NOOK Books & Coffee: Reading in Colonial Style Interior
The NOOK Books & Coffee can be a little tricky to find without a reliable GPS.
Near the populated Beach Street, this used bookstore and cafe hides humbly within the quiet Fish Lane. I discovered this cafe when I was planning my weekend cafe hopping before my haircut appointment in the afternoon. A tsundoku like me could not resist the urge to visit this book cafe. If I was lucky enough, I could get one of Penang’s history and attraction books, which can be helpful for my future writings.
Again, parking was a painful matter in the Weld Quay area. I drove around the one-way lane to look for a parking spot nearby, but in the end I was forced to retreat to a paid parking lot in Lebuh Aceh.
Despite the uncongested location, the cafe was recognisable with orderly arranged potted plants and a wooden hanging sign NOOK extended out to the street. My gentle hands pushed the wooden door, revealing a narrow corridor with a coffee bar and banquette seating with tiny round tables.
The two baristas showed me the menu, which they only offer crepe cakes, cookies and muffins at the moment. As much as I was expecting a croissant as stated from online reviews, I had no other choice but to settle for a mango crepe along with my coffee order.
“So, where can I wait for my order?”
The female barista pushed through a glass door, which led to a white room with potted plants. The lightwell above allowed direct sunlight to grace the English Ivy and fig trees for photosynthesis. This bright space was a transitory portal to a colonial style study room.
Wow!
Although I had visited colonial style buildings around Penang, I had never imagined drinking coffee in such a setting. This cafe kept the furniture and interior design, only adding a few ceiling fans and lights on the wooden ceiling. The smell of old wood lingered in the air, adding a layer of antiqueness to the space. The main highlight was a large bookshelf guarded by an antique executive desk in front.
What You Can Have There?
Among a range of tea, coffee, and soda, I ordered a cup of cappuccino to begin my day (a borderline coffee addict here).
My mango crepes arrived with my coffee. Perfect timing. The coffee’s bitterness could counter the sweetness of the cream. The crepes were shaped like mini pillows, akin to a square mochi. One bite and the thick creamy filling almost dropped to the ground, so every munch involved strategic plans to prevent leakage.
The Experience
The cafe was not crowded when I reached there, except for a few customers who came by and settled for some coffee and books. The serene atmosphere propelled customers to read or study throughout the day.
The large bookshelf had collections of books in English, Chinese, and Malay. Most of them were historical books or travel guides, and a few Chinese comics and novels sneaked in between these titles. I could not find any titles about Penang, but one book instantly caught my attention.
It was about the Chinese community in Malaysia, describing the triumvirates of Chinese society and the three sub-group in this race. As I was planning to write a story regarding the Chinese community, maybe I can get this as a souvenir-
But Jenny, you have so many unread books at home.
I quietly shoved the book back to its original place.
I also brought along my travelling companion of the day, drawing tools and watercolour kit for sketching. I had drawn nothing since the beginning of the year, a splendid opportunity to reignite my artistic talent. My art subject was a cushion chair and my cappuccino cup. Angle-capturing and composition were quite tricky, otherwise I performed a decent job.
Hmmpphh… I wonder if they have other book collections aside from the ones displayed on this bookshelf.
Finishing my drink, I walked out of the room to search for their other reading corners as mentioned in the reviews. Eventually, I discovered one right opposite the lightwell’s entrance. A cosy reading corner surrounded by rows of books.
I finally understood why they named the cafe ‘nook’.
Here, I found an even more diverse range of titles than the previous shelf. Whether it was the Classics, philosophy, modern literature, or world history, you could find titles from old to new publications. I had my eye on a philosophy book and a novel. I could not find any price tag attached to it, so I was about to leave to ask for the price-
Hello? Old book stash?
Again, I reluctantly placed them back on the shelf.
I had yet to explore more since I was leaving for my haircut appointment. Definitely would come back if I had the chance to immerse myself in the sea of books for the entire afternoon.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Date of Visitation: 12 Mar 2022
Address: 4, Halaman Khoo Cheow Teong, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Opening Hours: 10.30 am - 7pm (Sun-Sat), Close on Tuesdays
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