Secawan ‘n’ Such – Great Coffee & More

Searching for a good cup of coffee in Penang is not quite as easy as it is in London. With the bloom of cafes, hunting down for a good brew is slightly easier and I found the antidote to my caffeine cravings in Secawan ‘n’ Such on Hutton. Since my first visit, Secawan had pretty much been my favourite cafe in town. Read all about it here!

Having missed the breakfast menu during my last visit, here’s one of the revisit just for their breakfast and well, coffee. Then, there’s many many many revisits - hitting 4 visits in a week (just as frequent as I hit the gym LOL). My Instagram suddenly felt like a coffee spam.


Coffee aside, here’s more of their menu!

Miss Bearnaise @ RM 24.90

Look at the wonder of smoked salmon and egg put together!

One of my favourites for breakfast! There is nothing better to brighten up the day with toasted English muffins topped with smoked salmon and perfectly poached eggs and drizzled with hollandaise sauce. The English muffins were fluffy but not quite the best but the generous serving of smoked salmon definitely make up to it. Though the eggs felt slightly over-poached, with the whites becoming somewhat of the texture of hard boiled eggs, the yolks were still runny just like how it should be. Miss how rocket leaves are used in this in London.

Pancakes @ RM 14.90

Fluffy pancakes + strawberries = happiness

A sugary mess

Ordered on the influence of sugar craving, these pancakes were absolutely delish. Fluffy and light, the pancakes were served with fresh strawberries, fresh cream, maple syrup and passion fruit puree. The passion fruit puree is a great touch to the pancakes creating a hint of fruitiness and sourness on top of the sweetness of the maple syrup. A blend of sweet and sour made these pancakes an absolute amazing morning sugar boost.

Like my friend said: no cafe should ever get the basics of pancakes wrong. So, here's a good job done!

French Toast @ RM 14.90

Gluttony called and here's additional bacon strips for RM 4.00

The classic breakfast of fried bread dipped in egg, the French toast here is served with banana and strawberries with maple syrup and cream cheese syrup. The large cuts of bread were fluffy and I could lightly smell the fragrant fried egg in the French toast though my friends beg to differ. Served with maple syrup and cream cheese syrup, the scent of maple syrup was overpowering the cream cheese syrup. A bulk of carbohydrate and sugary rush for the day!

Rocky Road @ RM 9.50

Never a fan of chocolate cakes, this Rocky Road totally nailed it. Smooth chocolate cake layers topped with more chocolate goodness and lightly torched marshmallows. Though the top chocolate layer was too sweet for my liking, this slice of goodness was irresistible.

Carrot Cake @ RM 9.50

A true nutty goodness. The carrot cake was perfect for me, just the right amount of sugar (most would think it could be sweeter) with heaps of nuts. The thin cream cheese frosting adds just about the right amount of sweetness to it. Absolutely in love with the crazy loads of nuts and tiny bits of shredded carrot.

A perfect combination for lunch

Absolutely love this wall mural

All my visits had been extremely pleasant thus far and their new roast of coffee beans is simply excellent!

Check out Secawan ‘n’ Such on their Facebook page and visit them here:
205, Hutton Lane,
10050 Georgetown, Penang.
Opens Tuesday to Sunday from 8.00am to 12.00am

Updates: Secawan will be open on 15th & 16th Sept :D

Limited roadside parking available. For a more convenient parking, park at New World Park and walk just minutes to Secawan ‘n’ Such.

Food rating: 8/10
Service rating: 9/10
Ambience rating: 8/10
Price rating: £££££
Overall rating: 8/10 

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Caffe Bene, Gurney Paragon

Ever since the whole KPop frenzy hit the world, everything related to Korean became a huge popular trend; from food to cosmetic to clothing. Years back, the only thing I will immediately associate Korea with is probably kimchi and ginseng.

Caffe Bene is a Korean coffeehouse with a world wide franchise. Recently unveiling their first store in Gurney Paragon, Penang on last Friday, it’s bound to be a hit because it’s KOREAN. Plus, there’s always this habit of ‘new jamban, nice to shit’.


Decorated in classic wooden decor, Caffe Bene looks very much like a good place to hang out or relax. Offering a range of desserts and drinks, their Bingsu is probably the most famous item on the menu. Bingsu, a Korean shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings comes in a number of variety and 2 sizes in Caffe Bene.

