Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.08.2014, Síða 59

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“ 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 “
top ten the best restaurants in Iceland
the finest thai restaurant in Iceland
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BanThai
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NEW AWARDS
BEST THAI FOOD
2 0 1 4
also. . . .
DV.17.07.11
Best goddamn restaurant 2011
the best thai food
Much like the version of himself Ted
Danson portrayed in the cult TV hit show
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’—in which Mr.
Danson donated handsomely, and anon-
ymously, to a good cause—there was a
huge buzz this spring about a new pizza
place that was, and remains, anonymous.
Locals were very eager to know more
about this nameless new establishment—
simply referred to by its address, Hver-
fisgata 12—which had clearly done well
with its word-of-mouth marketing strat-
egy. People gave more attention to the
anonymous method than to those putting
themselves out there in a more ostenta-
tious fashion, much like the Ted Danson
vs Larry David storyline on ‘Curb.’
Hverfisgata 12 is run by the same
crew that brought us Kex Hostel, and the
vibe is very similar: kind of hipsteresque,
without the customer really knowing if
it’s authentic. It makes good use of used
furniture, with dark dining spaces and
rustic wooden floors. The restaurant’s
many dining tables are spread through
three stories of a huge old house that was
built as a residence, rather than a restau-
rant. This, in fact, is where its charm lies,
making the place feel cosy and homely.
To the menu: Hverfisgata 12 offers an
impressive variety of local craft beers, in
keeping with its abovementioned hip-
sterocity. The bar is something that they
can be proud of—there’s a cocktail menu
on hand, with fair prices (especially by
Icelandic standards). My companion and
I ordered a simple G&T (1,400 ISK) and
a Tom Collins (1,700 ISK), both of which
were very satisfying—not a given, with a
Tom Collins.
The short and concise menu appears
in the form of a placemat and offers a
half-dozen snacks and appetisers, four
smaller courses, a dozen handcrafted
sourdough pizzas, and four dessert
choices. My companion chose to start
with the “Raw Vegetable Plate,” complete
with dip and crispy crumbs. This was a
fresh and pleasing selection of root veg-
etables, cut into to strips and presented
with a basil yoghurt dressing. I chose
the “Crispy Ears Of Two Pigs “(650 ISK).
This is basically pork crackling, which is
not to everybody’s taste, but worked well
here, served with a sour lemon mayo that
complemented the dish nicely. A draft
IPA would be a recommended accompa-
niment.
All of the pizzas at Hverfisgata 12
are made with sourdough bases—thin
and crispy, with a zesty sauce. But make
no mistake, the only pizzas available are
the ones on the menu—there is no “build
your own” option.
For dinner this time, my companion
chose a baked tomato and pesto pizza
(2,350 ISK)—simple, and delightfully ex-
ecuted. I’m usually very much against us-
ing tomatoes as a topping, but these cher-
ry tomatoes had been drained and baked
beforehand, offering a deep flavour with
a nice smoky note.
I chose the “Etruscan Elite” (2,350
ISK). Also sans meat, it was topped with
olives, cheese, salad and Parmesan shav-
ings. Usually you might find rucola leaves
on such a pizza, but this time there was a
crispier kind of romaine lettuce. Person-
ally, I would have preferred the classic
rucola.
It should be mentioned of course
that the pizza menu at Hverfisgata 12
greatly varies from the norm—this is a
restaurant where no topping is consid-
ered off-limits, the menu sporting stuff
like seaweed, vanilla, apples, pulled pork
ears and horseradish mayo. I’ve also tried
the spicy sausage and pickled chilli pizza,
and that was pretty damn good too.
My companion and I had a good time
and a fine meal. The atmosphere is laid
back, the drinks are good, and the music
is of the retro new-wave kind that every-
one can enjoy—cool enough, but nothing
that plays to the lowest common denomi-
nator. They are trying to be original, after
all.
Mystic (anonymous) Pizza
BJÖRN TEITSSON
ALISA KALYANOVA
What We Think:
Surprising. Spicy, pickled, zesty.
Flavour:
Laid back, rustic, dark.
Ambiance:
Basically a bare basement—but
offers great outdoor seating.
Service:
Friendly waiters, could check on
the diners a bit more.
Price for 2 (no drinks):
6-7.000.
(anonymous)
Hverfisgata 12, 101 Reykjavík
FOOD
FOR YOUR MIND BODY AND SOUL