A fresh taste of Thailand

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This article was published 26/02/2018 (3071 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new Thai restaurant has officially opened its doors in Charleswood, so it’s an ideal time to drop by and say “Sawadee,” or hello, to the owners.

On Monday, Feb. 19, hungry diners gathered for the grand opening event of Iyara Thai Restaurant, located at 8-5606 Roblin Blvd.

Kawalee Namwicha runs the family business along with her husband Thanapong Dala. Adding to the family atmosphere, their son and niece are also working alongside them.

The culinary couple brings ample experience to the eatery, which is named after the elephant, or Iyara, since it is the animal symbol of Thailand. Their family owned a restaurant back in Bangkok, while Dala also worked at a five-star hotel for 20 years.

They moved to Winnipeg from Thailand in 2013, and now they are excited to share the flavours of their home country with the local community.

“Thai food is very popular in the world, and that’s why we would like to bring it into Winnipeg. We would like to promote Thai food here,” Namwicha said.

“Some Thai food in Canada is not original from Thailand. It might be from another country. But we are original from Bangkok, Thailand, and we serve authentic Thai food in a homemade style.”

Thai food is known for an impressive array of flavours that stem from garlic, ginger, cilantro, lemongrass, shallots, kaffir lime leaves and chili peppers. Other flavourful ingredients often include shrimp paste and fish sauce.

For anyone looking for a recommendation, Namwicha suggests trying their Pad Thai or indulging in a red curry or green curry with a choice of various meats or tofu. Other mouth-watering menu options include Thai Som Tum (papaya salad), Tom Yum Soup (hot and sour soup) or Kra Pow (basil fried rice).

“Our food is healthy because we use fresh ingredients and Thai herbs that are good for you,” she said.

“You can decide how spicy you want it. We have three levels — mild, medium and very spicy. There is something for everybody.”

Iyara Thai Restaurant is open Monday to Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. The restaurant is open on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and closed on Sunday.

Customers can opt to dine in at the family-friendly restaurant or they can order take out to enjoy at home. Delivery will also be available through Skip the Dishes.

For more information, call 204-219-1269, email kawalee@iyarathaiwinnipeg.com or drop by in person at 8-5606 Roblin Blvd.

Updates are also posted on the Facebook page for Iyara Thai Restaurant.