Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.07.2008, Blaðsíða 52

Food & Drink | Venue finder
Aktu Taktu
Skúlugata 15 | K8
This drive-in destination in
101 Reykjavík is busy day and
night and the burgers are
especially tasty. The caramel
shakes are a local favorite.
American Style
Tryggvagata 26 | E5
With a soft bun and lots of
veggies, you can settle into a
booth and eat for hours. Big
portions for authentic Ameri-
can dining.
Argentína Steakhouse
Barónstígur | I8
True to its name with tender
steaks and flamingly vibrant
South American décor. Gen-
erous portions, fine wine,
liqueurs and cigars make an
excellent choice in fine dining.
Austurlandahraðlestin
Hverfisgata 64A | H7
Though a bit expensive for
take-away, it is well worth it
for a spicy bite of this Indian
cuisine. A few tables to the
side for those who choose
to dine in.
Á Næstu Grösum
Laugavegur 20B | G7
Regarded by many to be
the best vegetarian place in
town, “First Vegetarian” offers
a healthy and tasty menu of
vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Indian theme on Fridays a hit.
B5
Bankastræti 5 | F6
By day a chic little bistro
with good food and a prime
location for Laugavegur
people watching | by night
a stylish bar with a “whiskey
room” and manhattanesque
clientele.
Babalú
Skólavörðustígur 22A | G8
It’s tough to miss café Babalú
walking up Skólavörðustigur.
A cozy place for coffee and
cake, the well-worn, homey
ambience makes it difficult
to leave.
Bæjarins Beztu
Tryggvagata | E6
The oldest fast-food in Ice-
land, it is feasibly the best hot
dog stand in Europe. Don’t be
intimidated by the perpetual
line in front – an absolute
must and worth the wait.
Café Cultura
Hverfisgata 18 | G6
Situated in the intercultural
centre, Cultura is a café/bar
with a cosmopolitan feel. The
menu features all sorts of
international dishes, along-
side the staple salad and
sandwich.
Café Paris
Austurstræti 14 | E6
With an outdoor terrace, this
café gets busy on sunny
days. With a cosy interior, fine
menu and attentive service, it
makes a fine spot for evening
dining as well.
Café Roma
Rauðarárstígur 8 | J9
Roma, an Italian deli and
café offers a variety of breads,
soups as well as tempting
desserts. For a good bargain,
come at lunchtime for the
specials.
Café Victor
Hafnarstræti 1-3 | D6/E6
A hangout for older foreign-
ers, Victor attracts a diverse
crowd, both in age and origin,
a rule that extends to the mu-
sicians that play there.
Domo
Þingholtsstræti 5 | F7
The elegantly decorated
Domo serves delicious
French-Asian cuisine, excel-
lent sushi and has a great
wine list. A sure choice.
Eldsmiðjan
Bragagata 38A | G9
Totally satisfying oven-baked
pizza with a wide choice of
toppings | snails an unusual
specialty. Well worth the cost.
Order, take away or eat com-
fortably among the paintings.
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12 | D6
Run and co-owned by the
national team of chefs, this
establishment specializing
in Japanese cuisine has
everything planned to the last
detail, ensuring a relaxing
evening.
3 Frakkar
Baldursgata 14 | F9
A seriously Icelandic at-
mosphere and traditional
Icelandic dishes prepared
in the good old-fashioned
way. RSVP and keep your
ears pricked for wild whaling
tales!
Geysir Bar/Bistro
Aðalstræti 2 | D6
Situated in the dignified
Geysir Building at the corner
of Vesturgata and Aðalstræti,
this stylish bistro is always
a good place to grab a tasty
bite for a reasonable price.
Garðurinn
Klappastigur 37 | G7
“Ecstasy’s Heart” is a simple,
friendly, family-run vegetarian
restaurant on Klapparstígur.
Offers an ever-changing
menu of specials and soup
du jours, alongside a basic
menu
Grái Kötturinn
Hverfisgata 16A | G7
Legendary for its early open-
ing ours, the Gray Cat serves
amazing breakfasts and
coffee that packs a wallop. A
splendid way to start you off
on your day.
Great Wall Restaurant
Vesturgata 6-8 | D5
This Chinese restaurant
features a staggering 100+
dishes in traditional Szechuan,
Peking and Cantonese styles.
Great service and good food
make this one a fine choice.
