Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.01.2011, Page 21

3 Frakkar
Baldursgata 14 | G4
Aktu Taktu
Skúlugata 15 | E6
Alibaba
Veltusund 3b | D2
American Style
Tryggvagata 26 | D2
Argentína Steakhouse
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
Tómasar (“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
Food & Drink | Venue finder
CATHARINE FULTON
F D
For your mind, body and soul
The year in food
Good Dish, Bad Dish
I’m sitting here writing these words
while simultaneously carrying on a
conversation with my manfriend and
some heavily tattooed French-Canadian
drifter with a deplorable attitude who
refuses to vacate my apartment. Despite
the fact that I’ve been writing on these
here food pages for a whole year now
(where has the time gone?) the three of
us are at a complete loss for what to eat
for dinner.
The one certainty is that we are sure
as hell not going to cook for ourselves.
Since I should, at this point, know
a thing or two about where to get some
decent nosh the responsibility looks to
be falling on my shoulders.
Noodle Station started out my
reviewer stint on a high-note, warming
me up last February with that sweet,
spicy and consistently awesome noodley
goodness of theirs. The atmosphere in
their small shop on Skólavörðurstígur
has changed somewhat but the goods
have stayed the same. But we just ate
there yesterday and crave variety. No
dice.
The grub over at Grillið was even
more spectacular than the view from
the top of Hótel Saga, where it is
situated—that buttery, melt in your
mouth halibut and that enigmatic
but delightful carrot f lan still makes
cameos in my dream—but we’re no
troupe of travelling Trumps and we’re
feeling the post-holidays credit crunch
like all the common folks, so shelling
out for a fancy-pants five-course treat is
out of the questions. Plus, we just ate
there yesterday.
Brasilia closed down, Gló is too far
(or we’re too lazy), I downed Hressó’s
soup today at lunch (chicken and veg—
yummy!) and I just had Icelandic Fish
and Chips yesterday, though it’s always
a crowd-pleaser.
What’s a retiring food reviewer to
do?
The moral of this story may be that
I need to cook for myself more often.
Or it may be that I need to surround
myself with people more capable of
making decisions. Or it may be that
Subway should have never closed
their downtown location because then
all of our lives in the 101 area would
be significantly improved because,
goddamnit, that was such a convenient
place to have around in exactly this type
of situation!
So, despite all the food, good and
bad, that I’ve enjoyed and endured over
the past year it looks like we’re going for
something I didn’t review. Because the
burgers at Prikið always hit the spot.
EAT And dRInK
3 X HERE AND GONE
1 SUBWAY
Subway: OK, so it’s not like the entire Subway
chain has vacated Iceland á la McDonalds,
but the departure of the Austurstræti
outpost has left a sandwich-shaped void
in Reykjavík that won’t soon be filled.
2 BRASILIA
Skólavörðurstígur is a lot less colourful since
Brasilia samba-ed out of business and the
blindingly yellow and green façade of its
former location was re-painted. Too bad. It had
potential.
3 SUBWAY
It just hurts so bad.
3 X YOU'RE AWESOME
1 ICELANDIC FISH AND CHIPS
You’re awesome, guys! Wolf fish, mango
salad and garlic potatoes (with coriander and
lime skyronnaise, of course) rocks my world.
Tryggvagata 8
2 FISH COMPANY
You’re pretty goddamn awesome! I’d go ‘Around
the World’ with you any time – it’s the most
delicious way to travel. Vesturgata 2a
3 NOODLE STATION
You’re awesome, too! It might be the MSG,
but it might just be the awesome. Keep it up!
Skólavörðustígur 21a
2 X YOU'RE ON NOTICE
1 GAMLA SMIðJAN
Look, I’m only writing this because I care, but
I’mma have to put you on notice. I voted you best
pizza in town and then you go making a few
questionable pies and I have to start questioning
my vote. I know you’ve still got it in ya, guys. Step
it up, you’re on notice! Lækjargata 8
2 TANDOORI
I’m not even sure I can put Tandoori on notice,
but I will anyways. You see, I’ve never had the
chance to eat there since reviewing. Not for lack
of trying. When 90% of the menu is chicken and
customers roll up and the place is empty and
the restaurant is out of chicken that’s just bad
business. Tandoori, you’re on notice! Skeifan 11
A genuine Nordic 3 course feast
starting from 4.900,-
Pósthússtræti 11 101 Reykjavík Tel: 578 2008 www.silfur.is
Noodle soup with chicken IKR 930
IKR 930 Noodle soup with beef
Home of the best noodle soup!