Here’s what we tried:

Cookies and Cream Bingsu (Single) @ RM12.80

Shaved ice layer with sweet red bean paste, cookies crumbs and topped with whipped cream and Oreo. The ice has a very insipid taste of milk or evaporated milk. The flavour was so bland that it tasted like just shaved overpriced frozen H2O. The amount of red bean paste was considerably generous but personally, the taste of the red bean paste is a mismatch with cookies and cream. Moving upwards, the whipped cream which seemed to be curdled is just another reason to give this dessert a pass.

Green Tea Bingsu (Single) @ RM12.80

Shaved ice flavoured with green tea and topped with red bean paste, nuts and whipped cream and a dash of green tea powder. As a fan of green tea, I’ve never detest a green tea dessert as much as this. The ice had a weak taste of green tea which is overpowered by the red bean paste. A blob of extremely strong green tea paste/ice cream on the top sets the balance of green tea way off. One moment it’s too empowering and one moment there was hardly any taste. 
(Not sure if I'm suppose to mix it around like rojak before eating)

The nuts topping were pretty generous but played no part in making it taste any better. Honestly, the shaved ice was so coarse that it almost equates a failed ice kacang stall. 

(ok lah at least won't melt so fast in our hot weather)

With a decent expectation from the pretty Instagram post of the bingsu in their KL branch, Caffe Bene was something I was looking forward to. Simply a let down! There is nothing more than a pretty presentation. Literally, just a packaging and marketing success with no real culinary excitement and just a less than ordinary shaved ice dessert that you could simply pass. For the price that the bingsu cost, there is definitely a better option for a good dessert or coffee house.

As I’ve only tried the bingsu, there is possibly other better option on the menu. The gelato looks decent and I would definitely love to give the green tea gelato a chance since I’ve yet to find one comparable to those in London or Europe.
Check out the rest of their menu here. In conjunction with their opening, there is a Buy 1 Free 1 promotion on their Sweet Potato and Misugaru drinks. 

In terms of service, Caffe Bene works quite efficiently but there is no proper queue for seating. Plus, most people tend to hoard the seats and there is no control over the queue for seats. There are signs stating ‘Please wait to be seated’ with no one attending to it. So, typically everyone scramble over any seats available. Not the best place to head to for individuals. It’s not quite possible to get a seat and queue to order at the same time.

Food rating: 1/10 (based on bingsu)
Service rating: 5/10
Ambience rating: 7/10
Price rating: £££££
Overall rating: 3.5/10

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#Merdeka

57 years since the first shout of MERDEKA by Tunku Abdul Rahman is heard from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, an image that is etched in the minds of most Malaysians.

Today, we’ve moved from narrow dirt roads to high speed motorway; from small huts and villages to cities of skyscrapers; from threats of the communist to stability and peace. Truly, how much have we progressed as a nation? Have we moved ahead enough to be at par with the world or are we falling behind?

Here’s some words of wisdom from our past leaders that would hopefully reflect in the mentality of our nation and motivate our nation's growth.

“Our future depends on how well many different kinds of people can live and work together”

- Tunku Abdul Rahman -

“Every one of us must respect each other's rights and feelings, be tolerant of each other's religions, customs and habits”

- Tunku Abdul Rahman -

“The future of our country depends on one important thing, that is on the unity of our people of various races”

- Tun Abdul Razak -

“Power is given to us, not to lord it over others, not to improve our standing nor to enrich ourselves”

- Tun Hussein Onn -

“The power entrusted to us is not to be used against others, not to improve our position and not to make us rich”

- Tun Hussein Onn -

SELAMAT HARI MERDEKA! :D

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Char Koay Teow @ Siam Road

There is nothing more world reknown about Penang hawker food than the famous Penang Char Koay Teow. ‘Char’ meaning fried and ‘koay teow’ is what the flat rice noodles are called. Simply fried with lard, garlic, beansprout, chives, egg and garnished with thin slices of dried Chinese sausage, fresh cockles and prawns, a good plate of Char Koay Teow is a prized delicacy of Penang street food. A common rule is the bigger the prawns, the higher the price.

