Dear Mom Cafe wins top prize at third annual SOUPer Bowl with Khao Soi, a Northern Thai curry noodle soup
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Dear Mom Cafe earned the top prize at the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance's third annual SOUPer Bowl on Saturday, February 7th--one day before the big game. The Bend-based restaurant won the competition with its Khao Soi, a Northern Thai curry noodle soup.
The SOUPer Bowl serves as the largest annual fundraiser for the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance, or HDFFA. This year's event hosted 400 guests who tasted dishes from 14 local restaurants committed to using locally sourced ingredients.
Dear Mom Cafe secured the top honor through a combination of votes from event attendees and points awarded by a panel of local culinary experts. This victory marks the second time the restaurant has won the competition.
Its winning entry, Khao Soi, is a Northern Thai curry noodle soup featuring a coconut curry broth. Chef Jattalee Chalernhinthong is the chef-owner of Dear Cafe. She founded the community-driven restaurant to share comfort food inspired by her childhood in Thailand.
"We're incredibly honored and grateful to everyone who voted," Chalernhinthong said. "The SOUPer Bowl is so special to our team and this truly means a lot to us."
Other top finishers in the competition included Mt. Bachelor, which took second place for its seafood stew. JIA Asian Street Kitchen placed third with its version of Khao Soi. Kristin Points serves as the executive director of HDFFA.
She stated that the fundraiser supports the organization's efforts to improve food access in Central Oregon while helping local food producers. "This event was a tremendous success for our organization," Points said. "The SOUPer Bowl celebrates local restaurants and chefs, strengthens connections to local food, raises critical funds and supports our work advancing food access."
The 14 participating restaurants included 10 Barrel Brewing, Anthony's Restaurant at the Old Mill, A Broken Angel, Central Oregon Soup Company, Dear Cafe, Deschutes Brewery, El Sancho, Jackson's Corner, JIA Asian Street Kitchen, Mountain Burger, Mt. Bachelor, Roots at Heart, Schoolhouse Produce and Wild Rye at Brasada.
A panel of guest judges for the event featured Ali Murray @bendoregonwithali, Chrissy Wilson of @gooddaybend, Josh Cordell, “The Bend Burger Guy” @joshcordell, Linda Orcetto of KPOV Bend, and Emily Kirk from Central Oregon Daily News @emilykirk_. The competition was emceed by Jon Jones @thebendfoodie.
