The red walls at Hawkers seem to ignite when set against the rich wooden bar, creating a colorful atmosphere that hosts good times and authentic Southeast Asian cuisine. Malaysian by birth, Chef Meng whips up authentic dishes such as coconut curry laksa soup and Thai-style barbecue Gai Yang chicken in an indonesian sweet soy dip sauce. Servers sling drinks such as beer and wine from behind a centrally located bar, keeping alive the electric atmosphere of socializing and chatter. As if the shadows of reveling guests, painted silhouettes of dancing, music-enjoying people cover the walls, adding a sense of space, like a placing a mirror where the windshield normally goes to make a car seem twice as roomy.