Finding a good plate of Char Koay Teow in where it is believed to have originated is not such a difficult task. While tourists flock the famous Lorong Selamat for a plate of Char Koay Teow, most locals stay away due to its exorbitant price and horrible service.

My check list for a plate of good Char Koay Teow includes:

1. Wok Hei – a good plate of Char Koay Teow must have this smoky flavour which build from the strong fire and heat of the wok. The smoky flavours achieved from charcoal fire always wins hands down!

2. Oiliness & Dampness – Just the right amount is essential. Too damp and the rice noodle will be a lump of soggy mess; too oily and halfway through the plate, it’ll be just too ‘jelak’. Plus, being too oily, it’s unhealthy as well.

3. Taste – every stall has its own secret soya sauce mix used to fry the rice noodles. A right one has a tiny hint of sweetness and the right amount of saltiness. The freshness of ingredients also make all the difference.

One of the hype of town for Char Koay Teow lovers is this tiny stall in Siam Road off Anson Road. A popular local favourite made famous by an Astro food programme followed by foreign food programme, it became a frenzy. From a waiting time of 10 minutes 7 years ago, the waiting time had now increased to a minimum of an hour.



So, is it worth the wait? It depends! Priced at RM5.50 a plate, it is a decent serving size with a fair amount of toppings and fairly large and fresh prawns. In terms of taste, there is sufficient wok hei in every plate but due to the demand, there is a slight fluctuation of oiliness and its taste. Regardless, the uncle often spruce up good plates of char koay teow.

Opens from 3pm (closed on Mondays).

Parking is a pain as there is hardly any road side parking. Be ready to park illegally along the road or park along Jalan Pahang and take a short walk.

Taste: 7.5/10

Service: 6/10
*While the uncle is friendly, be ready for the typical hawker service. Plus, there is no queue system. They try hard to remember the sequence of order but its usually a huge mess.

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Travelling For Less: Finding Cheap Bus & Train Tickets in UK

Living in London for the almost 3 years, I have to admit one of my biggest regret is not to explore the UK; to explore the many hidden castles left behind by the royals; to stare in awe at it’s countryside and glorious rolling hills; to submerge in the tranquility of the lakeside cottages and to soak in the sun on the famous English and Welsh coastline. Well, the die is cast and there is no point sulking in regrets. Moving forward, I aimed to make my final weeks before returning to Malaysia to revolve around exploring London and the UK.

Without an international driving license, most of my travel is at the mercy of the rail and bus network. The prices of bus and train tickets is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. Last minute train prices had once left me in disbelief. A year ago, I missed a train from London to Leicester by a couple of minutes and had to buy another ticket. My original ticket bought only about 2 weeks ahead of travel cost me £9 but a ticket for the next available train cost a shocking £57 (a staggering 5 times).

The alternative? Hop on the extensive bus network! Travelling by bus (or coach as commonly known in the UK) is not the most comfortable way to travel but it is definitely the better choice for budget conscious travelers. With longer traveling time and occasional bad traffic, a bus journey could be less than comfortable. As opposed to the common 27-seater bus in Malaysia, almost all standard buses in the UK is the typical 50-seater bus.

Another major difference is the existence of toilets in the buses in the UK. Boost or bane, it's very much a personal opinion. I’d much rather get off the bus for a toilet break and a good stretch after 2-3 hours of bus journey. Plus, travelling with a loo in the back of the bus is quite torturous if everyone has been doing their business on the bus. Nevertheless, the stinky cubicle at the rear is a lifesaver for answering urgent nature calls.

Obtaining reasonably budget tickets is not mission impossible. It just takes a little more effort.

1. Megabus

Megabus is best known for their notoriously cheap fares. Impressively, Megabus has an extensive fleet to various locations in the UK and with tickets starting from only £1, sometimes it makes me wonder how Megabus survives. Aside from their own fleet of standard and luxury coach, Megabus also sells tickets for the Oxford Tube and train tickets through Megatrain to a limited number of destinations. Despite the cry for their poor customer service, Megabus is still one of the best site to head to for the cheapest fare.

