Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.07.2015, Page 12

12 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 9 — 2015
Best Thai Food
Ban Thai
—
Laugavegur 130
There is no competition for best all-
around Thai food in Reykjavík and Ban
Thai just keeps sweeping up this catego-
ry. It’s not fast food—you will have to be
patient for your meal but once it arrives,
Ban Thai brings the realness, the heat,
the complexity of flavour without com-
promise.
Honourable mention: Krua Mai in
Kópavogur
2014: Ban Thai
2013: Yummi Yummi
2012: Ban Thai
2011: Ban Thai
2010: Ban Thai
2009: Ban Thai
Best Kebab
Mandi
—
Veltisund 3b
Considering their recent beef (metaphor-
ically speaking) and in the spirit of recon-
ciliation, we were tempted to let Ali Baba
and Mandi share the title of Best Kebab.
Both restaurants definitely had their sup-
porters on the judges’ panel. However,
we did end up landing firmly on the side
of the Syrian kebab joint, Mandi. One of
the judges delivered a rousing speech
which convinced us of the joys of the the
Speciality Chicken (with rainbow rice
and almonds) and the fries, which come
drizzled with a white mystery sauce
and strips of chili sauce. Another judge
was fond of their minced lamb Arias. Al-
though be warned that the location looks
more like your basic “sjoppa” (corner
store) than a proper takeout place and we
would recommend taking it to go.
Check out both and tell us what you
think—and if you’re lucky you might
catch the owners fighting over parking
spaces with the metre men or with each
other!
Honourable mention: Ali Baba
2014: Mandi
2012: Kebab Grill
2011: Habibi
Best Coffeehouse
Kaffihús Vesturbæjar
—
Melhagi 20-22
Oh, you life-sustaining, black comfort
fuel straight from Gaia’s breast! With-
out coffee, the Grapevine office would
be a zombie wasteland so this category
is near and dear to our hearts. It’s un-
deniable (at least at the moment) that
Reykjavík Roasters has the best coffee
in town, so we felt that the Best Coffee-
house category had to take other things
into account. Kaffihús Vesturbæjar is the
closest thing to the full package. They
have excellent coffee (using coffee from
Reykjavík Roasters for the most part) but
they also have a wonderful view, excel-
lent food (vegetarian options deserving
special praise), lively atmosphere (al-
though some have criticized the noise
levels), and friendly service. It’s a solid
all-rounder and a much needed quality
coffee house for the western corner of
Reykjavík.
Honourable mention: Pallett Kaf-
fikompaní in Hafnarfjörður
2014: Reykjavík Roasters
2013: Kaffismiðjan
2012: Kaffismiðjan
2011: Kaffismiðjan
2010: Kaffismiðjan
2009: Kaffismiðjan
Best Coffee-To-Go
Reykjavík Roasters
—
Kárastígur 1
Although there was universal agree-
ment that Reykjavík Roasters make a
damn fine cup of coffee (probably the
best in Iceland), the panel did not feel
RR was the most comfortable place to
sit and hang out. The furniture is diffi-
cult and the place usually crowded and
overwarm. And although they feature
several different brewing methods and
a range of different coffee drinks, they
don’t really have that much on offer aside
the coffee. However, we have high hopes
for the Roasters branch set to open by the
Icelandic Academy of the Arts in that re-
gard.
Here’s what one of our judges had to
say: “Roasters are so wonderfully snob-
bish it’s like a 'Portlandia' sketch. They
refuse to make a double cappuccino but
will give you the ingredients to add the
extra shot yourself—so as not to stain
their hands. I love it!”
RR are definitely hipster-friendly but
the energy there is more Sigur Rós than
Nathan Barley. Roasters buy their beans
directly from farmers and go to great
lengths to be ethical, sustainable, and
fair. Beans are roasted on location and
the servers are happy to adapt to your
desires (as long as it isn’t a double cappuc-
cino).
