Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.01.2013, Page 43

A Gourmet Experience
- Steaks and Style at Argentina Steakhouse
Barónsstíg 11 - 101 Reykjavík
Tel: 551 9555
argentina.is
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
If it’s seared flesh you want, Argentína
Steakhouse and Grillið at Hótel Saga
are still forces to be reckoned with, but
the year belonged to Grillmarkaðurinn
(The Grill Market)—earthy, simple
and elegant with a strong emphasis on
locally-sourced, quality ingredients.
I have a sneaking suspicion that
they will have a hard time maintaining
this level of excellence and I’m frankly
very doubtful that they are able to
source all their ingredients from small,
local producers. But there’s no denying
that in 2012 The Grill Market were the
undefeated champions of lunchtime
burger specials, glazed ducks, and
tender loins.
If you’re walking downtown in the
afternoon, you won’t be able to ignore
the smell.
The design deliberately but subtly seesaws
between the rustic and the stylised, and
if you squint, you can almost imagine
yourself in a small Icelandic farm. But I
doubt anyone would confuse the menu
with anything Grandma Nanna from
Eskifjörður would have come up with.
The meals are categorised by national-
ity (often at quite a stretch) and they mix
and match ingredients and flavours from
around the globe, although the focus
remains on local seafood. There is an
impressive amount of skill on display; they
avoid getting lost in the frivolous details
(for the most part). This is a haven for
strange ideas and experimentation but
shy of the more obnoxious tendencies in
molecular gastronomy.
All that and a killer dessert menu to
boot.
In the business casual lounge category,
it has to be Slippbarinn. An increasingly
popular hangout for the downtown
crowd, especially during the cocktail
happy hour, Slippbarinn is working
under a Spanish influence and offers
a lovely selection of small courses and
charcuterie without taking the step into
tapas territory.
The head chef has already picked
up the award for chef of the year here
in Iceland (a small-scale, local industry
award not unlike the James Beard) and
the general consensus is that this is one
of the success stories of 2012.
Try the plaice tempura, flatbread and
the shredded pork (or duck)
Now slip out of these wet clothes
and into a dry martini.
My Top Three Restaurants In Iceland
Grillmarkaðurinn
(The Grill Market)
Fiskfélagið
(The Fish Company)
Slippbarinn
Lækjargata 2A, 101 Reykjavík
+354 571-7777
info@grillmarkadurinn.is
Weekdays: 11:30–14:00 and
18:00–22:30
Weekend: 18:00–23:30
Vesturgata 2a, 101 Reykjavík
Tel: +354 552 5300
www.fiskfelagid.is
info@fiskfelagid.is
Mon- Sun: 11:00–23:30
Mýrargata 2
101 Reykjavík
Tel: +354 560 8000
facebook.com/Slippbarinn
Kitchen is open every day
11:30–22:00
When people hear that I write about food, the first question is always: "what is the best restaurant in Iceland?"
Or, much to their amusement, if it's at a dinner party: "you're not going to be reviewing the food here, are you?"
So, here you are, you bloodsucking cretins! My bloody top three list for the year of our Lord 2012 (in no par-
ticular order).
RAGNAR EGILSSON
ALÍSA KALYANOVA