Grillhúsið
Tryggvagata 20 | E5/E6
With a menu of reasonably
priced homestyle food, Grill-
húsið has satiated hungry
regulars since 1994 with juicy
burgers, sandwiches, steaks
and fish dishes.
Hamborgarabúlla Tómasar
(“Bullan”)
Geirsgata 1 | D5
Considered by some to be the
best real hamburger in Reyk-
javík, “Bullan” does serve
some mysteriously delicious
burgers, guaranteed to take
the edge off any hangover.

Hlölla Bátar
Ingólfstorg | D6
The first sub sandwich shop
in Iceland, Hlölla Bátar has a
large selection of creatively
named sandwiches with
equally imaginative contents.
Good for an adventurous bite.
Hornið
Hafnarstræti 15 | E6
Since 1979, this Italian res-
taurant has been a longtime
Reykjavík staple. Famous for
its pizza and stuffed calzones,
it proudly offers an affordable
menu of high-quality dishes
Hótel Holt
Bergstaðarstræti 37 | F7
Housing Iceland´s most
renowned restaurant, The
Gallery, an evening here is
an unforgettable experience.
Delicious French-inspired
cuisine and fine wines await.
Humarshúsið
Ammtmanstígur 1 | E7
One of the oldest restaurants
in the country, the lobster
house is known of course for
its lobster and also its im-
pressive cognac lounge. Fine
intimate dining.
Hressó
Austurstræti 20 | E6
With a spacious neutral inte-
rior and a varied lunch menu,
Hressó attracts no specific
type of crowd. Tap beer and
music makes a fair hangout
on weekends.
Icelandic Fish & Chips
Tryggvagata 8 | E5
Not your average fish’n’chips
joint, but a healthy restaurant
using only organic vegetables
and quality fish products. The
spiced skyr side a special
treat.
Indian Mango
Frakkarstígur 12 | H8
Specializing in delicious
dishes from the Goa region
of India, honed to perfection
in the owner’s period as head
chef at the Four Seasons.
Incredible service as well
as food.
Jómfrúin
Lækjargata 4 | E6
These days, good Smör-
rebröd can be an elusive
delicacy. Lucky for us out in
the colonies, it’s alive and
well at Jómfrúin with fresh
eel imported specially from
Denmark.
Kaffi Hljómalind
Laugavegur 21 | G7
This organic, free-trade café
prides itself not only on great
lunches and food but being a
strong cultural center, hosting
live music as well as lectures
and poetry nights.
Kaffitár
Bankastræti 8 | F6
Kaffitár celebrates good
coffee, and serves it in
abundance, along with sweet
treats and tasty if pricy spe-
cial blends. Eat in or to go, a
great way to enjoy your morn-
ing boost.
Kaffivagninn
Grandagarður 10 | D1
By the harbor, this lunch and
coffee place is a gathering
place for all sorts of tough
folks. If you want traditional
Icelandic food, a great place
to see another side of Reyk-
javík.
Kofi Tómasar Frændu
Laugavegur 2 | F7
Nestled in a basement loca-
tion, Uncle Tom´s Cabin has
the feeling of a back-alley
London Café. On weekends
it becomes a happening and
diverse bar.
Krua Thai
Tryggvagata 14 | D5
We dare you to find a bet-
ter meal for the same price
anywhere else. Every dish is
delicious. Just eat what looks
best to you on their colorful
menu.
La Primavera
Austurstræti 9 | E6
Though it sounds strange, La
Primavera serves delicious
traditional North Italian cui-
sine using only local produce.
A startlingly tasty combina-
tion and a local favorite.
Mokka
Skólavörðustígur 3A | F7
Operating since 1958, Mokka
is the city center´s oldest cof-
fee joint and founder of Ice-
landic coffee culture. Regular
art exhibits are always worth
a look.
Nonnabiti
Hafnarstræti 9 | E6
“Nonna” is one of the more
popular junk-food places in
town, renowned for its greasy
sandwiches and its unique
Nonni-sauce. Open late for a
midnight cravings.
O Sushi
Lækjargata 2A | E6
Also called “The Train”, O Su-
shi’s most intriguing feature
is a conveyor belt that runs
around the entire restaurant
delivering a buffet of authen-
tic sushi straight to your table.
