Reykjavík Grapevine - 18.06.2010, Blaðsíða 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
F D
For your mind, body and soul
R E V I E W S
What’s In A Name?
I’ve been meaning to stop by Mmmmm
(Laugavegur 42) for some time now. Its
name intrigued me, as did its bright and
light signage—I’m a sucker for a catchy
sign. However I never had the chance
as every time I happened to be walking
by with a grumble in my stomach it was
closed. The joint was open and bustling
when I finally walked through its doors
during the lunch hour on Wednesday;
French tourists in hiking boots sat
alongside men in business suits and all
appeared to be enjoying their grub.
The first thing that struck me was the
amount of selection. Mmmmm stocks
yogurt parfaits, pre-made sandwiches and
wraps, cakes, salads, soups and a menu
of daily hot specials. This was going
to be tough. With a massive hunger to
respond to, my date zoomed in on the
daily specials and settled on chicken
breast with potato wedges and mushroom
sauce (1.590 ISK). I, on the other hand,
chose the Mexico Wrap (650 ISK) and
“Guffi’s Seafood Soup” (1.090 ISK alone,
or 1.280 ISK with bread), which came
highly recommended by the sign near the
cashier.
My date’s chicken and potatoes
arrived with a generous helping of salad
on the side; a nice addition that wasn’t
mentioned on the chalk menu. The
chicken was succulent and moist and was
cut into strips and fanned across the plate
alongside the slightly dry potato wedges.
Both meat and starch were drizzled in a
mushroom sauce that was thinner than
expected and could have benefited from
an infusion of creaminess. Aside from the
somewhat parched potatoes, everything
was sufficiently tasty.
My seafood soup, the usual orange
shade of creamy broth, was conservatively
peppered with scallops and shrimp—the
convincing sign also promised salmon,
though there was none to be found in
my bowl. Despite the lack of salmon, I
found the soup quite nice. The flavour
was somewhat akin to a corn chowder
under the stronger seafood notes, which
I enjoyed. But, like my date’s mushroom
sauce, the soup would have done well
with a livelier texture.
The Mexican Wrap was piping hot out
of the oven when I received it and was
stuffed with chicken, cheese, guacamole,
lettuce and tomato. Expecting something
fajita-like, I was surprised when I bit into
the wrap and was greeted by a smoky,
mesquite flavour. Like smoked bacon. It
was really rather tasty, but Mexican it was
not. The pockets of guacamole upped the
Mexican-quotient of certain bites, but I
would consider renaming the wrap none-
the-less.
Though the meal had certain
drawbacks, I still plan on going back to
Mmmmm to check out some more of
their ample selection in the future, now
that I’m more aware of their opening
hours.
Names are important. Icelanders take months beyond the nine allotted for incubation to think up the perfect names for their new bundles
of joy. Parents of other nationalities name their babies Mercedes, King, Precious, Jesus and the like in hopes of their progeny living up to
the perceived greatness of the moniker. Of course, babies are one thing and restaurants are something else entirely. One wouldn’t name their
baby “ohhhh” or “awww” in anticipation of the adoration it will garner from onlookers, but naming your restaurant “Yummi Yummi” or
“Mmmmm”, while potentially risky, is just fine.
Ermmm, Ummmm, Mmmmm?
CATHARINE FULTON
JULIA STAPLES
Mmmmm
Laugavegur 42
What we think: Mmmmm is
ummmm, okay
Flavour: Fine, but could use some
oomph
Ambiance: Bright, white and airy
Service: Pleasant, though on the
slow side
GRAPEVINE FOOD REVIEW KEY
0- Should not be considered food.
1- Edible, but not more than once.
2- OK; not good, but not horrible either.
3- Good, but not great.
4- Pretty damn good.
5- Extraordinary.
The Grapevine strives to give its readers
honest, unbiased reviews of dining establish-
ments of myriad quality and price-ranges
throughout the greater Reykjavík area and,
in this vein, we will tell it like it is. Plain and
simple. We are not all trained chefs; we are
just people who like to go out and enjoy a
meal with our friends and family from time to
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
“
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