Skólavörðustígur 21A
Eyrarbraut 3, 825 Stokkseyri, Iceland · Tel. +354 483 1550
Fax. +354 483 1545 · info@fjorubordid.is · www.fjorubordid.is
At the Restaurant Fjöruborðið in Stokkseyri
By the
sea and
lobster
a delicios
< Only 45 minutes drive from Reykjavík
21
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1 — 2011 </2010 MUSIC>
Jófríður Ákadóttir, Pascal Pinon
Albums of 2010
[1] Ólöf Arnalds - Innundir skinni
[2] Amiina - Puzzle
[3] Prinspóló - Jukk
[4] Útidúr - This Mess We’ve Made
[5] Jónsi - Go
Albums of 2001-2010
[1] Björk - Vespertine
[2] Clangour - Sin Fang Bous
[3] múm - Loksins erum við engin
[4] Björk - Volta
[5] Nolo - No-lo-fi
Curver Thoroddsen, Ghostigital
Albums of 2010
[1] Skúli Sverrisson - Sería II
[2] Miri - Okkar
[3] Loji - Skyndiskyssur
[4] Apparat - Pólýfónía
[5] Jónas Sigurðsson og Ritvélar fram-
tíðarinnar – Allt er eitthvað
Albums of 2001-2010
Ghostigital - In Cod We Trust (2006)
Mínus - Halldór Laxness (2003)
Siggi Ármann - Í Listasafni Reykjavíkur
(2004)
Sigur Rós - () (2002)
Kimono Arctic Death Ship (2005)
Top Five: Irritating crap from the last
decade
Írafár
Í Svörtum Fötum
Á Móti Sól
Buttercup
Land og synir
Top Five: Bands that were prominent on
MySpace then never did anything
[1] Jezebel
[2] Johnny Sexual
[3] Donna Mess
[4](feel free to add to the list if you remem-
ber someone else)
Heiða Eiríksdóttir, Hellvar
Albums of 2010
[1] Nolo - No-lo-fi
[1] Apparat Organ Quartett – Pólýfónía
[1] Prinspóló - Jukk
[1] Ég - Lúxus upplifun
[1] Swords of Chaos - The End Is As Near
As Your Teeth
Albums of 2001-2010
[1] I Adapt - Chainlike Burden
[2] Ghostigital - In Cod We Trust
[3] Skakkamanage - Lab of love
[4] Morðingjarnir - Áfram Ísland
[5] múm – go go smear the poison ivy
Sindri Freyr Steinsson, Bárujárn
Albums of 2010
[1] Nolo – No-Lo-Fi
[2] Daníel Bjarnason - Processions
[3] Svartidauði -Temple of Deformation
[4] Momentum - Fixation, at rest
[5] Swords of Chaos - The end is as near as
your teeth
Albums of 2001-2010
[1] Forgotten Lores -Frá Heimsenda
[2] Hr.Ingi.R - Hundadiskó
[3] Mínus - Halldór Laxness
[4] Ben Frost - By The Throat
[5] Reykjavík! - Glacial Landscapes, Reli-
gion, Oppression & Alchohol
Tanya Pollock, Weirdcore
Albums of 2010
[1] Quadruplos - Quadruplos
[2] Weirdcore 2 - compilation
[3] Ólöf Arnalds- Innundir skinni
[4] Jónsi - Go
[5] Agent Fresco- A Long Time Listening
Albums of 2001-2010
[1] FM Belfast - How to make friends
[2] Ruxpin - Where do we float from here
[3] Emilína Torrini - Fishermans wife
[4] Kimono - Mineur aggressive
[5] Mammút - Karkari
Bóas Hallgrímsson, Reykjavík!
Albums of 2010
[1] Loji - Skyndiskissur
[2] Prinspóló - Jukk
[3] Retro Stefson - Kimbabwe
[4] Agent Fresco - A Long Time Listening
[5] Jónsi - Go
Albums of 2001-2010
[1] Mugison - Mugimama is this monkey
music?
