Published December 17, 2017
Chaos has erupted in several of Reykjavík’s noodle parlours today following reports of a quiet bearded man slurping up the contents of diner’s bowls when they weren’t looking.
One patron whose noodles were plundered tells the Grapevine that he and a friend were out for lunch together on Laugavegur, when tragedy struck. “I had strategically eaten all of my broth so that I could feast on the noodles. I look down to scroll mindlessly through Instagram for a few minutes, as one does when out with friends, and when I look up a goddamn Yule Lad has polished off my noodles.”
“There hasn’t been this degree of strife in our industry since the great Skólavörðurstígur noodle wars of 2010,” an employee of one eatery visited by Askasleikir told the Grapevine. “Those were dark days, my friend. Dark days. And suddenly this unruly Yule Lad has brought us right back to that point.”
While the majority of Askasleikir sightings have been reported from noodle shops, other bowl-centric establishments — including salad bars and self-serve frozen yogurt depots — have been visited.
Ramen aficionado and humble artist Halldór Baldursson spotted Askasleikir licking clean the bowls of his neighbourhood pho joint and immortalized the moment in pen and ink. His sketch has been magically transformed into a fun collectible figurine by the good people of Icemart just in time for the holiday season.
