Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.07.2013, Qupperneq 66

INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE
We don´t sell whale meat
Restaurants that have this logo promise not to sell
whale meat. We kindly ask you to choose
a whale friendly restaurant and to recommend
others to do the same.
Whaling is cruel and unnecessary
Information about whale friendly restaurants can be found at
www.icewhale.is
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
MonSoon 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
Best Of Reykjavík
Best Place To
Take A Date
Tapas Barinn
A Place For Souls
The Reykjavík Grapevine
The atmosphere—salsa tunes, orange and blue tile
floor, exposed walls, and tiny red lights—is like the
sultry backdrop of a scene from classic Spanish cin-
ema. And the eats—a huge menu of tapas (appetizer-
style dishes), larger plates, and specialty drinks (by
glass or pitcher) and dessert—match the quality of the
festive space.
“With tapas you can share, and the food comes
plate by plate so there is always something happen-
ing. You’re never bored,” explains Bento, one of the
owners. At its heart, the concept of a tapas bar is to
inspire connection and conversation. “And,” Bento
wagged his eyebrows and motioned toward an area at
the back of the restaurant with multiple two top tables,
“it’s a good place for a first date. You’re never sitting
around with nothing to talk about, waiting for your
food to come out.”
Tapas Barinn is unique because it offers a fusion
of Spanish and Icelandic cuisine. One of their most
popular dishes is the smoked puffin with blueberry
“brennivín” sauce, which is part of a seven-plate meal
called Icelandic Gourmet. The highlights of the Ice-
landic Gourmet are the puffin and minke whale tapas,
white chocolate Skyr mousse, and Iceland’s infamous
schnapps, brennivín, to start. If you aren’t hungry
enough for a full line-up of tapas, or if you want some-
thing a little more traditionally Spanish, you can also
get individual plates for around 1,000 ISK.
The secret to Tapas Barinn’s goodness? “Quality
ingredients,” said Mundi, an employee. “Most ingre-
dients are local, but if we can’t get something here, we
import the best quality from somewhere else. Nothing
cheap.”
Tapas Barinn remains a Reykjavík favourite because
the prices stay reasonable even with unbeatable qual-
ity and atmosphere. Food for the soul.
Shea Sweeney
Reykjavik has a lot of places for bodies, but it has fewer places for souls. Tapas Barinn is a place for
souls. The restaurant has been around for 13 years of Reykjavik’s ever-changing restaurant topog-
raphy and has achieved the difficult balance of good service, good ambiance, good goddamn food,
and something else akin to a special romance and charm.
Magnús Andersen