Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.06.2010, Page 28

Food & Drink | Venue finder
3 Frakkar
Baldursgata 14 | G4
Aktu Taktu
Skúlugata 15 | E6
Alibaba
Veltusund 3b | D2
American Style
Tryggvagata 26 | D2
Argentína Steak-
house
Barónstígur | F6
Austurlanda-
hraðlestin
Hverfisgata 64A | F5
Á Næstu Grösum
Laugavegur 20B | E4
B5
Bankastræti 5 | E3
Bakkus
Tryggvagata 22 | D2
Ban Thai
Laugavegur 130 | G7
Basil & Lime
Klapparstíg 38 | E4
Babalú
Skólavörðustígur 22A
| G5
Balthazar
Hafnarstræti 1-3 | D2
Bæjarins Beztu
Tryggvagata | D3
Brons
Pósthússtræti 9 | E3
Café Cultura
Hverfisgata 18 | E4
Café d'Haiti
Tryggvagata 12 | D2
Café Loki
Lokastígur 28 | G4
Café Paris
Austurstræti 14 | E3
Café Roma
Rauðarárstígur 8 | G7
Deli
Bankastræti 14 | E5
Domo
Þingholtsstræti 5 | E3
Einar Ben
Veltusundi | E2
Eldsmiðjan
Bragagata 38A | G4
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12 | D2
Geysir Bar/Bistro
Aðalstræti 2 | D2
Garðurinn
Klappastigur 37 | F4
Glætan book café
Laugavegur 19 | F5
Grái Kötturinn
Hverfisgata 16A | E4
Grillhúsið
Tryggvagata 20 | D2
Habibi
Hafnarstræti 20 | E3
Hamborgarabúlla Tó-
masar (“Bullan”)
Geirsgata 1 | B2
Hlölla Bátar
Ingólfstorg | D2
Hornið
Hafnarstræti 15 | D3
Hótel Holt
Bergstaðarstræti 37
| G3
Humarhúsið
Amtmanstígur 1 | E3
Hressó
Austurstræti 20 | E4
Icelandic Fish & Chips
Tryggvagata 8 | B2
Indian Mango
Frakkastígur 12 | F5
Jómfrúin
Lækjargata 4 | E3
Kaffi Hljómalind
Laugavegur 21 | E4
Kaffifélagið
Skólavörðustígur 10
| F5
Kaffitár
Bankastræti 8 | E4
Kaffivagninn
Grandagarður 10 | A1
Kofi Tómasar Frænda
Laugavegur 2 | E4
Kornið
Lækjargata 4 | E3
Krua Thai
Tryggvagata 14 | D2
La Primavera
Austurstræti 9 | D2
Lystin
Laugavegur 73 | F6
Mokka
Skólavörðustígur 3A
| E4
Nonnabiti
Hafnarstræti 9 | D3
O Sushi
Lækjargata 2A | E3
Pisa
Lækjargötu 6b | E3
Pizza King
Hafnarstræti 18 | D3
Pizza Pronto
Vallarstræti 4 | E2
Pizzaverksmiðjan
Lækjargötu 8 | E3
Prikið
Bankastræti 12 | E3
Ráðhúskaffi | E2
Tjarnargata 11
Santa Maria
Laugavegur 22A, | F5
Serrano
Hringbraut 12 | H3
Shalimar
Austurstræti 4 | D2
Silfur
Pósthússtræti 11 | E3
Sjávarkjallarinn
Aðalstræti 2 | D2
Sólon
Bankastræti 7a | E3
Sushibarinn
Laugavegur 2 | E4
Sushismiðjan
Geirsgötu 3 | B2
Svarta Kaffi
Laugavegur 54 | F5
Sægreifinn
Verbúð 8, Geirsgata
| B2
Tapas
Vesturgata 3B | D2
Thorvaldsen
Austurstræti 8 | D2
Tíu Dropar
Laugavegur 27 | E5
Tívolí
Laugavegur 3 | E4
Vegamót
Vegamótastígur 4 | E4
Við Tjörnina
Templarasund 3 | E2
Vitabar
Bergþórugata 21 | G5
They put on such a
beautiful meal for us.
