Reykjavík Grapevine - maj 2020, Side 9

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Best Bakery
Sandholt
Laugavegur 36
In this hotly-debated category the
competition is tough. Nothing gets
passions boiling quite like talk of bread
and butter. And still showing the young
guns how it’s done is the grand dame
of all things baked, Sandholt. Their
classic sourdough might be the most
well known, but spare some love for
their bulgur and Egyptian barley as well.
Pastries and viennoiserie is something
they excel at and the seasonal Danish,
in-house chocolate and artisan sodas
make for more than just a bakery
experience.
Runners-Up
Deig Workshop
Tryggvagata 18
Deig’s strength is its consistency—be
it the handmade doughnuts, bagels
or airy brioche-like crullers. We are
suckers for their potato loaves, which
the panel exclaims are ”especially good
with egg salad.” And for early risers, this
is the perfect breakfast spot with their
poorman’s offer of a coffee, doughnut
and bagel for just a 1000 ISK!
Brauð & Co.
Multiple locations
The wicked curse of expansion woes
has struck our favourite bakery, but
fret not! While the kanill croissant
snúður can be a hit or miss, their clas-
sic snúðurs continue to be as stellar as
always. The granola is always a winner,
but we are currently nursing a soft spot
for their custardy veinerbrauð.
Previous Winners
2019: Sandholt
2018: Sandholt and Brauð & Co.
2015-7: Sandholt
Best Indian
Austur-Indíafjélagið
Hverfisgata 56
Richly decorated with warm teak and
antiques, this dinner-only establish-
ment is ideal to perk up those taste
buds after days of eating, ahem, milder
fare in these parts. While the festive Di-
wali menu “is such good value for mon-
ey,” as one panellist quipped, others
swore by the smoky Tandoori chicken.
Serving some of the best lamb dishes
in town, the classic Raan Manjarabad
is a whole shank slow cooked to fall-
off-the-bone tenderness. Vegans and
vegetarians aren’t a mere afterthought
and the selection of breads exceeds
that of standard naans.
Runners-Up
Himalayan Spice
Laugavegur 60A
Other downtown restaurants might
scream tourist trap, but this little slice
of Nepal on Laugavegur is anything
but. The thakali thali is “the only way
to do justice” to the light, hearty fare
of Himalayan cuisine—subtle, fresh
and wholesome. The momos are worth
trying too, a perfect foil for nippy days.
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4
Specialising in Lahori cuisine, Shalimar
straddles the traditions of Lahore and
Punjab. In layman terms, that translates
to rich, slow-cooked, aromatic gravies.
Reminiscent of British curry houses,
this little paradise is perfect for a quick
takeaway or leisurely dinners when only
a curry will do.
Previous Winners
2016-9: Austur-Indíafjélagið
2015: Gandhi
Best Thai
Ban Thai
Laugavegur 130
Thai club rules say no chopsticks and
no ‘adjustment of spice levels’ and Ban
Thai isn’t afraid to curtly remind you so.
Pad Thai is passé, so you are better off
doing as our panel suggests, and order
the #107, the deep fried chili shrimp.
The juicy crustaceans are rendered
sweeter and juicier cooked within their
shells. “You eat the crisp shells and
gnaw off the little legs, you get more
of that chilli crust that way,” shares a
die-hard loyalist on our` panel. When
a restaurant’s been around for three
decades like Ban Thai, it is indeed an
accomplishment.
Runners-Up
Mai Thai
Laugavegur 118
Dining here can be a reminder of
Queen’s style joints, part store-part
restaurant. The band of ladies churn
out quick Thai classics spanning spicy
larbs dusted with toasted rice powder
to easy going Thai curries, be it with
tofu or plump shrimp. One panellist pro-
fessed her love for them by admitting
she “eats there more than she should.”
Krua Thai
Skólavörðustígur 21
The panel lamented the dip in quality,
but appreciated the “generous por-
tions.” The pad thai is a crowd pleaser,
and the curries are full-bodied and
fragrant. Service continues to be
attentive, so if you need a little warmth
from the inside out, Krua Thai’s got you
covered.
Previous Winners
2015-9: Ban Thai
Best Chinese
Fine
Rauðarárstígur 33
Did you know that the Chinese kanji
for fine recalls that of rice/meal? This
proper Sichuanese restaurant packs
a wallop of flavour, heat and textural
delight in each of their selections. The
simply stir-fried hot and sour potato
matchsticks and vegetables are exactly
the kind of subtlety that has been
absent from Chinese cuisines in these
parts and puts to rest doubts that this
is only a fiery spicy cuisine. Other must-
tries are the beef in hot oil, yu-shiang
chicken. The panel loves “the chewy
wood ear mushrooms” and the hand
pulled noodles. Most dishes are vegan
and lactose free, making this little gem
accessible to everyone.
Runners-Up
Fönix
Bíldshöfði 12
Family-run Fönix has something for
everyone. The dedicated vegan menu is
a joy-ride of tastes and textures—the
mapo-tofu has pleasingly jiggly cubes
of tofu and the fish fragrant eggplants
are silky. The lunch buffet is also a
notch above similar fare.
Tian
Grensásvegur 21
Designed like a time capsule of dated
restaurant interiors (think red fans
and gold lamps), Tian seems intent on
being a Western Chinese joint. Except,
amongst populars like a worthy Kung
Pao chicken, there’s also pillowy
steamed buns and dumplings. There's
a mythic secret menu, unconfirmed
though.
Previous Winners
2018-9: Fönix