Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.07.2012, Side 27

27
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 10 — 2012
Through compiling our second an-
nual best of list back when, we
reached the conclusion that some
of these places are so firmly estab-
lished as local favourites that nam-
ing them “best of” anything is sort
of redundant.
Furthermore, we thought having to
compete with local favourites was al-
most unfair to all the new places trying
to make their name. There will only ever
be one Ísbúð Vesturbæjar, and it will
probably remain Reykjavík’s favourite
ice cream joint for as long as they don’t
mess up horribly. That shouldn’t mean
we can’t get excited and dish out props
to other ice cream vendors.
We came up with a solution that
would give us a chance to honour some
of the perennial local favourites while
still giving props to new and exciting
places. We simply made a category that
we call REYKJAVÍK INSTITUTIONS.
What makes a ‘REYKJAVÍK INSTI-
TUTION’? By our definition, a ‘REYK-
JAVÍK INSTITUTION’ is a place or en-
tity that’s time and time again proven
itself as one of the best of its kind, and
has remained a must-visit through the
years. When achieving INSTITUTION
status, an establishment is automati-
cally disqualified from winning any
‘best of’ categories, because you’re be-
yond being ‘best,’ having been all con-
sistently awesome for a long, long time.
A REYKJAVÍK INSTITUTION is a
must-visit for tourists to Reykjavík.
A REYKJAVÍK INSTITUTION will
retain its status as such until it starts
sucking, in which case we will ceremo-
niously remove them from our list next
year.
Without further ado, here are our
REYKJAVÍK INSTITUTIONS, along
with some choice reader and specialist
quotes that argue their status:
KAFFIBARINN
“Despite some ups and downs, Kaf-
fibarinn has remained the undisputed
reigning champion of Reykjavík night-
life and drinking for well over a decade.
They are a true nightlife institution.”
BæJARINS BEzTU
“Everyone goes there. All the time. For
over 70 years now. Not exactly gourmet
dining, but a really freaking great snack
nonetheless.”
ÍSBúð VESTURBæJAR
“It’s hard to explain the charm to out-
siders, just tell them to go there. The
ever-present queue speaks for itself.”
HORNIð
“For a restaurant to remain so consis-
tently on top of its game for over thirty
years is one huge achievement. They
are cosy, dependable and ever-tasty.”
MOKKA
“They brought ‘coffee’ to Iceland, pretty
much”.
TÍU DROPAR
“Quintessentially Icelandic in every
way. The coffee, the cake, the vibe. If I
were to point a visiting friend to ‘the es-
sence of Iceland,’ this is where I would
send him.”
KOLAPORTIð
“If Kolaportið weren’t around, we’d
need to establish it immediately, lest we
vanish back to the dark ages of com-
merce.”
BÓKIN – BÓKABúð BRAGA
“It’s hard to imagine Reykjavík without
it. So let’s not.”
BRYNJA
“This neighbourhood hardware store
almost predates Laugavegur, and they
always serve you with a smile (and
don’t mind throwing in some good ad-
vice when needed).”
AUSTUR-INDÍA FéLAGIð
“Probably your safest bet for fine dining
in Iceland, period.”
JÓMFRúIN
“This Danish ‘smørrebrød’ house pro-
vides a unique atmosphere and taste
you won’t find elsewhere in town... or in
the world for that matter.”
PRIKIð
“Serving old men their morning coffee
since way back, and somehow combin-
ing that with serving beer and hip hop
to young folks since the late ‘90s. And
burgers. And milkshakes. A one of a
kind place with spirit and soul.”
2012 ADDITION
SUNDHöLL REYKJAVÍKUR
“The Guðjón Samúelsson designed
Sundhöll Reykjavíkur with its maze of
locker rooms is a beautiful building,
and the nude sunbathing facilities,
soothing hot pots and an atmosphere
that has remained relatively unchanged
since the 1930s all add to its appeal.
While some of Reykjavík’s other pools
might offer more diversity, Sundhöll
Reykjavíkur remains a unique and en-
during local favourite.”
REYKJAVÍK INSTITUTIONS aka ‘THE UNTOUCHABLES’
evening, we deem recently opened
South American/Japanese themed
Sushi Samba the best place to go for
a date in 2012. The menu is novel (for
Iceland) and nicely executed, and the
cosy, vibrant interiors provide the per-
fect setting for getting “private and inti-
mate in the midst of a bustling crowd.”
