Hin Bus Depot is located at Jalan Gurdwara (formerly known as Brick Kiln Road). It is right across the road from Hotel NEO+. Constructed after the Second World War, Hin Bus Depot was operated by the Hin Bus Company during its zenith in the 1970s. However, the once-magnificent building fell into disrepair over the next few decades. It was only in 2014 when the current owner gave this place a new lease of life.
Bricklin Cafe Bar is one of the two eateries here. Café Latte (RM10.00) has the ideal degree of creaminess from steamed milk. Bitter aftertaste from espresso also suits my palate. However, the glass looks unusually small. Not sure whether it’s just an optical illusion on my part?
As for food, my choice is Bricklin Toasted Bagel With Chicken Ham, Cream Cheese & Honey Mustard (RM12.00). Reasonably firm and chewy, I must say that the bagel is quite delectable. Meanwhile, ham and condiments take a backseat in the overall enjoyment.
Although I am satisfied with the coffee and bagel here, I feel that the service is too slow. The barista takes over 10 minutes to prepare my cup of coffee, even though there are not many customers around. In terms of ambience, I feel that glaring evening sunlight through the glass walls is quite bothersome. Fortunately, there are roller shutters to block sunlight to a certain degree.
Across the lawn from Bricklin is another eatery: Tavern In The Park, but I have yet to visit this place. In addition, there is an art gallery adjacent to Bricklin. Hin Bus Depot is also the location of Sunday Pop-Up Market, an art and crafts flea market that is held between 11:00am and 5:00pm every Sunday.
Against the remnants of Hin Bus Depot are hand-painted murals created by various artists. One of them is Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian artist who is responsible for many art pieces throughout Penang. In the evening, the mural garden is illuminated with a unique sense of novelty, making this place a great place for photography.
Address: 31A, Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-226-6813
Business hours: 10:00am-10:30pm (Monday-Thursday), 10:00am-11:30pm (Friday-Sunday)