Siin Se Kai Cafe, Swatow Lane

Siin Se Kai Cafe, Swatow Lane (29 September 2012)


Siin Se Kai Cafe is a coffee shop along Swatow Lane in George Town, Penang. It is located at the junction between Swatow Lane and Bawasah Road.

Siin Se Kai Cafe was named after the amusement park that was once in the area, New World Park (which also lends its name to the eponymous food & beverage centre). The name Siin Se Kai means "new world" in Hokkien. I am curious why the coffee shop spells its name with an additional "i" (previously, before a makeover, it was Sin Se Kai). I suppose it was to avoid trademark entanglements. Regardless, I notice most patrons continue to spell it without the additional "i" on their blogs.

The coffee shop attempts to revive the time when Swatow Lane was famous for its street food, before the hawkers were forced off the streets into sheltered surroundings. While that time has past and is unlikely to return, Siin Se Kai Cafe provides a more street-side atmosphere compared to its larger neighbour across the road.

Perhaps the triump card for Siin Se Kai Cafe is its ice kacang, which is a direct descendant of the roadside stall on Swatow Lane.

View of Siin Se Kai Cafe with the junction of Swatow Lane and Bawasah Road (29 September 2012)

Getting there

If you depend on public transport, take the bus to Burmah Road and walk from there. Rapid Penang Bus 10, 11, 101, 103, 104, 201, 202, 203, 204, 206 and 304 ply Burmah Road.

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List of Coffee Shops in Penang and Coffee Shops in Malaysia