted like pure, crazy-delicious chocolate fudge.

I’m so glad that I’ve found this place. It’s a lovely quiet-ish, cosy refuge from the hustle and bustle of the area, and one that’s rather reminiscent of an English book cafe you’d escape the thick of winter in, warming up over a steaming cup of tea and a good read. They encourage browsing – so long as you don’t do it with food on the table – and I forsee myself spending many Monday afternoons hanging out here, and I’d definitely recommend like-minded cookbook junkies to head on over too!

25 Degree Celsius
25 Keong Saik Road #01-01
Singapore 089132
Tel: +65 6225 5986