Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.06.2011, Qupperneq 54

Only a handful of cities around the
world can boast wearing the Nepalese
jewel in their culinary crown, and
Reykjavík is fortunate to be one them.
Kitchen Eldhús opened at Laugavegur
60 a little over two years ago and it has
consistently remained one of my top
downtown dining choices. Proprietor
and executive chef Deepak Panday
offers a menu that caters to a variety of
tastes and appetites, with an emphasis
on the healthy Newari cuisine that is
indigenous to the Kathmandu Valley.
The indiscriminate tongue often
mistakes Nepalese cuisine as Indian,
a common fallacy, as they share many
of the same spices and rices, as well
as sharing a common political border.
Rather than heavily sauced meat
typical of a northern Indian Mughal
style kitchen, Newari cuisine is praised
for being delicate and slightly milder
with a more distinctive, wide palette
that spares not one taste bud. Spices
are indispensable to the Newa way of
life, with most dishes consisting of
a combination of methi (fenugreek),
besar (turmeric), jeera (cumin seeds),
dhaniya (coriander), jwano (carom
seed), lahsun (garlic), aduwa (ginger),
khursani (chilli powder), Nepali sunp
(dill), and tejpat (bay leaf).
Kathmandu is particularly famous for
the ‘Mo: mo;’, a type of dumpling that
originated from Tibet and popular
as a fast street food (1.490 ISK). My
partner and I began with this fresh
specialty served with a tomato and
poppy seed chutney, and the Beignets
de Aubergine, a fried eggplant round
filled with a cheese and tamarind sauce
(1.990 ISK). We could have stopped
here, as our mouths already arrived
at nirvana. We were given a private
table on the second f loor, and were
completely at ease with the ambiance
of our surroundings. This was our
first time away from our newborn,
and so we expected a nervous evening
tethered to our telephones and staring
at clocks. Quite the contrary. The
relaxed but refined interior warmed
by a gentle melody played on the
wooden f lute subdued all anxiety. Our
entrees arrived, and I savoured every
bite of Achari Salmon, a spicy steak
marinated in mustard, fennel, chillies,
and anis (3.590 ISK) and served with a
Nepalese Pilau (890 ISK), rice cooked
with cashews, almonds, raisins and
coconut, and Peshwari Naan (490 ISK).
Perhaps I should have paired a wine to
complement this, as the list was rather
extensive for Icelandic standards, but
a Nepalese chiya worked just as well.
Once again, we finished more than
satisfied, and without room to spare for
dessert. One day I will save room for
Juju Dhau, the king of yoghurts, one
day.
Without compromise, Deepak
prides himself in offering the
healthiest food available, with each of
the twenty five dishes made to order
fresh, and adjusted for any specific
dietary concerns as suggested by the
menu. Each bite evidenced that this
establishment is truly a labour of love
for Deepak and a culinary asset for
Iceland. Kitchen Eldhús serves lunch
weekdays from 12-14:30, and dinner
seven days a week from 17:30-22:00.

“This establishment is truly a labour of love”
Kitchen Eldhús
Laugavegur 60a
MADELEINE T
HVALREKI
R E V I E W S
Two restaurants on the upper
part of Laugavegur explored
www.banthai.name
Smaralind
5544-633
and
Hverfisgata
# 123
588-2121
-The three great places for Thai food
www.yummiyummi.net
BanThai The best ThaiFood 2009, 2010
yummi yummi you have to try
There are a lot of positive
reviews about BanThai
that we are
the best thai restaurant
Authentic Thai cuisine
served in elegant surroundings
with Spicy, Very Delicious
and reasonable prices.
Private rooms on the 2nd floor.
Open Hours
18.00–22.00. Every day.
Tel; 692-0564, 5522-444
Whales are being killed to feed tourists
Don’t let your visit leave a bad taste in your mouth
www. f j a l ako t tu r inn . i s
Opening hOurs
Every day from 18:00 – 22:00
Fridays & Saturdays from 18:00 – 23:00
Sundays from 18:00 - 22:00
New Nord i c Cu i s ine
in the heart of the city center
A unique dining experience
like never before
The restaurant is warm and friendly
and has the atmosphere of old
Icelandic and nordic style.
Our ambition is in serving high
quality food, having a wide
selection of good wine and
providing the best service.
Pond
City Hall
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Fja laköttur inn | Aðalstræti 16 | 101 Reyk javík | Tel . 514 6060 | Fax 514 6030
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