The Mill City Times Interview: Kim and Naviya LaBarge of Naviya's Thai Brasserie
Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 9:46AMArticle by Becky Fillinger
We have periodic requests from our readers for ideas on take-out food for the perfect summer picnic. We spoke to Kim and Naviya LaBarge of Naviya's Thai Brasserie in Linden Hills for some inspiration.
Q: Please give us a selection from your menu for a perfect picnic in the parks.
A: The limited menu we are currently working with dictates two choices for an ideal summer picnic: Fresh Organic Tofu Spring Rolls and Fresh Chicken and Shrimp Spring Rolls. These are gluten free and the tofu choice is vegan. Lake Harriet is right around the corner, so you won’t be waiting long to eat!
Q: While we’re talking, tell us how Thai food and the five flavors of food impact your cuisine and the health of your diners.
Fresh Shrimp & Chicken Spring RollsA: In traditional Oriental medicine, it is believed the human body is made up of five essential elements. Associated with each of them is a category of flavour derived from natural foods. When the five elements are in balance the body is in good health. When any of them is deficient or excessive, the harmony of the body is disturbed.
One way to ensure good health is to include in the diet a balance of natural foods representing the five flavours; salty, sweet, sour, bitter and pungent (spicy hot). Because Thai cuisine utilizes all five, almost to an equal degree, it is revered as a health-enhancing cuisine. The five major organs; liver, kidney, heart, lung and spleen and interconnectedness of five primary flavours. Because a high percentage of ingredients used in our recipes are fresh ingredients and not canned, processed or frozen, we have opportunity to use varying proportions to achieve surprisingly different results. This coupled with the differing strength of herbs, spices and vegetables (remember fresh picked) including different sections of the crop and using multiple local sources, we have many variables allowing us to create many distinctive tastes just by manipulating all the above. For example; the bitter flavour comes largely from dark green vegetables and herbs and is present in most recipes, by using the remaining 4 flavours can be adjusted to achieve many results suitable to your taste palette. Always use your taste buds to adjust the recipe as this is the key to all of the above, based on using fresh ingredients.
Q: What item do you wish more people would try from your menu?
A: If vegetables are the cornerstone for you when selecting dishes while dining out, we are here to serve you. We have always segmented the vegetables we buy for flavour and shop our suppliers accordingly. Natural sugar content is significant to Naviyas as we cook our vegetables by caramelizing, cooking over extremely high heat in a cast iron wok, until the skin on the bell peppers split, slightly charred imparting a natural smoky, sweet, woodsy flavour to the end result, while combined with your sauce and protein cooked in the same manner, well...you get my meaning! For an abundance of vegetables, choose Holy Basil Supreme! Healthy eating! For you vegan diners, the Coconut Lemongrass Soup is made from scratch for every order, starts with vegetable stock and is true vegan. We do not cut corners, and once you try our food I know you’ll be a regular customer!
Coconut Lemongrass Soup
Q: What are your hours?
A: Weekdays, noon to 8PM, weekends, noon to 9PM. We have patio seating and takeaway for those picnics. We’re at 2812 West 43rd Street. Our telephone number is 612-276-5061. Please also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Come visit us!
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About Becky Fillinger
I’ve been a resident of the Mill District only since July 2019, but have visited the Guthrie, the Farmers Market, restaurants and friends in the area for many years prior to making the leap to Minneapolis. I’ve lived in many places (and climates) in the US and can testify that our cultural events, bicycle and hiking trails, parks and green spaces, museums, diverse neighborhoods and wonderful restaurants put Minnesota and Minneapolis high on my best places list. I’m a member of the Mill City Singers and look forward to our choir practices and performances.
One of my main interests is community - a very broad concept. For me it means bringing people together with common interests to form meaningful relationships. I look forward to reporting on businesses and individuals in our neighborhoods. Feel free to drop me an email at becky_fillinger@hotmail.com with your thoughts and ideas for stories.
