Reykjavík Grapevine - 28.08.2010, Side 28

Food & Drink | Venue finder
3 Frakkar
Baldursgata 14 | G4
Aktu Taktu
Skúlugata 15 | E6
Alibaba
Veltusund 3b | D2
American Style
Tryggvagata 26 | D2
Argentína Steak-
house
Barónstígur | F6
Austurlanda-
hraðlestin
Hverfisgata 64A | F5
Á Næstu Grösum
Laugavegur 20B | E4
B5
Bankastræti 5 | E3
Bakkus
Tryggvagata 22 | D2
Ban Thai
Laugavegur 130 | G7
Basil & Lime
Klapparstíg 38 | E4
Babalú
Skólavörðustígur 22A
| G5
Balthazar
Hafnarstræti 1-3 | D2
Bæjarins Beztu
Tryggvagata | D3
Brons
Pósthússtræti 9 | E3
Café Cultura
Hverfisgata 18 | E4
Café d'Haiti
Tryggvagata 12 | D2
Café Loki
Lokastígur 28 | G4
Café Paris
Austurstræti 14 | E3
Café Roma
Rauðarárstígur 8 | G7
Deli
Bankastræti 14 | E5
Domo
Þingholtsstræti 5 | E3
Einar Ben
Veltusundi | E2
Eldsmiðjan
Bragagata 38A | G4
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12 | D2
Geysir Bar/Bistro
Aðalstræti 2 | D2
Garðurinn
Klappastigur 37 | F4
Glætan book café
Laugavegur 19 | F5
Grái Kötturinn
Hverfisgata 16A | E4
Grillhúsið
Tryggvagata 20 | D2
Habibi
Hafnarstræti 20 | E3
Hamborgarabúlla Tó-
masar (“Bullan”)
Geirsgata 1 | B2
Hlölla Bátar
Ingólfstorg | D2
Hornið
Hafnarstræti 15 | D3
Hótel Holt
Bergstaðarstræti 37
| G3
Humarhúsið
Amtmannstígur 1 | E3
Hressó
Austurstræti 20 | E4
Icelandic Fish & Chips
Tryggvagata 8 | B2
Indian Mango
Frakkastígur 12 | F5
Jómfrúin
Lækjargata 4 | E3
Kaffi Hljómalind
Laugavegur 21 | E4
Kaffifélagið
Skólavörðustígur 10
| F5
Kaffitár
Bankastræti 8 | E4
Kaffivagninn
Grandagarður 10 | A1
Kofi Tómasar Frænda
Laugavegur 2 | E4
Kornið
Lækjargata 4 | E3
Krua Thai
Tryggvagata 14 | D2
La Primavera
Austurstræti 9 | D2
Lystin
Laugavegur 73 | F6
Mokka
Skólavörðustígur 3A
| E4
Nonnabiti
Hafnarstræti 9 | D3
O Sushi
Lækjargata 2A | E3
Pisa
Lækjargötu 6b | E3
Pizza King
Hafnarstræti 18 | D3
Pizza Pronto
Vallarstræti 4 | E2
Pizzaverksmiðjan
Lækjargötu 8 | E3
Prikið
Bankastræti 12 | E3
Ráðhúskaffi | E2
Tjarnargata 11
Santa Maria
Laugavegur 22A, | F5
Serrano
Hringbraut 12 | H3
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4 | D2
Silfur
Pósthússtræti 11 | E3
Sjávarkjallarinn
Aðalstræti 2 | D2
Sólon
Bankastræti 7a | E3
Sushibarinn
Laugavegur 2 | E4
Sushismiðjan
Geirsgötu 3 | B2
Svarta Kaffi
Laugavegur 54 | F5
Sægreifinn
Verbúð 8, Geirsgata
| B2
Tapas
Vesturgata 3B | D2
Thorvaldsen
Austurstræti 8 | D2
Tíu Dropar
Laugavegur 27 | E5
Tívolí
Laugavegur 3 | E4
Vegamót
Vegamótastígur 4 | E4
Við Tjörnina
Templarasund 3 | E2
Vitabar
Bergþórugata 21 | G5
F D
For your mind, body and soul
R E V I E W S
WIEBKE WOLTER
HÖRðUR SVEINSSON
Krua Thai
Sawatdee Kaa Reykjavík
Thai Food in Reykjavík
If there's one really great thing about the restaurant selection in this somewhat isolated little capital is that there's a relative abundance of foreign
cuisine to choose from. While the Indian selection is ample and countries across Europe are well-represented, the frontrunner in terms of sheer
saturation of the market is by far Thailand. There’s a lot of delicious Thai food in town, some of it outstanding, some of it not so much. With so much to
choose from The Grapevine has done you a solid and sampled the offerings of two popular eateries – Krua Thai and Ban Thai – so the next time your
stomach is begging for crunchy spring rolls and mouth-burning curries of varying colours you’ll know where to go.
With watering mouths, my date and
I arrived at Krua Thai. On our way
to the harbour, where the restaurant
is located, we talked about coconut
milk, lemon grass and hot curry, so
that our longing for Thai food would
reach its peak when we entered the
inconspicuous looking place. Greeting
us with mustard yellow walls, some
Asian looking elephant mural and a
selection of fake plants, the place tried
to create a cosy ambiance, but didn’t
really succeed. Either eating in or
taking away (the full menu is available
for take-away), you order up front at a
counter – and so that’s what we did.
Out of a selection of forty dishes
between 1200 and 1800 ISK, we
chose one with fish and one with
lamb. We thought, that would be
a good idea - being in Iceland and
all. We just had to wait for a short
amount of time, surrounded by a mix
of tourists and Icelanders in the half
full restaurant. “Number thirty-one,
Chu Chilli”, said the waitress to the
room. After responding “here”, we
found ourselves inspecting a plate
of fish, accompanied by another one
with rice. Most fish dishes on the
menu were listed as ‘fried fish;’ we
specifically chose Chu Chilli (1600
ISK) – fish cooked in red curry and
coconut milk, served with rice – to
avoid the breaded coating.. Still, we
were disappointed by the discovery that
Chu Chilli is, nevertheless, prepared
with deep-fried fish, making things
kinda soggy. We hear “number five,
Gaeng Khiao Waan”. The green curry
with lamb, served with rice, comes in a
bowl, accompanied with the obligatory
plate of rice. Green beans, bamboo
and pepper taste a little f lat, but all
right, the lamb in our Gaeng Khiao
Waan (1450 ISK), however, is definitely
chewy.
Leaving the restaurant with the
well-known taste of curry, coconut
milk and lemon grass in our mouths,
we feel a little disappointed, but
stuffed nonetheless. We might come
back, with lowered expectations and
then we will definitely order chicken,
which we hear is a better choice.
Krua Thai
Tryggvagötu 14
What we think: We’ve had better
Thai food
Flavour: Spicy, but a little boring
Ambiance: Colourful, but not
cosy
Service: Friendly and helpful