With watering mouths, my date and I arrived at Krua Thai. On our way to the harbour, where the restaurant is located, we talked about coconut milk, lemon grass and hot curry, so that our longing for Thai food would reach its peak when we entered the inconspicuous looking place. Greeting us with mustard yellow walls, some Asian looking elephant mural and a selection of fake plants, the place tried to create a cosy ambiance, but didn’t really succeed. Either eating in or taking away (the full menu is available for take-away), you order up front at a counter – and so that’s what we did. Out of a selection of forty dishes between 1200 and 1800 ISK, we chose one with fish and one with lamb. We thought, that would be a good idea – being in Iceland and all. We just had to wait for a short amount of time, surrounded by a mix of tourists and Icelanders in the half full restaurant. “Number thirty-one, Chu Chilli”, said the waitress to the room. After responding “here”, we found ourselves inspecting a plate of fish, accompanied by another one with rice. Most fish dishes on the menu were listed as ‘fried fish;’ we specifically chose Chu Chilli (1600 ISK) – fish cooked in red curry and coconut milk, served with rice – to avoid the breaded coating.. Still, we were disappointed by the discovery that Chu Chilli is, nevertheless, prepared with deep-fried fish, making things kinda soggy. We hear “number five, Gaeng Khiao Waan”. The green curry with lamb, served with rice, comes in a bowl, accompanied with the obligatory plate of rice. Green beans, bamboo and pepper taste a little flat, but all right, the lamb in our Gaeng Khiao Waan (1450 ISK), however, is definitely chewy. Leaving the restaurant with the well-known taste of curry, coconut milk and lemon grass in our mouths, we feel a little disappointed, but stuffed nonetheless. We might come back, with lowered expectations and then we will definitely order chicken, which we hear is a better choice.
Krua Thai, Tryggvagötu 14
What we think: We’ve had better Thai food
Flavour: Spicy, but a little boring
Ambiance: Colourful, but not cosy
Service: Friendly and helpful
Rating: 2.5/5
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