Penang Hawker Centres at Night

As darkness falls over George Town, the great hawker centres of Penang — New Lane, Kimberley Street, Gurney Drive — come alive with charcoal smoke, wok flame, and the cumulative aroma of laksa, char kway teow, oyster omelette, and cendol that has defined this city's food culture for 150 years. The ritual of pulling up a plastic chair, pointing at stalls, and being served across different cuisines at a single table is quintessential Penang.