We had the most amazing
freshest fish I’ve ever had
in my life. It was all so
perfectly cooked too...
beautiful!”
Jamie Oliver’s Diary
AUSTURSTRÆTI 9. Tel: 561 8555
“
and a delicios lobster
at Fjörubordid in Stokkseyri
by the sea
Sp
ör
e
hf
. -
R
ag
nh
ei
ðu
r Á
gú
st
sd
ót
tir
F D
For your mind, body and soul
R E V I E W S
Stígurs and the Restaurants named for them
Lighthouses And Crossroads
Madonna
Ristorante Italiano
6 course
Seafood Lunch Buffet
www.madonna.isMadonna Rauðarárstíg 27 445-9500
Only 2.690 kr
Icelandic seafood soup, seafood
pizza and a variety of fish dishes.
Lunch Buffet 11:30 - 14.30
If somebody were to name a restaurant after me, I’d expect nothing short of perfection. The service would always be friendly
and professional, the décor would be timelessly chic, the chefs would all be world-renowned and it would be the first restaurant
in history to be granted five Michelin stars. I’d have to be proud to see my name on said restaurant. See, you can’t name an
entire establishment after somebody or something without really striving to do that somebody or something justice. If your
restaurant is shitty you’re implying that so too is that for which it has been named after. And if the person or thing you are
borrowing the name of is a dirt bag or piece of garbage, then it is similarly your duty to class up the joint and do good by your
moniker’s inspiration. This week the Grapevine checked out two Reykjavík eateries that borrow their names from the very
streets on which they operate – have they done their stígurs proud?
See You At The Crossroads
CATHARINE FULTON
JULIA STAPLES
Vegamótastígur is a pretty decent stígur.
Forming a T-intersection with Laugavegur
just two blocks east of Skólavörðustígur,
it’s got Reykjavík’s best place to buy books
(according to this here publication) at one
end, another book store at the other end
and its very own name-sake restaurant—
Vegamót—right in the middle. Vegamót
means ‘crossroads’ or ‘junction’, though
the street crosses no other roads and the
restaurant doesn’t sit at any junction. Ah well.
Vegamót is a nice looking little place from
the outside, and the inside follows suit, with
amber coloured walls, a rusted out metal
chandelier and a second level that overlooks
the first. When my date and I took a stroll over
to Vegamótastígur it was characteristically
bustling and we were lucky to secure a first-
floor table by one of the long, thin windows
that line the southern wall of the building.
After making some default comments
along the lines of “oh man, this place is
always packed!” my date and I perused the
menu and settled on the Masaman Curry
Chicken (1690 ISK) from the daily specials
menu for him and the Wrap á la Vegamót
(1690 ISK)—a meal named after a restaurant
named after a street!?!—for me.
The Masaman Curry Chicken, with chicken
(obviously), peppers, mushrooms and
broccoli served over rice, came streaming
hot and fragrant. It was a vibrant orange,
the serving was plentiful, and once it cooled
down enough to take a bite my date’s
reaction was decidedly positive. It was a tasty
and sweet curry and nicely presented; he
scarfed it down happily. But when I took a
bite something about it was reminiscent of a
jar of Uncle Ben’s sauce.
Personally, I was much more pleased
with my Wrap á la Vegamót, stuffed full of
chicken, cucumber, tomato, onion, peppers,
lettuce, shredded mozzarella and garlic
sauce and served with a side of fries. I’m a
fan of most things wrapped in a tortilla, but
this was particularly nice. The garlic sauce
was more subtle than overwhelming, so the
components of the wrap were individually
decipherable and didn’t just taste like garlic.
The combination of raw vegetables, cooked
chicken and a cool, light sauce added up to
a really fresh and tasty bite. The fries on the
side were also delish—thick-cut and crisp,
but not too crisp.
Flavour: Mixed bag, but overall
pretty good
Ambiance: Chic and cosy
Service: Patient and bubbly
Vegamót
Vegamótastígur 4
What we think: Does its
street proud