Recently it is getting so common to see lists of Penang famous food shared over in social media sites. I have recently discovered a list of Penang’s 10 new cafes. Unfortunately, the information listed is not very accurate especially on the operating hours. Also there isn’t much introduction or highlights of what do the cafes have to offer and what makes them so special. So it has become my job to find it out myself. Most of the new cafes only start operating at 11 am or 12 noon. For someone like myself who usually wake up at 9+ during weekends and start to look for breakfast during that time, this is not really practical. Out of the many cafes, only one that I have found to be operating before 10am, that is DCOVA Cafe.
DCOVA cafe used to be known as “Light House Coffee“. However, this cafe was taken over by another owner and hence the name changed as well. The cafe is now known as “DCOVA Cafe”. DCOVA Cafe is located at the central of town. If you are driving to town area from Penang Bridge via Beach Street, you will surely pass by OCBC on your left. Keep driving and just before Standard Chartered Bank, turn left to Union Street. Keep driving until the junction which leads to the one way street of Penang Street, at the next junction turn into Bishop Street. Drive for another 50 meters and keep a look out on your left and you will see DCOVA Cafe is there.
The cozy and inviting interior still looks the same as the previous Light House Coffee.
Even the drinks on the menu are still mostly the same.
As for now the staircase to the second floor is visible unlike last time which was covered up.
The arrangement of the tables is also almost the same as before. The only difference is the painting on the wall and also some tiny decorations that made the difference.
Aussie Strong Latte – RM9.50, the strong aroma coffee is still around.
The price of the coffee per cup is still similar as before. However, the taste of the coffee is even richer and better. You can tell the taste of the coffee by looking at its color. The taste of Aussie Strong Latte is by far the most well-balanced coffee in my opinion. The bitterness of the coffee is not too much but of course stronger than the regular latte. Paired with rich and creamy fresh milk in the coffee and thus making it aromatic and rich.
As for mains, this round we had heavier dishes for breakfast (or rather “Brunch”). The signature here is the Carbonara Dcova – RM16.90. Slices of bacon were used to mix together with the spaghetti in creamy white sauce, then sprinkled with some herbs and black pepper. On top of the spaghetti, it was topped with a raw egg yolk and a parsley.
The taste of the white creamy sauce was not too rich which was just right for me. The addition of bacon made a great combination to the pasta. The egg yolk was the main ingredient that created the harmony and enhanced the smoothness of the dish. No wonder this dish is the signature of this cafe.
Another dish to be introduced here is the Sausage Baked Rice – RM16.90. The rice was mixed with white sauce, herbs and sausages and topped with cheese. It was then baked until golden crispy on the top. It was than garnished with parsley and sided with some greens.
The taste was rich and packed with flavor. However, compared this to Carbonara, I still choose the previous one. Maybe the richness of this dish was overwhelmed by cheese which is not my cup of tea.
Overall, the concept of DCOVA Cafe is very similar to Light House Coffee Bar. The coffee here gives the best impression, while the food is on par as well. However, the drawback of this place is the price of the food and drinks is slightly on the high side and also the difficulty in getting parking during working hours.
Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):
| Taste |  |
| Price (more stars, more reasonable) |  |
| Food Presentation |  |
| Service | |
| Overall | |
Quick Facts:
| Family Friendly |  |
| Parking |  |
| Pork Free | |
| Alcohol (beer) | |
| Credit Card | |
| Smoking | |
| Reservation | |
| Private Room | |
| WIFI Available | |
Operation hours: 9:00am – 10:00pm, Open Daily.
Contact: 04-261 3121
Address: Logan Heritage No.4, Bishop Street, Georgetown, 10300 Penang
GPS: 5° 41′ 80.75″ N, 100° 34′ 26.19″ E