Chok’s place cements laksa champ status with second Golden Bowl

CHOK’S Place has done it again, taking out the coveted Golden Bowl award for the second year running in the annual Darwin International Laksa Festival

Golden Bowl winner Chok’s Place owner Jason Chin with mum Loretta Chin. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

CHOK’S Place has done it again, taking out the coveted Golden Bowl award for the second year running in the annual Darwin International Laksa Festival.

Also joining Chok’s on the winner’s podium was perennial favourite Mary’s, which won the people’s choice award for best laksa, while Berry Springs Tavern took out best laksa inspired dish for its laksa chicken schnitty.

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Chok’s Place owner Jason Chin said he was ecstatic to go back to back, crediting the win to the hard work of his staff and a quality broth.

“They said it was going to be hard to do but I like to prove people wrong,” he said.

“It takes four hours to make our broth and there’s no shortcomings in it, I don’t take any cheap steps or cheap ways of doing it, we put a lot of hard work into it to deliver that perfect laksa.”

In announcing the winners, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the second win in a row for Chok’s gave it “ultimate bragging rights as the world’s best laksa”.

“In this, our second Darwin International Laksa Festival, we had hoped to invite some of the best from Malaysia, some of the best from Singapore some of the best from down south to compete with us for the title of who does make the best laksa,” he said.

“We knew they’d struggle because the Territory’s the best after all but in the spirit of a fair go we thought we’d let them have a crack.

“Unfortunately, COVID put paid to that so we’ll have to wait until next year for the international challenge to see if anyone can take the title off a Darwin laksa store — good luck.”

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Late blooming laksa aficionado Bridie Duggan said despite being born and bred in the Territory, she had her first taste of laksa at the festival and had not looked back.

“It’s been amazing, it’s the first laksa I’ve ever had in the Territory and definitely not disappointed, I think the hardest decision was trying to find which place to go to,” she said.

“We went to Mary’s and that was unreal so after seeing she was awarded the people’s choice award I’m glad we got hers.”