Right now, my very favourite place to grab a bite when I can’t be bothered to cook is Ali Baba, a small falafel joint that sits on the edge of Ingólfstorg square. In addition to falafels, it serves up Middle Eastern fare like shawarma, kebabs, hummus and the like.
Mind you, I was predisposed to liking it because for years I had been hankering after a place in Reykjavík that served decent falafels. The falafels at Ali Baba are not quite what I am used to – they’re not served in pita bread for example and the sauce does not have quite as much tahini as I would prefer, but no matter: they’re excellent. The chick pea balls are rolled up in a tortilla [which I understand is also a perfectly valid way of preparing a falafel] with a bunch of really fresh ingredients that leave you totally free of that greasy sensation so common to fast food joints. Best of all, they hardly make a dent in your budget – a single falafel costs around 800 krónur.
I usually stick to the falafels when there; however I have on occasion had the chicken shawarma, which is also excellent. The meat is worlds away from that awful, pasty-coloured meat you normally see on those revolving sticks in Middle Eastern restaurants. It’s flavoured with a delicate cinnamon-y spice that makes me think of Morocco. Really good.
Another reason to love Ali Baba: the place is spotless. Seriously, you could eat off the floors. The owners – who are not Icelandic … I think they’re Jordanian, but can’t quite recall – take a very evident pride in their establishment. On our first visit there, just after it opened, EPI and I had a little chat with the proprietor who told us he’d done all the interior work himself. Since then, he’s added all manner of nice touches, like a small fountain, a water cooler that guests can use at will, roses in vases and a flat-screen TV.
Incidentally, I should add that they do takeaway ["takeout" if you speak American] and even throw in one of those little moist towelettes.
Highly recommended.
Ali Baba, Veltusund 3B, on Ingólfstorg square.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Good hint – thats one of the things I really miss here in Iceland. In Berlin this kind of food is available more or less on every corner.
yep totally agree, the owners seem like nice friendly people, and the felafel’s taste a lot healthier/heartier than many other places, they are different, but i like them
-Dan
I’ve had the lamb kebab — yes, it is so good with the warm spices but I agree with you that the sauce could use more tahini (and perhaps a squeeze of lemon) . And I hate to sound crass, but I tend to avoid any so-called “ethnic” food restaurant that is not owned and operated by foreigners here. Icelanders do seafood and lamb like no others, but they still cannot adequately replicate the spicier dishes from abroad. Case in point: the competing noodle houses on Skólavörðastígur. Guess which one has tastier soup and is always packed on these cold winter nights?
Speaking of the spices, can I ask your opinion on cinnamon?
My Icelandic boyfriend and his sister are strangely paranoid about cinnamon for some reason — it’s not that they HATE it, but they think Americans use cinnamon in EVERYTHING (we don’t) and therefore any food product from America (and apparently even mint-flavoured toothpaste) has a hint of “cinnamon taste”. Are all Icelanders this leery of cinnamon? I’d like to think that my boyfriend and his sister are just overreacting. ; ‘ )
Thanks Alda! in addition to making me totally crave felafel, or at least lunch, I’m appreciative of the advice tht we can send onto clients for cheap eats. We have all kinds of good advice for traditional Icleandic stuff–always an excuse to go out to eat when we’re in Reyjkavik – but it’ really helpful to hear about a place for a quick bite and for soem family friendly prices. We send our clients to your website before they go on their trip to get a feel fro the real Iceland, and the restaurant reviews are highly enjoyed.
Plus, much as I keep checking IWR for the latest, (and direst?) it’s always nice to see a BLOB-less post!
T’anx!
hey, cool, must try this! Thanks for the tip.
Thanks everyone!
And Jessica, no, I don’t think there is a particular cinnamon phobia here. At least I haven’t heard of it.
Ah. You’ve already started your PR job!
Jessica, we don’t tend to like cinnamon gum and cinnamon candy – but we do put cinnamon in baking goods (snúðar, eplakaka, mmm), on top of warm rice pudding and of course in Indian and African food when it calls for it. I’d say they’re overreacting.
Cinnamon is far more common (on toast for instance) in American food than the UK and its pretty disgusting how they use it.
I do like to thank’s all off you ..