Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2018, Blaðsíða 10

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2018
10 BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2018
Dining
Iceland's not cheap so it better be good
AKUREYRI • REYKJAVIK
WHALE
WATCHING
Sightingguarantee
SUCCESS
EXCELLENT
Tel: (+354) 462 6800 • info@ambassador.is • ambassador.is
AmbassadorWhaleWatching whales_in_iceland @AmbassadorWhale
Best Sushi
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12
Hands down our panel's favourite sushi restaurant in town, we sug-
gest making a meal of the sashimi platter. It’s beautifully presented at
the table, with a lot of flair, and deftly sliced fatty salmon and trout,
and glistening scallop—left mercifully unadorned—with a sprinkle
of roe here, and a delicious mound of wakame there. All of this beau-
tiful food is only made better by the table-side grating of fresh, locally
grown, Icelandic wasabi. Pair it with the wasabi cocktail and you have
a delicious and refreshing meal.
Runners Up
Sushibarinn
Suðurlandsbraut 10
Housed in a beautiful old timber house
in the heart of downtown, Sushibarinn
offers a variety of sauce-laden sushi
rolls—the local favourite—but we rec-
ommend sticking to their fresh sashimi
platters and washing it down with
something from their saké selection.
Sakébarinn, located downstairs with an
entrance on Laugavegur, offers window
seats and takeout.
Sushi Social
Þingholtsstræti 5
Not for worshippers of ‘Jiro dreams
of sushi’, Sushi Social is the evolution
of Japanese dish on this island—aka
‘pylsu sushi’. Traditionalists may baulk,
but the surf and turf rolls have a loyal
following, and the exhaustive cocktail
menu should help any sushi purists
through the fusion-cooking trauma.
Previous Winners
2016-7: Fiskmarkaðurinn
2015: SuZushii
2014: Sushisamba
2013: Sakebarinn
Best Indian
Austur-
Indíafélagið
Hverfisgata 56
Still going strong twenty years on, this
is an institution in its own right, con-
sistently dishing out quality Indian fare
without compromising on authenticity.
A small rotational menu with regional
dishes, this is the place if you are
celebrating a birthday, wooing your
partner, or simply taking a break from
the monotony. Word to the wise? Make
a meal of the salmon pollichathu, kozhi
mappas and kulchas and share it family
style. Keep your eyes peeled for the
vegetarian and vegan dishes as well.
Call ahead to make reservations.
Runners Up
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4
Shalimar’s Pakistani fare might have
seen variable quality over the last few
years, but they are back now with re-
newed energy. We recommend making
a meal of the thali - simple delicious
fare, with an everyday rotation of a
lip-smacking assortment of curries,
rice, naan and classic tandoori chicken.
Finish off with some creamy kheer.
Hraðlestin
Lækjargata 8
The affordable sibling of Austur
Indíafélagið, mixing a Bollywood interior
with vintage movie posters and antique
furniture. The chicken 65 and the thalis
win the popularity contest, but the
masala chai—“the closest to an Indian
mum’s version,” said the panel—should
be as popular as the mango lassi.
Previous Winners
2016-7: Austur-Indíafjelagið
2014-5: Gandhi
2013: Austurlandahraðlestin
Best Thai/Chinese
Ban Thai & Fönix
Joint winners
Ban Thai
Laugavegur 130
Despite new Thai restaurants in town,
Ban Thai rules the roost. Don't be fooled
by their extensive menu—these guys
mean business. It’s a whirlwind tour of
regional Thai cuisine, including creamy
coconut curries from the South and
fiery “jungle” dishes from the North. Our
advice is to skip the starters and go for
the green curry with strips of crunchy
bamboo, or the spicy pad krapow,
redolent with fresh basil and birdseye
chillies. Wash it all down with an ice-
cold Tsinga beer.
Joint Winner: Fönix
Höfði
It is hard to get good Chinese food in
Reykjavik, but amidst limited choices,
Fönix offers a surprisingly good range
of staples, and some Sichuanese fare
as well. The mapo tofu is loaded with
cubes of silky tofu and a smattering
of dochi, and is available in a vegan
version too. For those working around
Hofði, the lunch buffet is okay, but we
recommend going for the works. The
wonton soup and a side of steamed
dumplings won’t break the bank.
Runner Up
Mai Thai Bistro
Laugavegur 118
For affordable, quick and satisfying Thai
fare, Mai Thai is a safe bet. The curry
pastes may not be made from scratch,
but the food is fresh, the service swift
and the flavours perfect for the nippy
weather in Reykjavik. The menu chang-
es every day, and there’s a grocery
store for hard-to-find home cooking
ingredients.
Previous Winners
2014-7: Ban Thai
2013: Yummi Yummi