[2] Mínus - Jesus Christ Bobby
[3] Ben Frost – Theory of Machines
[4] Sin Fang Bous - Clangour
[5] XXXR - XXX Rottweilerhundar
Runner up:
múm - Loksins erum við engin
Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason, múm, FM
Belfast
Albums of 2010
[1] Páll Ívan Pálsson - Dægurlög
[1] Apparat Organ Quartet – Pólýfónía
[1] Seabear - We Built a Fire
[1] Retro Stefson - Kimbabwe
[1] Prins Póló - Jukk
(Benni Hemm Hemm, Ólöf Arnalds, Amiina,
Sóley, Miri, Bárujárn, Nolo, Agent Fresco
and lots more could have easily wound
up on this list, I just couldn’t cram more in
there. The best year for Icelandic music in a
long time).
Úlfur Eldjárn, Apparat Organ Quartet
Albums of 2010
I am not good at making these lists, and I
don’t really want to choose the ‘albums of
the year’. This is because I haven’t man-
aged to listen properly to half of what was
released, for instance striking hot albums
from Retro Stefson, Agent Fresco, Útidúr,
Jóel Pálsson, Jónas Sigurðsson, Skálmöld,
Prinspóló, Ellen Kristjáns, Amiina, etc. etc.
etc. Regrettably, I just haven’t had the time.
In addition, such a list might contain albums
from Daníel Bjarnason, Jónsi, Ólöf Arnalds,
Seabear and Pascal Pinon... The year 2010
was overflowing with great albums, but
my list will not consist of them. Rather, it
is a list of four albums that I would like to
recommend especially without necessarily
saying they’re better or worse than any of
the others.
Skúli Sverrisson Sería II
Nolo - No Lo-Fi
Bloodgroup - Dry Land
Sóley - Theater Island
Music | Top Lists
I think I know where the
confidence and swagger
came from. Davíð Oddsson.
Hard to explain how adored
he was, other than to say Davíð is to
economic policy as Ronald Reagan is to
nuclear policy. Where Reagan horrified
the world in the 1980s with his nuclear
gymnastics, Davíð astonished those
with even the faintest interest in
economics with his bear hug of free
market capitalism.
Davíð’s policies were barely exam-
ined daydreams set forward with the
discipline and tact of a petulant child.
And yet, they came true. In 2004, the
first article I was assigned to write
about Iceland was an explanation of
Davíð Oddsson's amazing economic
policies. I knew nothing about econom-
ics—when I reached out to a Harvard
friend's economics professor, he re-
plied: “It is a miracle. You don't need to
know economic theory. If debt is three
times GDP, the country's economy is
doomed.”
Reality didn't match the dream. I
told my editor I was clueless, which she
had already assumed. In the coming
months, authorities ranging from The
Economist to the Wall Street Journal
backed Davíð as the wizard behind the
Icelandic miracle.
It was another three years before
everyone changed their minds.
But for me, Davíð Oddsson's per-
sonality was the key Icelandic trait of
the aughties in Iceland. A generation
of artists, musicians, and even game
designers, had within them this core
quality.
In the arts, it worked. The Tate and
then the Brooklyn Bridge were handed
over to the Icelander-via-Denmark artist
Ólafur Elíasson. Filmmakers Dagur Kári
and Baltasar Kormákur drew interna-
tional praise. Iceland Airwaves took
flight.
The most impressive example, and
the most positive, of the we dream
big decade is what four guys from Mos-
fellsbær did. Sigur Rós invented a genre
of music and an empire, operating
entirely outside of the realities of the
music business. It's not that their music
is, at its core, superior to a number
of other bands' music. But Sigur Rós
presented it with such fearlessness and
imagination.
There are hundreds of points I can't
cover here—not sure who'd read about
the politics and business highs and
lows, or the hundreds of musicians and
artists who definitely did something
worthwhile. My takeaway from a long
time thinking about the country is just
that Iceland approached the decade
with no resources save personality, and
they made a profound impact with only
that. Now go listen to some kissing hot
dogs.
We Dream Bigger
Decade | Bart Cameron
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