Reykjavík Grapevine - 12.01.2007, Síða 26

B8_RVK_GV_INFO_ISSUE 01_007_REVIEWS/FOOD
The newest addition to the Reykjavík restaurant scene is a
cosy little place located right next to the old harbour. The
name, Icelandic Fish Chips, gives a hint what kind of menu to
expect, but actually, the food has nothing in common with
the traditional British dish, except for the fish. It’s a healthy
organic restaurant using only organic vegetables, quality fish
products and no wheat or white sugar in its kitchen.
One of the owners, Erna Kaaber, welcomed my two din-
ing partners and me as we arrived during lunch hours and in-
formed us what a healthy treat was awaiting us. After serving
us white wine as well as freshly made lemonade and orange
juice we were offered a selection of all they have. As start-
ers, we got spelt bread with hummus and a creamy broccoli
soup. Then crunchy potato chips and onion rings. Instead of
fattening sauces like mayo we were served “Skyronnes” on
the side to dip the chips into. Made out of Skyr (a popular
fat-free Icelandic milk product) and flavoured with all sorts of
spices it was much tastier, not to mention healthier, than the
classic calorie-rich dressing.
Three fillets of deep-fried plaice, cod and haddock came
as our main dish, served with two types of potatoes and the
aforementioned Skyronnes. The fish, wrapped in a dough
made out of spelt instead of white wheat and deep-fried
in vegetable oil, was delicious; as were the organic pota-
toes oven-baked in olive oil, flavoured with Maldon salt and
parsley. As we had been told this restaurant was especially
child-friendly, my companion brought along her six-month-
old daughter, who wasn’t left out of the feast. Served home-
made liquidy paste made out of organic carrots and coconut
oil, she was quite happy with the dinner as well as the toys
that kept her occupied for most of our time there.
As the restaurant is quite small, every table was filled,
but to meet the growing popularity, the restaurant also of-
fers takeaway, a good and not so pricy choice if you need to
grab a meal when heading home after work. For 1,450 ISK
you can pick the fish of your choice and combine it with side
dishes like potatoes and various sauces, and the portions are
large enough to satisfy.
Icelandic Fish Chips
Tryggvagata 8, 101 Reykjavík, Tel.: 511 1118
Deco, a newly opened café and wine bar has all the poten-
tial to become a popular lunch café, right in the city centre.
Its modern and stylish interiors, varied menu and impressive
selection of whiskey, not to mention the location, should be
an attraction, but when arriving during weekly lunch hour,
my companion and I were, surprisingly, the only customers
there.
Our waiter welcomed us with an impressive menu of
classic dishes – sandwiches, salads, pasta, meat and various
starters. After debating whether to have the fish of the day
(monkfish) with baked potato, or try the warm chicken salad
with pine nuts, bacon and African sauce, I chose the latter
option. I regretted that decision minutes later. For the price
(1,390 ISK), the portion wasn’t very rich and although ev-
erything tasted nicely, there was nothing over the top about
the dish. My dining companion was more impressed with his
grilled tenderloin of beef, finely cooked, although the baked
potato served with the meat was a little too mushy for his
taste.
After the salad, there was still plenty of room for cof-
fee and dessert. The cup of Americano was excellent and
while slurping it down, we had to decide whether to pick a
warm apple pie, chocolate cake or fruit parfait with mango
sauce. As it is my sincere belief that every good meal should
end with chocolate cake, the decision wasn’t too difficult.
And Deco’s liquid chocolate cake with fruit and ice cream is
just to die for. Served as the centre of a huge stained glass
plate, decorated with strawberries, blueberries, redcurrants,
coconut ice cream and raspberry sauce, I almost didn’t want
to ruin the classy design. But I did, and the cake was perfect.
Crunchy on the outside, melting on the inside. It will defi-
nitely draw me back again soon.
Later on I was told that Deco usually gets quite crowded
during the evening, when it turns into more of a wine bar
than a coffeehouse, serving cocktails, champagne, the afore-
mentioned whiskey and wine to locals looking for a pleas-
ant night out. Open until 01:00 on weekdays and 03:00 on
weekends, its relaxed vibe and conversation-friendly atmo-
sphere makes it a good pick for exactly that occasion.
Deco
Austurstræti 12, 101 Reykjavík, Tel.: 578 7900
As anyone who spends much time in downtown Reykjavík
will attest, finding a good, affordable place to have lunch
can be a gruelling task. After a while, all those sun-dried to-
mato pastas, chicken breast tandooris and mushroom soups
lose their charm; what started as an inventive addition to
Reykjavík’s diner kitchens soon became redundant.
It was thus refreshing to encounter new Laugavegur res-
taurant Vor’s menu, which is at most times far removed from
what’s being served in comparable places. With a few excep-
tions, the restaurant provides an original approach to feeding
downtowners, leaning heavily on French and Mediterranean
styles.
The “Rich carrot soup with ginger” seemed the obvious
choice for a starter. The soup was fine in the taste depart-
ment, but sorely lacked the richness indicated by its name. A
disappointment that was, but the soup still merits a second
chance.
We next sampled the three salads on offer at Vor. The
house speciality Spring Salad contrasted nicely with January’s
subzero temperatures, and the rucola salad was considerably
boosted by soft Parmesan cheese. A green salad seemed like
the perfect idea post Christmas bingeing, and exceeded it-
self with a fine lemon vinaigrette.
The Sweet Chilli Omelette was satisfyingly simple in
composition; a nice consistency was further enhanced by a
homemade chilli jam. Our favourite course of the meal was
without a doubt the Mediterranean-style grilled lamb pepper
steak. A good selection of cooked vegetables, including to-
matoes and black olives, provided a fine tableau for the very
properly handled steak. Not as satisfying was the tuna and
its accompanying cannellini bean salad. While some pieces of
tuna were near-perfectly fried, others weren’t, and such an
inconsistency managed to ensure the course didn’t fully live
up to its potential.
With affordable pricing, food that’s well above average
and a comfortable atmosphere, Vor is a excellent choice for
lunch in the 101 area. The coffee was pretty good, too.
Vor
Laugavegur 24, 101 Reykjavík, Tel.: 562 2322
Reviewed by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir Reviewed by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir Reviewed by Haukur Magnússon