(A) Trains

The train tickets on Megabus are available up to 45 days in advance. To secure the cheapest ticket, buy tickets once it becomes available. From my extensive search and monitoring to plan my trips, tickets from London to a number of locations like Bath Spa, Salisbury, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Exeter and many other destination cost £1 when they first become available. However, there is a limited number of train tickets for £1 and the fare increases quickly. I believe the cheap train fares works on a quota system and once the limited ticket for £1 is sold, the price increases immediately. Hence, buying the train ticket once it becomes available at the midnight 45 days before the travelling date is the best option to secure the tickets.

Unfortunately, saving on fares means having to incur inconvenience in other ways. For instance, there are no Megatrain tickets on Sundays. Anyone looking for a day out on Sunday would just have to opt for the rest of the week to secure cheap fares. Some of the train tickets available via Megatrain is at extremely odd hours. It is down to weighing between cheap fares and journey times.

(B) Buses

The bus fleet of Megabus is extremely huge and there are buses to most popular destinations. The cheapest ticket can be purchased up to 124 days in advance (according to my observations). Besides their own fleet, Megabus also sells tickets for Oxford Tube which offers very frequent trips between London and Oxford.  From journey as low as £1, the ticket is a huge steal compared to the single ticket available on the Oxford Tube website. The only setback is that the journey is confined to a specific departure time. Miss it and you'll need a new ticket.

Their large network also includes buses to other European destination like Paris and Brussels which is much cheaper than the Eurostar.

2. National Express

With fares from £5, National Express has an even larger fleet compared to Megabus. With tickets to London Airports departing from Victoria throughout the day and night, National Express is also a cost-friendly way to travel to the airport.

Buying early is also one of the best way to secure a cheap ticket. For students, there is also a 25% discount with NUS Extra! Be reminded, booking has to be made through the link in NUS Extra website which redirects you to the discounted booking page. Even with the £1 booking fee, National Express is still one of the better budget travelling option.

3. Trains

My favourite mode of travel! The fast and clean train makes travelling much more enjoyable. However, train is possibly one of the most expensive way to travel around. The only way to secure cheap tickets is to buy advance tickets. Available 12 weeks in advance, the best comparison can be made using the cheap fare finder function on the National Rail website. Tickets for short journeys (up to 2 hours) usually cost around £5-£10 when purchased in advance.

Another way is to find if there is a cheaper train provider for the same route. For example, the journey from London to Birmingham is served by Virgin Trains and London Midland with London Midland always being cheaper (due to its longer journey times). So, if your journey from London requires a train switch in Birmingham, save by buying the cheaper train option separately if time permits.

Train journeys within the London area can be paid by using Oyster pay as you go and it will always work out the cheapest single fare to be charged. Every journey also contributes to the daily price cap! PLUS, if there is a combined 16-25 Railcard attached onto the Oyster card, there is an added 1/3 discount onto the fare during off-peak hours.

Happy Travelling! :D

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10 Things I Miss Most About London

A month after leaving London, the withdrawal syndromes and my longing feelings to see London once more had never been this overwhelming. Ironically, I look forward to coming home for summer and wishing the summer holidays would last longer, but today, I wish I had more time to spend in London.

1. Living In The World’s Top Holiday Destination

Hundreds of thousands and millions throng London throughout the year for its iconic landmarks, its rich history, its famed parks and its glorious shopping streets. While everyone had to travel all the way to London just to spend a few days or weeks, I was blessed to be living right smack in the centre of London; just minutes away from the lively Southbank and the famous Ferris wheel, the London Eye.

There is nothing more wonderful than to explore London from my own home. Taking a stroll in the SouthBank at sunset, joining the tourist at Westminister, squeezing (and cursing) through the crowd at Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, exploring the hectares of park and so much more!

Living just minutes away from this famous landmark is such a blessing

2. London Underground

Love it or hate it, it is the lifeline for most Londoners. The crazy peak hour rush, getting squashed like sardines in a tin; the frequent breakdowns and planned engineering works and worst of all, the untimely strike makes life in London extremely miserable. Leaving the dependency on public transport is great but then getting stuck in traffic when driving at home –_- I’d rather take the tube or walk.

The experience of taping in and out, standing on the right and squeezing through to get off the train, nothing could change those times. So, if I ever complain about taking the tube, PUNCH ME!

Can I just enjoy another moment in the underground?

