Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.12.2009, Page 36

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For your mind, body and soul
Food & Drink | Venue finder
3 Frakkar
Baldursgata 14 | F9
Aktu Taktu
Skúlugata 15 | K8
Alibaba
Veltusund 3b | E3
American Style
Tryggvagata 26 | E5
Argentína Steak-
house
Barónstígur | I8
Austurlanda-
hraðlestin
Hverfisgata 64A | H7
Á Næstu Grösum
Laugavegur 20B | G7
B5
Bankastræti 5 | F6
Bakkus
Tryggvagata 22 | D3
Basil & Lime
Klapparstíg 38 | G7
Babalú
Skólavörðustígur 22A
| G8
Balthazar
Hafnarstræti 1-3 |
D6/E6
Bæjarins Beztu
Tryggvagata | E6
Brons
Pósthússtræti 9 | E6
Café Cultura
Hverfisgata 18 | G6
Café Loki
Lokastígur 28 | G9
Café Paris
Austurstræti 14 | E6
Café Roma
Rauðarárstígur 8 | J9
Domo
Þingholtsstræti 5 | F7
Einar Ben
Veltusundi | E6
Eldsmiðjan
Bragagata 38A | G9
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12 | D6
Geysir Bar/Bistro
Aðalstræti 2 | D6
Garðurinn
Klappastigur 37 | G7
Glætan book café
Laugavegur 19 | F5
Grái Kötturinn
Hverfisgata 16A | G7
Grillhúsið
Tryggvagata 20 | E5/
E6
Habibi
Hafnarstræti 20 | D5
Hamborgarabúlla
Tómasar (“Bullan”)
Geirsgata 1 | D5
Hlölla Bátar
Ingólfstorg | D6
Hornið
Hafnarstræti 15 | E6
Hótel Holt
Bergstaðarstræti 37
| F7
Humarshúsið
Ammtmanstígur 1 | E7
Hressó
Austurstræti 20 | E6
Icelandic
Fish & Chips
Tryggvagata 8 | E5
Indian Mango
Frakkastígur 12 | G6
Jómfrúin
Lækjargata 4 | E6
Kaffi Hljómalind
Laugavegur 21 | G7
Kaffitár
Bankastræti 8 | F6
Kaffivagninn
Grandagarður 10
| D1
Kebabhúsið
Austurstræti 2 | E6
Kofi Tómasar
Frænda
Laugavegur 2 | F7
Krua Thai
Tryggvagata 14 | D5
La Primavera
Austurstræti 9 | E6
Lystin
Laugavegur 73 | H7
Mokka
Skólavörðustígur 3A
| F7
Nonnabiti
Hafnarstræti 9 | E6
O Sushi
Lækjargata 2A | E6
Pisa
Lækjargötu 6b | E6
Pizza King
Hafnarstræti 18 | E6
Pizza Pronto
Vallarstræti 4 | D6
Pizzaverksmiðjan
Lækjargötu 8 | E6
Prikið
Bankastræti 12 | F6
Ráðhúskaffi | D7
Tjarnargata 11
Santa Maria
Laugavegur 22A, | F7
Segafredo
Lækjatorg | E6
Serrano
Hringbraut 12 | I3

Shalimar
Austurstræti 4 | E3
Silfur
Pósthússtræti 11 | E6
Sjávarkjallarinn
Aðalstræti 2 | D6
Sólon
Bankastræti 7a | F6
Sushibarinn
Laugavegur 2 | F7
Svarta Kaffi
Laugavegur 54 | H8
Sægreifinn
Verbuð 8, Geirsgata
| D5
Tapas
Vesturgata 3B | D5
Thorvaldsen
Austurstræti 8 | E6
Tíu Dropar
Laugavegur 27 | G7
Tívolí
Laugavegur 3 | F7
Vegamót
Vegamótastígur 4
| G7
Við Tjörnina
Templarasund 3 | E7
Vitabar
Bergþórugata 21 |
H9
and a delicios lobster
at Fjörubordid in Stokkseyri
by the sea
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R E V I E W S
Regarded as one of the best restaurants
in town, VOX serves New Nordic Food,
a modern take on Nordic ingredients
and traditions, and an extensive wine
list herded by three-time sommelier of
the year Elisabet Alba Valdimarsdóttir.
New Nordic Food was originally
introduced by previous chef Gunnar
Karl Gislason who left earlier this year
along with restaurant manager Ólafur
Örn Ólafsson to start his own kitchen,
Dill, at the Nordic house. The pair has
done well for themselves, but how is
VOX doing without them? Lead by
Jóhannes Jóhannesson, it turns out
VOX is in good hands.
Following the super-star
sommelier’s recommendation, we
chose the seasonal menu (9900 ISK)
and, to my date’s jealousy, I had the
accompanying wine menu (seasonal
menu with wines 16900 ISK).
What seemed like an innocent
5-course meal turned out to be a
smorgasbord of almost twice as many
f lavours: First, some cumin flavoured
laufabrauð Christmas crackers. Then,
delicious radish; after that, an espresso
shot of creamy reindeer soup with heart
and kidneys, followed by Christmas
herring from the West Fjords with
horseradish ice cream. And we hadn’t
even gotten to the actual menu.
The proper first course, shellfish
served with jellified pasta consommé
and Christmas brew, was light and
sweet, with sea buckthorns adding
a sour kick. With it, an equally light
Château de la Ragotiere Muscadet
Sèvre et Maine 2007 from the Loire in
France, followed by an award winning
Australian Semillon and delicate
salt fish wrapped in gel, with apples,
walnuts and a quail egg.
The next course, lamb with
pickled carrots accompanied by an
Austrian red—and a good long glass of
water for me (I was quickly learning the
perils of the wine menu).
Once I had regained my wits,
it was time for the high point of the
menu: wild goose breast, full of f lavour,
perfectly cooked to melt in the mouth,
accompanied by goose leg confit in beer,
mushrooms, potatoes and cloudberries
– again a brilliant berry pick from the
VOX team. As for the grape, it was a
marvellous dark Argentinean Las Moras
Black Label Malbec 2006.
And then, predessert: buttermilk
with rye bread, dill and beetroots, and
for proper pudding ice cream, berry
sorbet and an almondy thing, which
was a bit on the dry side. The white
dessert wine Muscat de Beaumes de
Venise La Pastourelle Delas 2007 on the
other hand was positive surprise for this
dessert wine atheist.
It took us a mere 3 hours, but we
managed to eat 5 courses and another
handful of tasters, and in my case
downed with 5 glasses of wine—an
accomplishment in itself. But the
true accomplishment was the dinner.
Without a fuss, downstairs of the hotel
Hilton Nordica, in a space that has
something of the air of hotel breakfast
room, the dinner served to us was
consistently superb: perfectly cooked,
with wines equally well selected, not
to mention service that was skilled and
timed like clockwork. Dinner at VOX
was well worth the only five stars of
2009. - SARI PELTONEN
Absolutely Fabulous
Flavour: New Nordic seasonal
Ambiance: Hotel breakfast room
meets fine dining
Service: Pro
Vox
Hilton Reykjavik Nordica,
Suðurlandsbraut 2
What we think: Fabulous