Naviya's Thai Kitchen of Grand Marais now has a Richfield outpost. The former Puhket Thai restaurant at 6345 Penn Ave. S. has been stylishly remodeled, and now serves what is billed as "the only restaurant in the Twin Cities serving cuisine based on Oriental Medicine!" Naviya and Kim LaBarge (she's Thai, he's not) opened their first restaurant in Grand Marais three a few years ago, and opened their Richfield outpost earlier this year.
The menu explains that "in traditional Oriental medicine, it is believed that the human body is made up of five essential elements. Associated with each of them is a category of flavor derived from Natural foods...One way to insure good health is to include in the diet a cuisine which uses a consistent balance of natural foods representing the five flavours: salty, sweet, sour, bitter and pungent (hot). Because Thai cuisine utilizes all five, almost to an equal degree, it is perceived as a perfect health-enhancing cuisine."
Well, maybe. But every Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities offers that combination of flavors, and unfortunately, the menu makes no effort to explain how the traditional medical principles are applied in any specific dishes. Actually, the menu offers a limited selection of the same dishes you can find at any Thai restaurant, ranging from red and green curries to pad Thai and holy basil supreme, plus a few non-traditional items such as crab Rangoon and cream cheese wontons.
First impressions: generous portions, attractive ambience, but quality seemed about average, and prices are distinctly higher than most local Thai restaurants: most entrees are in the $14-$17 range. The Bangkok style fish cakes were superb: fried deep brown on the outside, firm and flavorful on the inside, and with just the right hint of kaffir lime. But the red curry with fried tofu lacked the complexity of the best versions I have had elsewhere.
The buffet ($ 9.95 at lunch, $ 16 dinner) offers a sampling of many of the appetizers and entrees also offered a la carte: coconut lemongrass soup with chicken, vegetable spring rolls, cream cheese wontons,Thai chicken wings, crab Rangoon, and about 10 different entrees, ranging from sweet basil seafood, pork prik khing and cashew nut chicken to red and green chicken curries and pad Thai. Desserts include sweet sticky rice with Thai custard, coconut flan, and several flavors of mousse cake (presumably not a Thai dish.)
But there may be more to Naviya's Thai Kitchen than first meets the eye. Without knowing who I was, Kim LaBarge struck up a conversation, and mentioned that the menu offers only a small sampling of Naviya' culinary repertoire. Diners who call ahead with a party of eight or more can arrange for special off-the-menu dinners. Prices start at $25 per person. I'd like to try that sometime, but I think I'll wait until Naviya's gets its wine and beer license - expected before the end of the month.
Naviya's Thai Kitchen, 6345 Penn Ave. S., Richfield,.
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3 comments:
Boy, a Thai buffet sounds mouthwatering. I haven't been to some of the more famous places in the Twin Cities, so I'm wondering if Thai buffets are common.
I went browsing through Citysearch for Thai restaurants in the Twin Cities. I was surprised to find how MANY there are. But I don't see much mention of buffets. However, one restaurant, on University near downtown St Paul was credited by a Thai customer as most authentic in the area. Read reviews at http://twincities.citysearch.com/review/35671557
Go here for a more "well rounded" description of the food at this location. As you will see, Ms. Moskowitz has the chops, good judgement and skill set to interview a Chef also, so her comments are a reflection of a persons efforts and interpetation, rather than a writers singlemindedness. This is the practice, in California and New York, where I cut my teeth in the food industry. Jeremy, if you do not understand something, ask!!
http://citypages.com/databank/28/1381/article15459.asp
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