Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.01.2006, Síða 28
selection to choose from: The New York Boat
with beef and onions remains the most popular
choice. I had a go with the Curry Boat w/
lamb. It actually tasted more of the grease than
the curry, but there are moments when grease
is preferable to curry. The Hlöllabátar expe-
rience is best reserved for those dire moments,
which usually occur in the wee hours after
heavy drinking.
Hressingarskálinn, or Hressó as it is commonly
referred to by the locals, is actually more of
a café than a restaurant, although it has sur-
prisingly extensive bistro section. The regular
menu mostly consists of the sort of food you’d
usually expect to find in a bistro/bar, such as
sandwiches, hamburgers, pasta and pizza, but
the course du jour generates enough excitement
to warrant an extended look.
My selection of the beef fillet for 1,390
ISK proved to be a good choice. The food was
tasty and the nicely stacked plate suggested the
chef’s unfulfilled architectural aspirations. The
supplementary giant mushroom was the grand
showcase as well as the crest of the course.
The most obvious advantage for Hressin-
garskálinn is the location, right in the centre of
the city, which makes it a convenient de-
stination. Another advantage is the price, with
the most expensive dish priced at a little over
1,700 ISK, with most dishes going for about
1,200.
It is not the sort of place where you’d
want to spend a romantic evening during your
anniversary. But considering the combination
of the price, the quality of the food and the
location, you can’t really expect to do any better
for a light meal in the heart of downtown.
Contrary to popular belief, sushi does not
actually mean “raw fish”, but rather “with rice.”
This was among the many lessons the head
sushi chef served my companion and me at
The Train during a recent visit. Located on
the second floor of Iða bookstore in downtown
Reykjavík, The Train serves traditional sushi
dishes, Japanese cuisine, and a few interna-
tional dishes for good measure. The dishes
are served on a traditional Japanese fast food
conveyor belt, which runs alongside the whole
seating section and creates a buffet-like atmo-
sphere where you can pick the dishes that look
appealing and try various courses.
A typical sushi dinner starts with miso
soup. For the initiated, this is ritualistic additi-
on. Personally, I cannot recommend it; there is
something about the combination of fermented
soybeans, seaweed and tofu that rubs me the
wrong way. The sushi was delicious, however.
The best thing about eating sushi is that there
are so many different small dishes to choose
from. We sampled salmon, shrimp, smoked
duck, beef, and whale among other things, all
of which tasted excellent. I feel especially con-
fident in recommending the shrimp futomaki,
the whale sashimi and the salmon tartare.
The enjoyable thing about eating good su-
shi is the freshness of the ingredients. There is
no way to hide the overly fishy taste of raw fish
that ain’t at the peak of its form—we were in
no danger at Osushi. To top the sushi, we were
served with the best crème brûlée I can recall
tasting for dessert. At the price of 350 ISK that
alone is worth the visit.
The different dishes run from 200 ISK
– 500 ISK, with the prices designated by dif-
ferent coloured dishes. It is entirely possible to
enjoy a good taste of sushi for less than 1,000
ISK here, but a full meal is likely to take you
closer to the 2,000 ISK range.
Being somewhat of a novice in the field of
sushi, I can state that the whole experience was
a pleasant surprise, apart from the miso soup.
Afterwards, sitting in front of TV in the luxu-
rious surroundings I call home, I experienced
something I’ve never experienced before. A
craving for sushi.
We should make no bones about it, whenever
you eat a sandwich and the grease keeps run-
ning down your fingers, you know your health
is probably best served someplace else. But the
fast food industry works in light of a different
virtue. The onus is placed on fast service and
cheap dishes, and Hlöllabátar delivers on at
least one condition. I was in and out of that
place in less than ten minutes.
The price for a single sandwich is 790 ISK,
and, considering the number of cheap fast
food joints in the nearest surroundings, it is
in the upper price level. To even it out, if you
are there for lunch, they’ll throw in a soda. As
for the sandwiches themselves, there is a wide
Restaurants in Reykjavík
3 Frakkar Baldursgata 14 Phone: 552 3939
Hornið Hafnarstræti 15 Phone: 551 3340
Jómfrúin Lækjargata 4 Phone: 551 0100
Maru, Aðalstræti 12 Phone: 511 4440
Pasta Basta, Klapparstígur 38 Phone: 511 2238
Tapas, Vesturgata 3B, Phone: 551 2344
Tveir Fiskar, Geirsgata 9 Phone: 511 3474
Vox Nordica Hotel Suðurlandsbraut 2, 444 5050
Cafe Victor Hafnarstræti 1-3, Phone: 561 9555
Cafe Sólon, Bankastræti 7a, Phone: 562 3232
Vegamót, Vegamótastígur 4, Phone: 511 3040
La Primavera, Austurstræti 9, Phone: 561 8555
Shalimar, Austurstræti 4, Phone: 551 0292
Á næstu grösum, Laugavegur 20a, Phone: 552 8410
Tilveran, Linnetstígur 1, Hafnarfjörður
Phone: 5655250
DINING,
EATING
GRUBBING
R
estaurants
Sveinn Birkir Björnsson on Reykjavík Dining | Photos by Gúndi
Under ISK 1000
Between ISK 1000
and ISK 2500
Between ISK 2500
and ISK 4000$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Over ISK 4000
&
hlÖllaBÁTar
$
Hlöllabátar
Lækjartorgi,
Tel: 567 6177
Osushi
Lækjargata 2,
Tel: 561 0562
$
Hressingarskálinn
Aðalstræti 20,
Tel: 561 2240
$ $
hressingar-
sKÁlinn
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osushi
$ $
Capuccino + bagel + yoghurt = 590 kr.
Your X-mas
Espresso bar open every day 08.00-00.00 - Lækjatorg (main square)
2