Cambodian cafe Angkor Takeaway crowned Darwin's best laksa in unanimous verdict at international festival

People in Darwin, Australia, take laksa seriously. They eat the spicy, coconut-enriched curry soup noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They frequent their favourite stalls and sellers at legendary markets such as Mindil Beach, Parap and Rapid Creek, and many bring their own containers when buying takeaway.

The biggest proof of all is that every October, Australia's northernmost capital hosts the Darwin International Laksa Festival — a month-long celebration of multiculturalism and of the city's unofficial official spirit dish.

The inaugural festival in 2019 saw 33 venues serve laksa specials for the month. This year's line-up included 50 different laksas plus 175 laksa-inspired creations, ranging from prawn toast and laksa toasties to cocktails and cold foam coffees.

Vendors compete for the Golden Bowl, the prize for the festival's best laksa, chosen by judges who visit venues anonymously.

This year, high-profile chefs Luke Nguyen and Junda Khoo — Australasian cooks of Vietnamese and Malaysian heritage respectively — were appointed guest judges to offer outsiders' perspectives. Local Samantha Bennett, executive chef of The Leea hotel, was the panel's third member.

A crowd of 500 watched the cook-off final. The finalists included Singaporean-born Jules Mou, whose Kopi Stop won the Golden Bowl in 2025, while laksa cookies at sister venue Makan Stop took the People's Choice Laksa Inspired-By prize. Fellow finalist Cheata Ouch of Angkor Takeaway, also a top-three finisher in 2025, was born in Siem Reap and makes her laksa with kroeung, a lighter, more fragrant Khmer spice paste. Third finalist Tully Leitch of Pho Rapid Creek is a first-time restaurateur who, with partner Linh Do, left careers in healthcare and nursing to take over the cafe; his laksa riffs on a recipe from his father Kelvin, who also grows the lemongrass, basil and other ingredients for the paste.

The 20-minute finale was not long enough to fry off paste and make a broth from scratch, so the finalists assembled bowls for a blind tasting using pre-prepared stock, toppings and locally made Kongs wheat noodles. Comedian Amy Hetherington entertained the audience.

As the judges tasted the bowls in the hot, muggy weather, by his second bowl Junda Khoo muttered over his headset mic, 'I'm sweating profusely — can I get some tissues on stage, please?' Finalist Ouch said she was feeling very nervous.

Kopi Stop again pulled off the People's Choice double, winning both the People's Choice laksa and the Laksa Inspired-By prize. But in the big award, the Golden Bowl, the judges were unanimous: every scoresheet put the same bowl at number one for its seasoning and body — Angkor Takeaway's laksa. Luke Nguyen told Ouch, 'We tasted all the time, dedication and passion you put in your food.' As the name was announced, Ouch leapt into the air, hands clasped over her mouth.