Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.08.2013, Síða 67

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
Sturlugata 5 · 101 Reykjavík
Tel. +354 552 15 22 · www.dillrestaurant.is
Lífið er saltfiskur
#109 Dill is a Nordic restaurant with its
focus on Iceland, the pure nature and
all the good things coming from it.

It does not matter if it’s the
ingredients or the old traditions, we
try to hold firmly on to both.
There are not many things that make
us happier than giving life to old
traditions and forgotten ingredients
with modern technique and our creative
mind as a weapon.
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Nora Magasin opened earlier this year
under the ownership and guidance
of celebrity chef Völli Snær from the
next-door Borg Restaurant. Unlike
Borg, however, its objective is to offer
a casual bistro atmosphere where
guests can relax, have a drink and a
bite to eat.
My companion and I visited Nora
on one of those rare, sunny summer
evenings in Reykjavík when it’s warm
enough (approx. 15 degrees) to sit
outside. In keeping with the excite-
ment of those evenings, most of the
seats outside the restaurant were filled
when we arrived, either by tourists
wearing their Cintamani fleece wear,
or sunburned Icelanders wearing
shorts and T-shirts. As the place does
not take reservations, it was clear from
the start that the service here would be
laid-back but friendly, and the hipster
devil was in the details: the cocktails
were ushered out in charming, glass
jars. Keeping good tempo on food,
the staff did perhaps fall a bit behind
on drinks, but then again, it was very,
very busy.
The appetizers and small tapas
courses were obviously quite popular,
as most guests were always snacking
on something while drinking from
their jars. And understandably so:
these small dishes are well-presented,
most of them easy to eat with your
hands, and also very fairly priced—
which is true of the whole menu. The
cuisine at Nora consists of some kind
of French-Asian fusion, not surpris-
ingly, perhaps, since the head chef,
Akane Monavon, is half-French, half-
Japanese.
For starters we chose the lobster
tempura (1350 ISK) and the ‘Come-
on-bert” (950 ISK). The lobster was
very well cooked and the addition of
sumac was quite pleasing, though the
dish could have done with a touch
more seasoning of salt. The addition
of a cold salad of veggies including
carrots and corn was perhaps a bit odd
but not displeasing. The Camembert
cheese was oozing after being set
aflame tableside—very theatrical and
impressive (no worries, the fire burns
out in a matter of seconds). It was
seasoned with rose pepper and served
with a delicious crusty baguette and a
berry emulsion. I stress that the bread
should not be underestimated, it is the
very key to the success of this dish—
which is hereby recommended to all.
For the main course we ordered
the fish of day (priced humbly at 1750
ISK) and a Szechuan-style duck breast
(3690 ISK). The fish, which was a
fried tusk, was beautifully presented,
colourful and vibrant. The tuskfish
was perfectly cooked, flaky on the
inside while keeping its shape—as it
should—with a smear of fresh basil
pesto on top. It was served on a small
bed of green salad and topped with
strips of pickled red beets and fresh-
picked butter fried potatoes, onions
and carrots.
The Szechuan duck breast was
served on a hot plate, which meant
that it continued to cook tableside.
This presented a problem. Although
very delicious, the duck was perfectly
cooked when it arrived, crisp skin
yet pink on the inside, but dry and
overcooked at the latter stages. It was
served with coarsely mashed potatoes
on a bed of red peppers (a peculiar
choice) alongside dipping sauce made
out of soy, sesame oil, orange zest and
honey (a complementary mix). It was
all-in-all an OK dish, which perhaps
needs some refinement.
For dessert we had the chocolate
lava cake (850 ISK) and the cardamom
crème brulée (850 ISK). The lava cake
had a hint of anise/liquorice taste,
which was nice. The cake was a bit
heavy though and a bit too ‘wheat-y’
perhaps. The crème brulée was light
and airy, the sugar-coating crisp like
glass—as it should be. The cardamom
was a nice touch. Very pleasing.
Overall, my companion and I had a
very fine evening. Nora is pretty much
doing what it set out to do. The atmo-
sphere is relaxed, the service is nice
and the drinks are good. Not to men-
tion, it is very fairly priced. Nora is es-
sentially answering the long-standing
demand for a proper bistro, ‘gastro-
pub’ if you will. For a few drinks and
a taste of French-Asian fusion without
needing to declare bankruptcy, Nora
Magasin comes highly recommended.
No Reservations: Hipster Casual Dining
BJÖRN TEITSSON
AXEL SIGURÐARSON
Nora Magasin
What We Think:
Hipsteresque features, good
prices, very modern, very positive.
Flavour:
French-Asian fusion, bistro, tapas/
mezze.
Ambiance:
Easy going, laid back. Intoxication
above average (which can be seen
as positive/negative).
Service:
Friendly, accommodating.
Four course menu for two
(no drinks): 8–10,000 ISK
Pósthússtræti 9
101 Reykjavík
Opening hours:
Mon - Thu: 11:30 am - 1:00 am
Fri - Sat: 11:30 am - 3:00 am
Sun: 11:30 am - 1:00 am