Arabic version: أنغكور تيك أواي يفوز بالوعاء الذهبي في داروين

According to The Guardian, Angkor Takeaway was crowned the home of Darwin’s best laksa after judges unanimously selected its bowl in the International Laksa Festival’s live blind tasting finale. Chef Cheata Ouch, who was born in Siem Reap, makes her laksa with kroeung, a lighter and more fragrant Khmer spice paste than the richer bases commonly used in south-east Asian laksas.

Darwin’s month-long October festival celebrates the city’s multiculturalism and its unofficial official spirit dish. The inaugural event in 2019 involved 33 venues serving laksa specials. This year’s lineup featured 50 different laksas and 175 laksa-inspired offerings, including prawn toast, laksa toasties, cocktails and cold foam coffees. Vendors compete for the golden bowl, with judges making anonymous venue visits before selecting finalists.

The final drew a crowd of about 500 at Darwin’s waterfront precinct. Guest judges Luke Nguyen and Junda Khoo joined Samantha Bennett, executive chef of The Leea hotel, on the panel. The other finalists were Jules Mou of Kopi Stop, the 2025 golden bowl winner, and Tully Leitch of Pho Rapid Creek, a first-time restaurateur who runs the cafe with partner Linh Do.

Because the 20-minute cook-off did not allow enough time to fry laksa paste and make broth from scratch, finalists assembled bowls with prepared stock, toppings and locally made Kongs wheat noodles. Conditions were hot and muggy on a Darwin “buildup” day. During the tasting, Khoo asked for tissues, saying he was “sweating profusely”.

Kopi Stop again won the public-voted people’s choice laksa award and the people’s choice laksa inspired-by prize. But the golden bowl went to Angkor Takeaway after Nguyen said every scoresheet ranked the same bowl first for its seasoning and body. Ouch reacted with a scream and a leap as the result was announced. Nguyen told her: “We tasted all the time, dedication and passion you put in your food. We really felt that.”