Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.12.2012, Page 39

Ó Ð I N S T O R G 1 0 1 R E Y K J A V Í K Í S L A N D S N A P S B I S T R O . I S
S n a p s b i s t r o @ s n a p s b i s t r o . i s + 3 5 4 5 1 1 6 6 7 7
The design of The Seafood Grill fits well
into this discussion of new and old. Like
The Fish Company, they’ve managed to
strike a balance between the nostalgic
farmstead look and a modern restaurant
without getting too sentimental or naff.
It’s a bit reminiscent of an upscale ski
chalet.
My friend ordered the three-course
lobster feast (7300 ISK) and I ordered the
smoked puffin, whale and cormorant as a
first course (2680 ISK) and the beef loin,
oxtail and langoustine as a main course
(6430 ISK). We split a small order of
sushi and sashimi on the side (2480 ISK).
The lobster feast started with a grilled
golden perch and langoustine with mus-
sel sauce, sunchokes, apples and pearl
onions. Perfectly cooked, expertly sea-
soned and low on the salt, it’s definitely
recommended.
My puffin and cormorant were
similarly great but I generally like whale
served warm after a sear. And cormorant
(European Shag specifically) is a very rare
treat in Iceland, but this was a cold platter
and is up for debate. So far so good.
Here’s where the missteps started. It
seems a lot of the high-end places find
it necessary to include sushi on a menu
that otherwise features a completely
different style of cuisine. It’s probably to
appease the insatiable hunger Icelanders
have for sushi these days, but the sushi
was a letdown and didn’t belong on a
menu that was otherwise resolutely New
Nordic in style.
The main course in the lobster feast
was a grilled langoustine and catfish
with deep-fried langoustine, served
with celeriac, barley and hollandaise.
Each component was well-handled, the
hollandaise was spot on and the fish was
flaky and fresh. But the dish was far too
busy with flavours and much too buttery.
It’s the kind of approach you’d expect at
TGI Fridays, not a place like The Seafood
Grill.
On my end, the beef loin was a lot better
handled but the lobster was far too salty
(even taking into account my sensitivity to
salt) and overall it could have used more
subtlety. The cauliflower, mushroom and
onion sides were delicious though.
For dessert, the lobster feast included
the cinnamon crème brûlée with rasp-
berry sorbet and caramel sauce. Individu-
ally everything was perfectly made but
it didn’t gel together. Or rather it gelled
too much since the sorbet cooled down
the top of the crème brûlée and gave it a
rubbery consistency.
I chose the ginger and thyme cake
concoction with ginger ice cream. The
thyme was an interesting idea, but overall
the flavours were drowned out by the
sugars. It is no longer on the menu.
Otherwise, there were a lot of interesting
ideas in the dessert department and they
deserve praise for that.
Overall we were fairly happy with the
meal and the service was great, but we
both got the impression that the chefs
lacked faith in their own abilities. Each
element was perfectly handled, the ingre-
dients were clearly fresh and everything
was cooked to perfection (with the excep-
tion of the sushi). But it was as if some-
one forgot to tell them that. They need to
take it easy on the fatty sauces, simplify
and not be afraid to venture outside their
comfort zone. This is one of the youngest
kitchens in Iceland and these are talented
people. Life’s too short for shortcuts.
Plain Sailing
Sjávargrillið
(The Seafood Grill)
Sjávargrillið (The Seafood Grill)
Skólavörðustígur 14
101 Reykjavík
Tel: +354 571 1100
http://www.sjavargrillid.is/en/
Mon-Sun: 11am–11pm
What we think
Skilled kitchen making good food,
using good ingredients, but relying
too much on fat.
Flavour:
New Nordic Cuisine
Ambiance:
Comfortable
Service:
Professional & friendly
Price for 2 (with drinks):
25-30,000 ISK
Skólavörðustígur has really come into its own lately as a bustling tourist street. It runs in a straight line down
the hill from the church and is lined with design shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Still, the Seafood Grill
is the only restaurant proper that’s offering full dinner service. It’s located not far down from the last remaining
fish monger in downtown Reykjavík and a few doors up from where the fashionable farmer’s market Frú Lauga
will be opening a new branch in an old stable.
RAGNAR EGILSSON
ALÍSA KALYANOVA
Christmas Buffets, Lunches & Offers
If you’re hanging around town this year and looking to treat yourself to some fine holiday dining, here’s a selection of places in town serving up
Christmas dinners, lunches and buffets. Eat, drink and be merry! Go to grapevine.is for an extended list.
Argentina (Barónstígur 11a) Gourmet dinner buffet complete with American-style turkey. Thursday-Saturday 9.250 ISK, Sunday-Wednesday 7.950 ISK | Geysir Bistro &
Bar (Aðalstræti 2) Christmas dinner including three appetisers, two kinds of meat, trimmings and dessert. Reservations required. 4.900 ISK | Lækjarbrekka (Bankastræti
2) Buffet offering gourmet hot and cold dishes as well as desserts. 7.200 ISK for dinner, 5.200 for lunch | Satt (Hotel Natura, Nauthólsvegur 52) Diverse holiday buffet of
traditional and modern Nordic dishes. 8.800 ISK for dinner, 4.400 ISK for lunch, half price for children 6-12, free for children under 5