3. Gateway to Europe & UK

London is a gateway to adventure just like the cupboard in Narnia. With one of the busiest airport in the world, London is an amazing gateway to a budget holiday in Europe. Budget travelling could never be any easier. With Ryanair, EasyJet, Monarch etc, there is always a way to find cheap flight tickets to get away for the weekend, bank holidays, Christmas, Easter or summer break. The competition is so great that there is never one airline extorting passengers to pay ridiculous surcharges.

To add to the extensive flight network, the high speed train to Western Europe at an affordable price (if purchased in advance) is yet another amazing reason to miss London. Plus, buses and trains around the UK can always be bought at a steal all thanks to Megabus.
Thanks to all this great travel choices, my adventures in Europe and UK had been an amazing experience.

Eiffel Tower

The amazing gardens in Chateau de Versailles

Freezing in my favourite place in the world, Zermatt

Basking under the Aegean sun

Watch the most mesmerising sunset in Greece

Soaking in the Austrian Christmas spirits

Watch the last light of the day set behind the Vatican City

Stand out among the colourful houses of Burano

Conquer the summit of Snowdon after getting lost and off track

Thank you London for opening these doors of adventure!

4. World Cuisine

Dubbed as one of the biggest metropolitan in the world, London is a huge pot of melting culture. With so many different nationalities making London their home, it is only normal that different world cuisines start making their mark in London to satisfy the cravings of their people living miles away from home. A search for good Korean, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Turkish, Persian, Chinese etc. etc. etc. is as easy as ABC. The only setback is the price! Finding good food is never difficult but doing it in a budget is quite a challenge sometimes.

Given it’s various cultures, the colliding cultures creates an endless fusion dishes, mostly pleasant to the taste buds.

Petrus - Michelin starred dining

Gold Mine feasting

My favourite slice of Japanese influenced cake!

5. Markets, Markets and More Markets

Strolling through markets is possibly one of the best way to spend the weekend. With a long list of markets happening every weekend and throughout the week, the choice is pretty much endless. With every market standing out with a character of its own, there is always something different in every visit to the market.

Borough Market for its scrumptious food, Portobello Market for its display of antiques and knick knacks, Brick Lane Market and Camden Market for the groovy atmosphere, Columbia Flower Market for its flooding flower scent…

Mushroom frenzy in Borough Market

Vintage looking watch in Portobello Market

6. Grocery Shopping

Having countless cooking experiments while living in London, getting ingredients is never a setback. The convenience of online grocery shopping; delivering the freshest ingredients (most of the time) to my doorstep is the best thing ever. There’s no need to break my arm carrying pints of milk, bottles of fruit juices etc through the bitter winter. Best of all, delivery fee is usually cancelled off by discount coupons or free delivery promotion.

The selection of fresh ingredients is a cook’s paradise. Poultry, meat, vegetables, herbs etc. are always available off shelves. Even the smallest Tesco Express and Sainsbury Local have enough choices to make a hearty meal. Besides, the available ready meals and sandwiches are aplenty. How I miss the great selection of those ready to eat food from M&S!

7. New Year’s Eve Celebration

Celebrating the start of a year in London will always kick off with a bang. With thousands crowding the Victoria Embankment and SouthBank to watch the annual fireworks, NYE is always an event not to be missed. There is nothing more memorable than standing almost 7 hours in the cold winter with a few thousand others just to be rewarded with the most spectacular fireworks display in my life when the Big Ben strike 12.

Celebrating NYE would never feel much the same without the crowd, the cold and that firework display.

Spectacular fireworks during NYE 2014

Plus, with so much happening all year round, London is a great place for photography opportunity. The simmering lights of London’s skyline, the parks where animals roam freely and the major international events happening all year round! Plus, going around London by foot with a DSLR and tripod never gave me a feeling that I will be mugged and killed.

Le Tour de France 2014

8. Sales & Discounts
Student discount is obviously one the bulk of money saving opportunities. However, the genuine sales and discount happening almost all year round can never get better. There is always something on sale all the time. Not to forget, the crazy Boxing Day sales that see people fighting over reduced items.

Shopping in London was a great experience, whether it is grabbing a sale item or flipping the price tag to get a shock of my life.

