Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.06.2013, Qupperneq 58

Perched on the corner of Laugavegur
and Skólavörðustígur, this secluded
little hideaway is the perfect post for
people watching. Nearly every table
faces a window overlooking the lively
streets and its pretty walls are dotted
with cheery hand-painted flowers and
animals, making it an ideal setting for
a girl’s night out. That was exactly what
I hoped for when I took my sister out
last Friday. Although we were greeted
by a frowning waitress and seated by
the door, we had no problems changing
to another table that was further inside,
and the menus and water were quickly
laid out for us.
True to its name, Sakebarinn had a
small but beguiling selection of sake as
well as a special, weekly-changing sake
cocktail for 1,600 ISK. We decided to go
with the cocktail, which was lychee-fla-
voured this week. They were a bit slow
to arrive, but they were sweet and fresh
when they did.
The menu was bursting with dozens
of juicy names like “Rice against the
Machine” and “Shogun Wasabi.” The
rolls were divided into two categories,
“Uramaki” (inside-out rolls, ranging
from 1,550-1,990 ISK for eight pieces or
950-1,200 ISK for four) and “Futomaki”
(large, fat rolls, ranging from 990-1,450
ISK for five giant pieces). We were a lit-
tle overwhelmed by the selection but our
waitress pointed out a few of their most
popular rolls, such as the Chuck Nori
and the Crunchy Munchy (coconut-and-
lobster roll). I’d already tried the latter
and loved it, so we dared ourselves to try
the Chuck Nori. The rest of our rolls we
chose on a whim: the double-deep-fried
tempura shrimp roll, the Salmon Lover,
the San Francisco roll as well as the Roll
of Week.
Our food arrived on a circular tray,
dramatically arranged like colours on an
artist’s palette. The shrimp tempura fu-
tomaki was nicely crisp and quite filling,
as each piece was nearly twice the size of
the other ones. My sister’s favourite was
the Salmon Lover, a classic salmon-and-
avocado roll with a garlic twist. Both
of us also loved the San Francisco roll:
cucumber, shrimp and avocado topped
with a lustful slice of grilled salmon
(which granted might offend the sensi-
bilities of some sushi eaters). These last
two rolls were exactly what sushi should
be: fresh and ever-so-slightly sticky, with
a hint of something special.
The rest of the food, however, didn’t
live up to these standards. From the
start of our evening I had been enticed
by the Roll of the Week: pan-fried scal-
lops with Serrano ham and herb cream
cheese, but this one proved to be the
most disappointing of the bunch, unless
you enjoy getting a bagel when you
order sushi. Certainly there are a million
other ways to serve scallops, and any of
them would have been better than this.
The Chuck Nori was wrapped in
beef and slathered with kimchee sauce
and shichimi, a Japanese chilli blend. It
tasted like peppery catsup to me and so
completely upset my palate that I had
to wash it down with a bagel roll. Steer
clear of this one and order the Kami-
kaze (a spicy tuna roll) or the Crunchy
Munchy instead. Or play it safe and
order the double-deep-fried shrimp tem-
pura—you certainly won’t go hungry.
I would probably come here again—
for the scenery, if not the service—but
I will definitely stick to what I know off
the menu. A drink, a girlfriend and a
good dose of gossip will certainly help.
Fish-and-Miss
What we think
Charming and cosy, but the food is
hit-and-miss, like shooting shrimp
in a barrel
Flavour:
Sushi miscellanea
Ambience:
A flowery treetop with lovely views
of the streets
Service:
Slightly aloof but generally prompt
Price for 2 (with drinks):
6,500–9,000 ISK
Sakebarinn
Laugavegur 2,
101 Reykjavík
Mon-Sun 17–23
PATRICIA ÞORMAR
NANNA DÍS
Ban Thai
1 of 10 the best restaurant in Iceland
best goddamn restaurant 2011
the best thai food
year 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and...
BanThai is one of the most popular restaurants in the Reykjavik
authentic Thai cuisine served in a elegant surroundings
enjoy the best Thai Beer (Singha beer) and Thai wine
Thai wine has been the winner Award from Austria,
this two-story house provides magnificent three private rooms on the 2nd floor.
the finest Thai restaurant in Iceland
w w w . b a n t h a i . i s
w w w . y u m m y . i s
Laugavegur 130, ofan við Hlemm
Tel: 692-0564
A l s o R e c o m m e n d . . . . . y u m m i y u m m i Tel: 588-2121 H v e r f i s g a t a 123, 105 Rvk.
Germany, Singapore and Thailand
Open:
Mondays-Saturdays 11:30-22:30
Sundays 16:00-22:00
Now offering
catering service!
Whales are being killed to feed tourists
Don’t let your visit leave a bad taste in your mouth
F D
For your mind, body and soul