Pizza King
Hafnarstræti 18 | E6
This little place serves not
only the cheapest but larg-
est slices downtown. A local
favorite, and open until 6 on
Friday and Saturday nights.
Pizza Pronto
Vallarstræti 4 | D6
With a convenient location
and late hours, a good place
to snack in between bars.
Three sizes of pizza with a
good selection of toppings. A
cheap, if unhealthy, choice.
Prikið
Bankastræti 12 | F6
Part of the Reykjavík bar
scene for decades, this café/
bar has a fairly cheap menu
and attracts a mix of students
and old regulars. Mostly R&B
and Hip-Hop on weekends.
Raðhúskaffi | D7
Tjarnargata 11
Located in the City Hall with
a great view of the pond, this
café has a good selection of
pastries and a good place to
relax. Regular art exhibits add
to the aesthetic.
Sægreifinn
Verbuð 8, Geirsgata | D5
Right next to the harbor,
Sægrefinn fish shop is like
none other in the country.
With a diverse fish selection,
exquisite lobster soup and
good service, an absolute
must-try.
Segafredo
Lækjatorg | E6
The Italian coffee chain
makes its way to Lækjatorg
Square, bringing strong
espresso and Italian lunch
snacks to grab on the way
to work or just to enjoy on
the spot.
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4 | E6
Shalimar sports the conceit
of being the northernmost
Indian restaurant in the world
and has fine daily specials.
We recommend the quite ad-
dictive chicken tikka masala.
Sjávarkjallarinn
Aðalstræti 2 | D6
Elegant Seafood Cellar fo-
cuses on gourmet seafood
and tantalizing asian-fusion
dishes. Share the exotic menu,
courses selected by the chef,
with a friend for the most fun.
Sólon
Bankastræti 7a | F6
Truly a jack-of-all trades
establishment. By night a
decent restaurant, by day a
café/bistro and on Friday and
Saturday nights a nightclub.
Art exhibitions on the walls to
top it off.
Sushibarinn
Laugavegur 2 | F7
Deceptively ordinary Sushi-
barinn has recently become
the talk of the town among
Reykjavík sushi lovers, serv-
ing, in our opinion, the very
best rolls in city.
Svarta Kaffi
Laugavegur 54 | H8
A cosy second floor café,
their fame lies partly in their
tasty Súpa í Brauði (Soup in
Bread) and also in their ro-
mantic atmosphere. Good for
a few early evening drinks.
Tapas
Vesturgata 3B | D5
For those with a bit of money
and time to spare, Tapas
serves course after course of
delightful miniature dishes.
Also serves tasty and unusu-
ally affordable lobster.

Thorvaldsen
Austurstræti 8 | E6
Dress formally for this fancy
spot, and come before 12
to avoid a long line. DJs
play Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays.
Tíu Dropar
Laugavegur 27 | G7
An old-fashioned café with
warm atmosphere and gener-
ous coffee refills. A thorough-
ly pleasant establishment.
Tjarnarbakkinn
Vonarstræti 3 | D7
Right above the Iöno theater,
an ideal place to go before
shows. Nice views of the
pond and outdoor dining in
the summertime. The lamb
comes especially recom-
mended.
Vegamót
Vegamótastígur 4 | G7
Vegamót´s kitchen is open
until 22.00 daily and sports an
appealing lunch menu. Come
for a tasty brunch on week-
ends. If you like Óliver, try
Vegamót and vice versa.
Við Tjörnina
Templarasund 3 | E7
A Reykjavík classic with menu
exclusively of traditional cui-
sine, as frequented by tourists
as it is by locals. A perfect
opportunity to try Icelandic
delicacies.
Vitabar
Bergþórugata 21 | H9
Really a bar, but best known
for its hamburgers. Burger
and fries for 500 one of
the best deals in town, but
Forget-Me-Not blue cheese
and Garlic Extravaganza are
alse winners.
Vor
Laugavegur 24 | G7
Though perhaps a typical
off-lobby restaurant/bar/café,
don’t let it fool you! It’s run by
an award-winning chef and
has a tip-top menu | a won-
derful culinary experience.