9. Good Customer Service (excluding Chinatown please)

There is nothing I dread more than bad service (besides horrible food of course). In the service oriented society, bad is service is a huge no-no. Whether it’s dining out in a shabby place or Michelin starred restaurant, most of the time, service is always ranging from decent to excellent. Even when service is bad, there is always a right to complain and often there is an apology in return. Of course, there will be one or two bad experiences but nothing is as bad as the service at home.

Even the dreaded Chinese restaurants have a pretty decent service if I patron them frequent enough like Gold Mine in Bayswater.

10. King’s College London

While many love the experience of living in a campus, I’d prefer life to revolve around the busy streets of London and having everything close to my proximity. Being in King’s College London had been such a wonderful experience! Based in Waterloo and Strand campus, nothing in London ever seem to far. The best part of journey to school each day is definitely the magnificent view of St Paul’s and Big Ben from the Waterloo Bridge.

Forget the hopeless AccessKings wifi, studying in the Somerset House is quite a great experience with high ceiling classrooms inside such a remarkable work of architecture. Plus, there is always something exciting happening right outside.

Proud to be a part of King's College London :)

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; 

for there is in London all that life can afford"

-Samuel Johnson

There will always be so much to miss about London - clearly I'm not tired of life :D

Walking through the Southbank would definitely top my list of to do in London!

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Secawan ‘n’ Such on Hutton

Cafes in Penang are growing at an unbelievably fast rate. Just months away and I have a whole list of cafes to try! Okay, trying one at a time.

Another relatively new cafe in Penang located in the prewar building on Hutton Lane, Secawan ‘n’ Such is probably one of the best place for a cuppa. Opened by coffee addicts, Secawan ‘n’ Such serves a small variety of breakfast menu (until 2pm), sandwiches, pasta and cakes in addition to the classic list of coffee and tea.

Finally some decent latte art!

Cafe Latte @ RM9.90

One of the best latte I’ve tasted in Penang! Rich and fragrant espresso combined with just the right amount of milk creating an amazingly rich and thick cup of latte; added with a bonus of pretty latte art. Only weird thing is the accompaniment to the latte is a slice of soft cookie similar to the piggy biscuit sold during Mid-Autumn festival. Given a choice, I would definitely say "GIMME MY ALMOND BISCOTTI PLEASE!".

Basil & Pine Nuts Pesto Pasta

Tossed in classic basil pesto and olive oil topped with pine nuts and poached egg, the spaghetti is served slightly al dente just the way pasta is served traditionally. Rich in the fragrance of basil, the pasta is a great pick! Although poached egg is a rather odd topping, nevertheless still a delicious plate of pasta.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich @ RM16.00

The salad leaves were soaking causing part of the sandwich to become soggy. Would definitely taste better if the sandwich is kept dry

Check out the thickness of smoked salmon!

Here's to a heavenly mouthful!

An extremely generous amount of smoked salmon sandwiched together with 

salad leaves and cream cheese between toasted wholegrain bread. Served with 

a simple salad tossed in vinaigrette dressing bringing out the freshness of vegetables 

with a hint of sourness. With about 3 layers of smoked salmon and cream cheese, 

every bite feels like a heavenly treat. I’ve never been a fan of sandwiches and 

salmon salmon (even when they exist in abundance in London) but this 

sandwich got me craving for more.

Pork Chorizo (add on) @ RM4.00

A classic snack, the pork chorizo here is served differently from its classic method of being cooked in red wine. Spiced with ground black pepper and herbs, the pork chorizo is an excellent snack and meaty add on to the meal.

Here's an example of a satisfying lunch!

High ceiling, modern simplistic decorations with wall murals, Secawan carries a relaxing atmosphere. Bright and airy, with air conditioning, Secawan ‘n’ Such is an excellent place to enjoy a good cup of coffee. Albeit it’s limited food menu at present, the quality of food definitely triumphs over the quantity of choices.



Check out Secawan ‘n’ Such on their Facebook page and visit them here:
205, Hutton Lane,
10050 Georgetown, Penang.
Opens Tuesday to Sunday from 8.00am to 12.00am

Limited roadside parking available. For a more convenient parking, park at New World Park and walk just minutes to Secawan ‘n’ Such.

Food rating: 8/10
Service rating: 9/10
Ambience rating: 8/10
Price rating: £££££
Overall rating: 8/10

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