You can also impress your date by il-
lustrating your intimate knowledge of
‘crazy’ courses such as ‘ceviche.’
(2011: Ítalía
2010: Pisa
2009: Ítalía)
BEST NEWCOMER RESTAU-
RANT: FORRéTTABARINN
It’s been a great year for restaurants
in Reykjavík, with new and ambitious
places popping up all over town. Pick-
ing the best newcomer restaurant for
2012 thus turned out to be quite the
daunting task, with a variety of nomi-
nations for worthy contenders coming
through. We reached the conclusion
that out of all of them, Forréttabarinn
by the harbour was the most welcome
new addition. Their Icelandic take on
tapas is “adventurous and affordable,”
the portions suitable for accompanying
a relaxed glass of wine after work as
well as making up a full and delicious
meal. Their open, bustling dining hall
adds an air of celebration to any occa-
sion as well. Time will tell if they keep
it up, but for now Forréttabarinn offers
great concept executed perfectly.
Runners-up: Rub23 (“This Akureyri
transplant is most welcome here in
Reykjavík—you have to try their sushi
pizza”), SNAPS (“The best lunch in
town”), Pho (“filling a gap in the Ice-
landic food scene and doing a great job
of it!”)
(2011: Sjávargrillið
2010: Noodle Station
2009: Saffran)
BEST GODDAMN RESTAU-
RANT: SNAPS
According to our definition, a ‘best
goddamn restaurant’ needs to be ‘on
the cheaper side,’ ‘consistent,’ ‘tasty’
and ‘available’. Bistro bar SNAPS is all
of these things—and it doesn’t hurt that
it sits in a great location by Óðinsgata in
the heart of 101 Reykjavík and that the
dining area is “so bright and comfort-
able that you’ll gladly spend an entire
day there” (indeed, some customers
have been known to take dinner there
after an extended ‘wet lunch’ session).
Whether you opt for the entrées—often
inspired by the French or Spanish tradi-
tions—or the tasty smørrebrød, you can
count on the fare being tasty, afford-
able and done with care. As our restau-
rant critic remarked in our last issue,
SNAPS is an excellent place to hang
out, offers the best bistro experience
in Reykjavík, and will hopefully stick
around for good. Thank you, SNAPS!
(2011: Ban Thai
2010: Saffran
2009: Segurmo at Boston)
BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT:
LAUNDROMAT CAFé
If you’re thinking, I can dress them up,
but I can’t take them out, you may want
to head down to Laundrómat Café. It’s
super casual and you can even drop
your kid or husband off in the play area
downstairs. “It’s not without its faults,”
one of our writers said, “but nobody
else is trying as hard as they are to be a
family friendly restaurant.”
Runner-up: Ikea. It’s not quite a restau-
rant, and it’s not quite in Reykjavík, but
they have good Swedish meatballs and
you can leave your kids in the play area.
(2011: Laundromat
2010: Piri-Piri
2009: Hornið)
BEST CHEAP MEAL: ÍSLEN-
SKI BARINN
Íslenski barinn is not THE cheapest
meal in town. You can for instance get
a hot dog and a Coke from Bæjarins
Beztu for 500 ISK, but that let’s be hon-
est, that won’t hold you over for long.
Last year’s winner, Noodle Station, is
still a pretty good option, but we are
pretty into Íslenski barinn this year.
It offers hearty Icelandic dishes for a
pretty reasonable 12-1300 ISK during
lunchtime, and it’s decidedly more up-
scale than Mamma Steina, which offers
traditional Icelandic home cooking for
a similar price.
Runner-up: Noodle Station
(2011: Noodle Station
2010: ‘Sub of the month’ at Subway)
BEST INDIAN FOOD:
GHANDI
Judging by reader response, Austur-In-
díafjelagið still has it, still retaining sta-
tus as an INSTITUTION. Beyond that,
Reykjavík’s fledgling Indian food scene
seems lacking a major force to chal-
lenge AI’s dominance of the field. Last
year’s winner Austurlandahraðlestin
is still popular “basically serving food
from Austur-Indíafjelagið’s kitchen at
a slightly reduced price,” and Shalimar
still serve “a proper curry” to many
readers’ delight. Relative newcomer
Ghandi with its emphasis on cuisine
from India’s Kerala region takes the
cake this year, with the restaurant’s
fish dishes coming especially recom-
mended. As our food critic noted in
his review of the place earlier this year,
Ghandi adds a “delicious and welcome
variety to the Icelandic restaurant flo-
ra,” and for that we are thankful.
