From curry-drenched rice dishes to superlative laksa to fried chicken, the meals that tell the rich story of Penang.

When the sun starts to set in George Town, bathing the colonial buildings in orange and pink, we step out into the street to hunt for dinner. Visitors to Penang never just have dinner; they hunt it, as if the meal were hiding in some darkened nook, guarded by a grey-haired auntie frying noodles.

We squeeze into the the open-air Line Clear restaurant, famous for one of Penang’s signature dishes: Nasi kandar, a heaped meal of rice with various curries and sides. Big metal trays and pots of curry grace a metal trolley along the wall, the oil congealing around the rims. A slim Indian man loads a plate with rice and begins ladling the contents of the pots over it.

“Won’t the sauces run together?” my friend asks.

Continue reading

Access this and all our other premium articles by joining our membership program. Plans start at $6.50 per month and include twice-weekly digital features, access to in-person events, and more.