Ever felt like browsing magazines and books whilst sipping your favorite cup of coffee in town? Well, look no further because here at The Book Café, you can find a vast array of local newspapers and magazines. Wireless internet access is also available for those who wish to do their work or surf the internet on their laptops. With the breakfast menu served all day long, the café certainly has attracted a faithful following in the vicinity, especially for those who prefer to laze in bed on a lazy morning.

• The Vibe
  The Book Café resembles an over-sized study room, with shelves of books and magazines adorning the walls of the café. The high ceiling and lantern-like lights sets one at ease at this cosy café. The café is conducive for reading your favorite novel or you can just chill and hang out with friends. The café has large comfy sofa seats so that you can lie back and soak in the idle atmosphere.

• The Food
  Dishing up continental cuisine, the café aims to please both locals and expatriates alike. The Caesar Salad with Honey Mustard Chicken ($11.95) makes a great start to your meal. Certainly a hit with health conscious ladies, the Caesar Salad is refreshingly light and the croutons are sweet. The honey mustard chicken breast is certainly well marinated although the chicken breast is a tad too tough for my living.

  For the mains, try the Joe's Olive Rice with Chicken, Mushrooms and Fried Shallots ($13.95), which takes on a Pan-Asian touch. This olive rice dish distinguishes itself from the usual olive rice dishes in Thai restaurants with its olive vegetables, chicken slices, mushrooms and fried shallots. Through the first bite, one may find the olive vegetable slightly salty but eating it with the rice neutralized the saltiness. Revealing its Peranakan heritage, this olive rice dish takes on an interesting twist with a definite Peranakan flavor.

  Next up, we have the Sirloin Steak with Sunny eggs and French fries ($16.95), which is a perennial favorite on the breakfast menu. The eggs, done sunny side-up seems to greet you with a resounding good morning! The steak was juicy and well done, with the meat being marinated with herbs and mustard.

  The Pan-Fried Cod Fish with Mesclun Salad and Mashed Potato ($19.95) is a dish that oozes all the goodness of omega-3 fatty acids. It comes with a mesclun salad that consists of frisee, spinach and mashed potato. The codfish is fresh with its flesh, firm to the bite. Its crispy skin, topped with teriyaki sauce, hint of ginger juice to give an added zing to the dish.

  For desserts, we tried the traditional Apple Pie with Ice Cream ($4.95). The apple pie is freshly baked every day and is comparable to those found on the countryside of Western countries. The apple pie has a very traditional English taste, with the apple filling thankfully not too loaded with sugar. Accompanied by green apple slices and vanilla ice cream, this is a good dish to round off your meal. Drinks like the Longan Frostie ($5.80) and Lemonade with Mango ($5.20), definitely thirst quenchers, are worth trying too.

• The Service
  At The Book Café, the staff is really hospitable and offer a personal style of serving their customers. They go the extra mile to ensure the comfort of their patrons. They are especially helpful if you need to use their computer to check out the internet.

The SD Food Advisor's take on The Book Café
The Book Café is a good place to chill and hang out with friends as the ambience sets one right at ease. With the large array of books and magazines here, everyone will be able to find something for him or herself. It is a cosy hideout and a place to consider for those who shun the noisier clubs along Mohamed Sultan Road.