Reykjavík Grapevine - 21.06.2013, Qupperneq 62

One of the first burger joints to
really hit it off in Iceland, American
Style was something of a legend in
its early days when “American” still
meant “state-of-the-art.” People who
grew up in the countryside recount
how they would come to this exotic
new fast-food place to treat them-
selves when they visited the capital.
This was only ten, fifteen years ago,
which shows how far Icelandic food
culture has come in only a few years.
But can American Style keep up
with the times?
We strolled in on a Friday night
and, despite our timing, found there
were plenty of free tables. Orders
were placed at the counter, where a
large and colourful menu displayed
dozens of tempting burgers as
well as a few healthy options such
as salads and chicken breast. The
meals ranged from 1,200–1,900 ISK
and most of them included fries.
I chose the Kevin Bacon (allegedly
their most popular burger), and my
partner opted for the new Lobster
Style burger that has been heavily
advertised for the past few weeks.
The first thing I noticed as we
got our soda from the dispenser was
how spotlessly clean the place was.
We had our pick of lemony-fresh
and shining tables so we chose a
cosy booth by the window. It was
warmly lit and surprisingly romantic
despite the rather drab view of the
Customs building across the street.
The walls were lined with portraits
of people who were famous in the
‘90s (give or a take a decade) and the
speakers washed us with a constant
wave of classic rock mixed in with a
few golden oldies. All in all, it was
a great setting, neither too posh nor
too greasy, and so gloriously clean!
Our order was called up and
brought to our table within minutes.
I immediately dug into my fries,
dipping them into a completely
un-American (but very Icelandic)
“cocktail” sauce, which something
everybody should try at least once
before they leave this country.
The fries were nice fat pieces that
actually looked as if they may have
started life as real potatoes. The
meat in my burger, however, was
long dead from saline poisoning.
It was thin and dry and so salty I
had to wash it down with two extra
glasses of water. Although it didn’t
help with the saltiness, bacon lovers
won’t complain as there were layers
upon layers of crisp rashers.
I was sceptical about my partner’s
lobster burger, since the combina-
tion sounded too good to be true.
How could langoustines improve a
salty burger? The answer is that they
don’t. Served with a layer of greens
marinated in vinaigrette, the lan-
goustines were as lemony-fresh as
the spotless tables—and completely
at odds with the rest of the burger.
Although I can’t fathom why, my
partner actually enjoyed his meal,
so perhaps it’s an acquired taste.
If you like junk food and/or enjoy
raising your blood pressure by a few
notches, you’ll find no place better
suited to your needs.
(Getting) Old Style
PATRICIA ÞORMAR
ALISA KALYANOVA
What we think
Cheap food, cosy setting
Flavour:
Salty
Ambience:
A squeaky clean, dim-lit diner
Service:
Prompt and mostly invisible
Price for 2 (with drinks):
3,000-5,000 ISK
American Style
Tryggvagata 26 101 Reykjavík
(and various other locations all
around the capital)
Mon–Sun 11:00–23:00
F D
For your mind, body and soul
Ban Thai
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BanThai is one of the most popular restaurants in the Reykjavik
authentic Thai cuisine served in a elegant surroundings
enjoy the best Thai Beer (Singha beer) and Thai wine
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the finest Thai restaurant in Iceland
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