Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.06.2015, Page 58

the finest Thai restaurant in Iceland
w w w . b a n t h a i . i s
Laugavegur 130, ofan við Hlemm. Tel : 692-0564
m a n y f a m o u s p e o p l e a r e r e g u l a r s h e r e
BEST THAI FOOD
2009,2010,2011,2012,2013 and 2014
1/10 the best restaurants in iceland
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DV
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BanThai
FOOD
FOR YOUR MIND BODY AND SOUL
It may come as a surprise to those not
born and raised on this island in the
North Atlantic, but seafood has basi-
cally never been a staple of Icelandic
fast food. Therefore, it was a welcome
surprise when Icelandic Fish & Chips
opened its doors almost a decade ago.
To this day, however, the establish-
ment has not followed the basic guide-
lines of the UK version of the former
empire’s national dish. This is a proper
restaurant, as far as that goes, and the
food is prepared in a somewhat health-
ier way. Icelandic Fish & Chips make
their batter with spelt and without
eggs, and they fry the fish in rapeseed
oil instead of a more conventional veg-
etable oil, which is healthier and gives
the fish a different flavour.
Visiting the place on a Sunday,
my companion and I found ourselves
amidst a packed dining room full of
tourists, which goes to show that there
is a clear demand for this kind of res-
taurant. The menu is pretty basic.
There are no starters per se, except
for the soup (1750 ISK) and some ba-
sic sides, such as onion rings (690 ISK)
and deep-fried broccoli and cauliflow-
er (690 ISK). We actually ordered all
of them as starters along with a mix of
nine sauces/dips (nine for 990 ISK),
which are made from a base of Ice-
land’s protein-rich skyr.
The soup, with sweet and tender
langoustine tails, was packed with fla-
vour and very nicely seasoned. The on-
ion rings were crispy and not too oily.
The same cannot be said about the
deep-fried broccoli and cauliflower,
which were a bit over the top.
For the main course, there are usu-
ally two kinds of fish on offer. The fish
can be served on a bed of salad or with
baked country-style chips that have
been tossed in olive oil. My compan-
ion chose ling on a bed of mango salad
(1380 ISK), while I chose cod in a more
conventional setting next to “healthy”
chips (1450 ISK). Now, the variety of
dips/sauces came in handy. My com-
panion, a self-proclaimed expert on
sauces, was of the opinion that the
basil & garlic sauce as well as the co-
riander & lime sauce were the best. I
will have to agree. The one with chili &
roasted pepper could have done with
more flavour and heat. But, on to the
star of the show: the fish.
My companion and I agree that the
ling and cod were perfectly cooked in
crispy batter and flaky on the inside, as
they should be. The mango salad was
very refreshing and served as a con-
trast to all the delicious sea salt flakes
that were generously distributed ev-
erywhere. The potatoes were a bit oily
for my taste but not bad at all. And it
should be stated that the portions are
huge. At least three fillets for a single
plate. Needless to say we were hardly
able to stand up after this feast and
despite best intentions on behalf of
the restaurant to use healthy ingredi-
ents, I sincerely doubt anyone is losing
weight.
All in all Icelandic Fish & Chips is
recommended. The prices are very fair
and the portions are generous. What
more can you ask for when it comes to
something as basic as the name of the
establishment suggests?
Even With Spelt, Deep-Fried
Cannot Go Wrong
BJÖRN TEITSSON
ALÍSA KALYANOVA
What We Think:
Hefty portions, good food.
Flavour:
Restaurant-quality fast food.
Ambiance:
Laid back, no loud music. No
hurry.
Service:
Could deal with a full house
better, but ok.
Price for 2 (no drinks):
3,500-5,000, a steal.
Icelandic Fish & Chips
Tryggvagata 11, 101 Reykjavík
22
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 7 — 2015