Can I call this a “hidden gem”?
Not many people would expect to find a piece connected to Ernest Zacharevic inside a café on Jalan Hutton.
Then again, this is Penang.
You can walk in looking for coffee, and suddenly find yourself staring at a wall with a familiar image of Lee Kuan Yew carrying a young Lee Hsien Loong.
Singaporeans visiting ORCABREW may find something that carries a much deeper personal meaning.
The mural at ORCABREW is an artwork by Ernest Zacharevic, the Lithuanian-born artist closely tied to Penang’s street art identity.
He is best known for works such as Children on a Bicycle at Armenian Street, Boy on Motorcycle at Ah Quee Street, and Boy on Chair at Cannon Street.
What surprised me was that this Lee Kuan Yew artwork does not seem to get talked about as much. I couldn’t even find that much information online.
Zacharevic created it as a tribute to Lee Kuan Yew, showing Singapore’s founding Prime Minister as a young man carrying his son, based on an old photograph.
ORCABREW itself is a specialty café hidden at the back alley, with coffee, cookies, bagels, focaccia, brownies, and gelato on offer.
The entrance is not the most obvious, so there is a sense of discovery when you step in.
If you are there for coffee, you can find options like Handbrew Coffee (from RM 23), Aerocano (RM 15), Black (RM 13), Cappuccino (RM 15), Latte (RM 15), and more.
Not forgetting a wide range of handbrew coffee.
For those having the expresso-based coffee, they use a house Orca Blend with 50% Brazil São Sebastião, 40% Ethiopia Guji Uraga, and 10% Colombia Pitahito.
The coffee was smooth and rounded, with a gentle chocolatey base from the Brazil beans and a lighter fruitiness that came through towards the end.
Their light bites include a Sourdough Chocolate Earl Grey (RM 17), Poppyseeds Bagel with cream cheese (RM 13), Banana Oat Bread (RM 15), and a range of cookies.
I ordered the Chocolate Burnt Basque Cheesecake (RM 20) which had a dark, almost smoky top with a creamy centre that was dense without being too heavy.
If you are a Singaporean in Penang, you should probably stop by just to check out the mural before the secret gets out.
ORCABREW
209, Jalan Hutton, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm (Mon – Tues, Fri – Sun), Closed Wed, Thurs
Google Maps – Orcabrew Penang
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