Atlantica No. 4, 2010, July-August - Iceland Review

a IcelandSpecial promotionEat, Meat & FishReykjavík’s chefs know how to feed their people. Here is a guide to the vie gourmande in the capital and beyond101 Hótel Vogue, GQ, Elle and Condé Nastall agree—when you come to Reykjavík thereis only one destination for a truly hip nightout: the restaurant and lounge at 101 Hótel.Deriving its name from the most stylish postalcode in the North Atlantic, 101’s casual diningroom is a chic but relaxed getaway with clean,elegant lines, heated oak floors and a sizeablecommunal fireplace—the ideal spot for a pickme-upbefore the opera next door, one of themore adventurous three-course meals in thecapital or even fabulous drinks to kick-start abig night on the town. Much like Indian/Icelandicchef Gunnvant Ármannsson, the kitchen at101 represents the best of Iceland infused withintriguing flavors from abroad. This summerÁrmannsson puts his spicy roots into the menuwith warm flavors like Vindaloo chicken, homemademango chutney and even coconut andginger crème brûlée. 101 also maintains strongties to the harbor and local farmers, meaningthe kitchen offers the freshest catch of the day,along with superior Icelandic lamb, arctic charand langoustine lobster. Unique food, swishdesign, laid-back atmo… this place is a dish.Kitchen open until 11—kicking bar after hours.580 0101. 101hotel.isAustur India Fjelagid For a rich sensoryexperience head to Harrison Ford’s favorite,Austur India Fjelagid. It is off the beaten trackand one of its finest features is its lack ofpretense and down-to-earth atmosphere. Werecommend starting with the Prawn Pollichithu,tiger prawns sautéed in chili, cumin, coriander,ginger and garlic or Kallimirchi Lobster withfreshly ground black pepper and coriander. Forthe main course, choose one of their famoustandoori dishes, such as the Hariyali Salmon,Gosht Charminar or Khalmi Kebab or indulge intheir sauce dishes like Kozzi Mappas or Lalmas.The food is a harmonious blend of the freshestlocal ingredients with freshly grounded spicesfrom India. To accompany your meal try theirMeeta Naan, bread stuffed with sweetenedcoconut and raisins and the tomato and spinachrice. There are plenty of choices for vegetariansas well. A local favorite for16 years.552 1630. austurindia.isCafé Catalina Staying in Kópavogur, lookingfor something off the usual tourist radar,feel like watching some football or kicking offon the (ballroom) dance floor? Next door toReykjavík, local hangout Café Catalina doublesas a restaurant, café, pub and dance hall. For aneasygoing and relaxed bite, this is your place.The menu features Icelandic dishes along withburgers and sandwiches from the grill, perfectwith an Egill’s Gull draft. According to ownerSigrídur Samsonardóttir, the Icelandic meatsoup and fiskibollur fish balls are favoritesamong the many regulars. The dish of the day(1,200 ISK / EUR 7 / USD 9.50 / GBP 6 includingsoup, bread and coffee) is served between11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Café Catalina staysopen until 1 a.m. during the week and 3 a.m.on Fridays and Saturdays, with live bands playingmusic to dance the night away to.554 2166. catalina.isThe Center of Puppet Arts CaféBorgarnes’s Center of Puppet Arts Café offersdeliciously wholesome pizzas, salads, sandwichesand pastries, guaranteed to please the entirefamily. Suitable for vegetarians, all courses aremade from the freshest ingredients available,often organic. Moreover, they neither containwhite sugar nor wheat, with spelt and naturalsweeteners such as agave syrup and rawsugar used instead. The coffee is also organic.Located in recently renovated 19th-centurybuildings on the waterfront, honoring theiroriginal style, the café’s atmosphere is friendlyand inviting. Adding to the café’s charm isthe stunning ocean view. Above the spaciouslounge is a loft where children can play andstage puppet performances. Parents can bringtheir refreshments upstairs and watch themplay, or weather permitting, sit on the terraceoverlooking the ocean. bruduheimar.isDill Opened in 2009, Dill restaurant of theNordic House may have just celebrated its firstbirthday, but it already sits atop the mountainas one of the most interesting and excitingrestaurants in town. Led by chef-sommelierduo Gunnar Gislason-Ólafur Ólafsson, it is themodern, local flavors of New Nordic Food thatDill excels in. Everything from the cutlery tothe sommelier’s suit is of Nordic origin; youwon’t even find olive oil in this kitchen. In thedaytime Dill serves relaxed brasserie style lunchand coffee, in the evening there is a 7 courseset fine-dining menu, including champagneand coffee. Fried plaice with the namesakeDill, artichokes with seaweed, smoked haddockand blue mussels, and to finish an almond cakewith cinnamon cream…Is your mouth wateringyet? And what better setting than the NordicHouse, designed by renowned Finnish architectAlvar Aalto and located in the Vatnsmyri plains,the view over downtown Reykjavik is simplybreathtaking. 552 1522. dillrestaurant.isFish Market Take the sophistication of NewYork and pair it with the elegance of Parisand the trendiness of Tokyo, and you have theformula for Fish Market’s unbeatable atmosphere.Match that with its equally spectacularhaute cuisine with an Asian flair and you havethe recipe for a restaurant that’s here to stay.The crown jewel of its kitchen is the ninecoursetasting menu whose highlights includemiso-marinated black cod served with tigerprawns and apricots, king crab with chili andlemongrass, and arguably the most tenderquail on the planet complemented by a delicatebarbeque sauce. The restaurant has alsoearned a well-deserved reputation for its sushiand sashimi, as fresh as it is elegant. Locatedin the heart of downtown, no detail is spared.Tea lights illuminate the soft, rich furnishings,and highlights of bamboo and Asian floracreate a trendy atmosphere to which the city’sglitterati come flocking. Save room for thesorbet: green tea, lychee and blood orange.The perfect scoops are almost too beautiful toeat. 578 8877. fishmarket.isFiskbúdin Hafberg The largest fish shopin Iceland, with its 12 meter long counterdisplaying a full range of local fish—in additionto your staple cod and halibut, there ischar, plaice and other rarer finds—is a sight initself. According to owner Geir Vilhjálmsson,the most common reaction is simply “wow”.For the self-caterer, everything from dried fishto the dark rye bread traditionally served withthe fish stew plokkfiskur is available. After15 years in the fish business, the family runHafberg has now opened a restaurant too.The menu is short and simple, with the mostpopular order being a daily deal with theirfamous fish and lobster soup, dish of the dayand coffee for 1,290 ISK (EUR 7.50 / USD 10 /GBP 6.50). A perfect lunch spot after a strollin the botanical gardens or the Reykjavík zoo,Hafberg also offers take out—if you plan topicnic in the Laugardalur park, fish and chipsmight just be the perfect outdoors lunch. Andwith the fishmongers one wall away from thekitchen, the fish is bound to be fresh.588 8686(Continues on pg. 76) »74 atlantica