Where:
Vesturgötu 3b
101 Reykjavík
Tel.: 551 2344
How much:
1000 – 5000 ISK
What we think:
Where:
Laugavegur 22
101 Reykjavík
Tel.: 578 7800
How much:
1.000-3.000 ISK
What we think:
The Tapas Bar on Vesturgata has
long been one of my favourite
destinations when I plan to go
out, dine and meet friends. The
location is a bonus, but the fact
that it serves excellent food for a
relatively healthy price is really
the clincher for me. No less im-
portant is the lively atmosphere
that makes it a good option for
a relaxed evening with friends
and loved ones, but for more
formal occasions… well, lets just
say I would probably not take my
grandmother there for her nine-
tieth birthday – unless she was
feeling particularly rowdy.
As the name might hint, The
Tapas Bar specialises in the
Spanish tapas tradition. Tapas
are traditionally served as a
small appetizer between full
meals, but as Spanish cuisine
has moved westwards through
the continent, it has become
common for restaurants to of-
fer several small dishes together
to make a full meal. The great
advantage this offers is variety.
You know the feeling you get
when you look at a menu and
you just want to taste everything
on it? Well, here that is actually
encouraged.
I ordered ‘the journey into
the unknown,’ seven tapas and
a dessert selected by the kitchen
staff. The highlight may well
have been the bacon wrapped
scallops and figs, but it faced
some stiff competition from
both the crab salad and the kan-
garoo a la Crocodile Dundee.
And the chocolate cake; well, it
just took the cake, so to speak.
My companion selected ‘the
bullfighter’s tapas,’ the fillet of
beef, lamb, chicken and pork,
with some grilled lobster tails
in garlic and oil. Both dishes
clocked in at around 4000 ISK;
by no means a fire sale, but con-
sidering that I was barely able
to stand after consuming all
the food it entailed, it might be
a small bargain. But there is no
real need to go in there to order a
seven dish combo-meal. You can
just as easily step in to grab a lit-
tle snack for less than 1000 ISK.
Perfect for those long nights out,
especially considering that the
kitchen is open until 01:00 on
weekend-nights.
22, formerly known as Barinn,
has done a lot in recent weeks
to change its image to that of a
friendlier place. The urban mu-
rals that once covered the walls
were painted over in gentler,
muted pastel. They’ve gotten all
new DJs, and started serving
their own food. 22 has been tak-
ing strides to expand its range
to the daytime customer. That
said, 22 still thoroughly main-
tains a bar atmosphere, despite
a significant shift in the op-
posite direction. With coloured
halogen lighting, disco balls, a
spacious upstairs, and accessible
bathrooms, 22 is still set up to be
a happening night spot.
The menu at 22 looks really,
really good and everything is
very well-priced. Matching an
appetizer with a sandwich was
no picnic. In my desperation, I
ordered a grilled chicken sand-
wich alongside a beer, with a
bread basket to start (oops). My
bread basket arrived promptly,
and featured freshly toasted
bread with dried tomato and ol-
ive spread and parmesan cheese.
These were all okay but never got
beyond that, no matter the com-
bination of condiments I tried.
The sandwich was quick to fol-
low, accompanied with little fried
potatoes and a creamy dipping
sauce. The potatoes were over-
salted, a taste which was multi-
plied when coupled with the dip-
ping sauce. But with the beer it
was delicious, its prickly breadi-
ness matching beautifully with
the tangy, salty potatoes. Despite
containing delicious things like
bacon, spinach, guacamole, and
grilled chicken, the sandwich
just tasted uniformly of bacon,
no matter how many bites I took
to find those other toppings. Af-
ter a while it dawned on me the
weight the food took on, consoli-
dating into a queasy brick in my
stomach. My sandwich started
to look more and more like an
adversary. I didn’t finish it.
22 is definitely putting in
the effort to bring people in off
the street for a quick bite and
a beer for lunch. However, it
still puts the drinks first when
it comes down to it. Sitting
perched on a high seat in a dark,
stale room with only a trickle
of light squeaking in from the
clear summer’s day outside, I
was still being served lunch, but
at a bar in the daytime. The food
is good, but to be fully satisfac-
tory, a smooth level of intoxica-
tion seems to be necessary. With
an affordable menu designed
to match and soak up alcohol
without sapping your wallet too
much, 22 is still firmly planted
on the late night bar route.
Food
tapas Barinn
Food
22
B10 | The Reykjavík Grapevine | Issue 09 2008
Food reviews
Reviewed by Sveinn Birkir Björnsson Reviewed by Nathaniel Flagg
8 D5 9 G7