We decided to head down to the Muri night market to explore, partly because it offered a wide variety of food options to cater to everyone on the trip.


We arrived around 7 PM on a Sunday, and the place was pretty busy. There were lots of different cuisines, but nothing really caught my eye. I was hoping to find something unique to the Cook Islands, but the options were fairly limited and generally on the pricey side.


I ended up trying a curry laksa from the same vendor I had seen at the Saturday market, where I’d gotten a smoothie. I was surprised to see laksa on the menu, which is why I decided to give it a go.


The curry laksa was interesting, though not exactly what I expected. There were thin egg noodles and some chicken, but the chicken had been stir-fried with onions and other ingredients, so it tasted more like a stir-fry than the typical laksa flavour. Beneath the egg noodles, I found udon noodles, which was an unexpected touch. The soup itself was decent, though it lacked the usual additions like bean sprouts or tofu that I was hoping for.


Overall, it wasn’t a bad dish. I’ve definitely had worse in Wellington. I did enjoy the classic thin egg noodles, and I guess in a place like the Cook Islands, you have to be resourceful, given how hard it can be to get certain ingredients.

Instagram: Muri Night Market