(2011: Austurlandahraðlestin
2010: Shalimar
2009: Austur-Indíafjelagið)
BEST BRUNCH: VOx
VOX simply put makes the best brunch.
It’s expensive, yes, but for 3,450 ISK,
it’s all you can eat so you’ll probably
consume more than enough for break-
fast, lunch and dinner. “They do every-
thing,” one of our brunch enthusiasts
explained. “You can enjoy a wide va-
riety of delicious food in a modern at-
mosphere and it’s just a stone’s throw
away from Laugavegur.” Note that it’s
only served on Saturdays and Sundays.
(2011: Vox,
2010: Nítjánda
2009: Vox)
BEST SEAFOOD: FISKIFé-
LAGIð
We think Fiskifélagið, or The Fish Com-
pany, is serving the best seafood these
days. “They are consistently good,” our
food critic argued. “The food is excep-
tionally good, the dimly lit basement is
cosy and romantic, and the service is
excellent.” We recommend the prix fixe
menu, though be aware that you will
probably have trouble walking out of
the restaurant. It’s a lot of food. And re-
ally good food. Really, this could have
easily made “Best fancy meal” or “Best
goddamn restaurant.”
(2011: Við Tjörnina
2010: Fiskifélagið)
BEST PLACE TO GO WITH A
GROUP OF FRIENDS: TAPAS
BAR
After all these years, Tapas Bar is still
the best place to go out with a group
of friends in downtown Reykjavík. Their
varied menu of authentic, sometimes-
experimental, tapas offers something
for even the most picky eater, and their
style of serving ensures that even those
friends that are always late for every-
thing will get to feast with the group
(there are also plenty of moderately
priced courses on offer for those on a
budget). Furthermore, the ambiance is
cheerful and inviting and will ensure
you stay for extra rounds long after your
meal is finished.
(2011: Tapas Bar
2010: Tapas Bar)
BEST MUST-TRY DINING
ExPERIENCE: ICELANDIC
HOME-STYLE FOOD AT
MAMMA STEINA
You’ve tried the rotten shark, the minke
carpaccio and the pickled ram’s balls—
now it’s time to get acquainted with the
Icelandic grandmother kitchen that has
kept Icelanders nice and lumpy through
the centuries. Mamma Steina offers
genuine Icelandic home-style fare that
most locals know from growing up,
including svið (seared sheep heads),
fish balls (yummy fried balls of had-
dock) and salty mutton. While the food
doesn’t make for as good a story as the
ram’s balls, it’s certainly a lot tastier and
equally authentic.
(2011 The svið at Fljótt og Gott, BSÍ
2010: Moby Dick on a Stick at
Sægreifinn
2009: Bæjarins Beztu)
BEST NOODLE PLACE ON
SKÓLAVöRðUSTÍGUR:
NOODLE STATION
THE NOODLE WARS have been rag-
ing for over two years now, with
Skólavörðustígur serving as battle
ground for two noodle bars that are
take turns topping one another in
noodly deliciousness. Both Núðluskálin
and Noodle Station are wonderful in
their own right, but we decided to stage
an election through our social media
platforms to determine which held the
greater appeal to whoever was on-line
at the moment. In the end, Noodle Sta-
tion won the vote with 29 votes against
Núðluskálin’s 21. Many heated remarks
were made, but our Facebook friend
Jenni Clemenson summed up Noodle
Station’s appeal, saying: “Keep it good
and simple, the way food should be.”
Runners-up: Núðluskálin (“more menu
options and more veg friendly if that’s
your thing”)
(new category)
BEST KEPT SECRET: CAFé
FLORA
Laugardalur is home to a pretty cool
botanical garden, and sort of hidden in
that botanical garden is a pretty cool
café called Café Flóra. It is hands down
the best café in a botanical garden.
Okay, it’s the only one to the best of our
knowledge, but it’s just so worth going
there that we thought we’d award them
for being one of a kind. The food is
great, they sometimes have live music,
and you can take a nice walk around
the garden after you’ve eaten or had
coffee. Because it’s a bit off the beaten
path otherwise known as Laugavegur,
it remains somewhat of a secret in
Reykjavík.
(New category)
BEST INDIAN FOOD: GHANDI
Did we get it all wrong? Drop us a line explaining
why! And don't forget to submit your entries for
BEST OF REYKJAVÍK 2012!