Honourable mention: Kigali
2014: Kaffifélagið
2013: Litli Bóndabærinn
2012: Kaffifélagið
2011: Kaffifélagið
2010: Café Haiti
2009: Kaffifélagið
Best Place To Get Tea
Te og kaffi
—
Various locations
Tea is a tough racket in Reykjavík. Ice-
land is one of the most coffee-obsessed
places on earth and has little history
of tea drinking. However, this may be
changing. Recently the city saw a pop-up
tea house called Menghai, your average
coffee houses are stepping their tea game
up, and we have a wonderful subscription
tea wholesale company called Tefélagið.
But if you want to go and have someone
else make you a cup of tea, Te og kaffi is
probably your best bet. They have a large
and varied selection of teas and infu-
sions, including nettle, hollyhock, rooi-
bos, chai, and mate. All that and they’re
the only place with “tea” in the name.
Honourable mention: Café Babalú
2014: Café Babalú
2012: Litli Bóndabærinn
2011: Te og kaffi
Best Vegetarian
Teni
—
Skúlagata 17
As one of our panellists remarked: “I’m
still waiting for the perfect vegetarian
place.” This is a sentiment that is echoed
widely in the vegetarian community.
Two all-vegetarian restaurants, Á Næstu
Grösum and Grænn Kostur, have re-
cently closed down. In place of Á Næstu
Grösum we got the equally delightful
(but not exclusively vegetarian) restau-
rant Gló, leaving Ecstasy’s Heart Garden
on Klapparstígur as the last exclusively
vegetarian restaurant in downtown
Reykjavík.
So we decided to look more closely at
the ethnic restaurants and we decided on
the Ethiopian restaurant Teni. Orthodox
Ethiopians abstain from meat at least
twice a week and do long periods of vege-
tarian fasting, so this is ingrained in their
unique culinary heritage. Vegetarian
dishes are frequently discounted during
Teni's lunch hour so there’s good value
to be had too. Expect everything to be
served on the sourdough pancakes, and
beans, lentils, and chilies are rarely miss-
ing. Not vegan and not cuisine for sensi-
tive stomachs but delicious food best fol-
lowed by traditional Ethiopian coffee.
Honourable mention: Krúska
2014: Gló
2013: Gló
2012: Gló
2011: Gló
2010: Á Næstu Grösum
2009: Á Næstu Grösum
Best Soup
Restó
—
Rauðarárstígur 27-29
Soup of the day (750 ISK) is a safe bet
but the fish soup (1150 ISK) during their
lunch hour is a party for the taste buds.
Restó is a simple mom-and-pop restau-
rant on Rauðarárstígur which special-
izes in fish dishes and treats them with
styles and ingredients from around the
globe.
Honourable mention: Kryddlegin
Hjörtu
2014: Noodle Station
2013: Kryddlegin Hjörtu
2012: Höfnin
2011: Kryddlegin Hjörtu
2010: Súpubarinn
2009: Lobster Soup at Sægreifinn
Best Place To Go For A Date
Kolabrautin
—
Austurbakki 2
Kolabrautin is fancy as all get-out so it
might not fit everyone’s wallet. If you
want a casual beer-food vibe then Bunk
Bar might be a better bet. But if you’re
going all in and dressed to impress, make
it Kolabrautin. Firstly, Italian food is the
classic date meal and Kolabrautin have
rebranded as a modernist Italian res-
taurant with a handsome selection of
Italian wines. Secondly, the atmosphere
and lighting is just right for some under-
the-table footsies. Thirdly, it’s got an un-
beatable view over the Reykjavík marina
from the top floor of the Harpa concert
hall.
Honourable mention: Grill-
markaðurinn
2014: Grillmarkaðurinn
2013: Tapas Barinn
2012: Sushisamba
2011: Ítalía
2010: Pisa
2009: Ítalía
Best Newcomer Restaurant
Matur og Drykkur
—
Grandagarður 2
Matur og Drykkur is named after a semi-
nal Icelandic book of recipes by Helga
Sigurðardóttir and it sets the tone for
their approach. As we documented in
Best Of Reykjavík