Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.04.2013, Síða 46

by Patricia Þormar
Hótel Borg’s newly renovated interiors
are a celebration of the hotel’s 1930s art
deco heritage coupled with a few modern
touches. It's the kind of place you'd pick
to have a fancy martini with James Bond,
wearing your boldest red lipstick—and
yet the restaurant is hardly an establish-
ment at all. In the past couple of years
it has changed names and themes more
often than the Icelandic political parties
change their agendas. But there’s a new
cook in town. Fresh from the Bahamas,
Chef Völundur Snær Völundarson has
taken over the kitchen and his at-
tempt to revive it is definitely worth a
taste.
A friendly host greeted us when we
arrived on a Friday night and we were
seated straightaway. The menu contained
a short but intriguing repertoire of
dishes.
We decided to order the tasting menu,
which at 7,990 ISK cost little more than
a starter and main course but consisted
of a sample platter of starters, another
of entrées and a dessert. What followed
was a parade of traditional Iceland
ingredients in Halloween costumes—
wonderful but almost unrecognisable.
My favourite starters were the salmon
with roe of plaice, charred to perfection,
and the tangy Asian-style octopus salad
that fizzed and sparked on my tongue.
Our main course included a wonderfully
rich-tasting lamb in sweet barbecue sauce
and the silky-soft beef with noodle cake.
The latter was the real star of the show. It
reminded me of a Vietnamese pho soup
minus the broth, brimming with flavour
and carefully nuanced spices.
A true performer, however, saves
her best tricks for the grand finale, and
that is dessert. Rich but not heavy, this
near-liquid carrot-and-blood orange
cake, served with candied walnuts, white
chocolate syrup and orange ice cream, is
something you don’t just eat—you have
an affair with it.
When you’re in a posh setting, you
expect the service to match your sur-
roundings, but Lounge left me confused.
The waiters, who were dressed in denim
shirts and suspenders, were certainly
friendly, but their performance needs pol-
ishing. Here’s why: A sommelier helped
us navigate the lengthy and impressive
wine list—a rare service in all but the fin-
est restaurants in Iceland—but another
waiter brought us the wine after the
starter had been served. It was presented
to me and then poured hurriedly into two
glasses without a testing sample. When I
finished it, I spent a good fifteen minutes
staring at my empty glass, wondering
if I should refill it myself. The evening
evolved into a confusing game in which
we sometimes poured the wine ourselves
and sometimes the waiters did it for us.
At the end of the meal, our waiter asked
us if we’d like to know what was for des-
sert (“Yes please!”) to which he replied
brightly, “Me too!” Points for humour,
but some would find the lack of sophis-
tication hard to digest. Would you like
to know what kind of service to expect at
Lounge? Me too!
Despite these arbitrary standards, we
left with a pleasant buzz on our tongues,
and it’s simply difficult to be unhappy
in such a gorgeous setting. This place
has potential, but it will depend on how
they hone their service. Hótel Borg is
a landmark in Reykjavík—it’s time its
restaurant is one, too.
A New Flavour In Town
What we think
Fresh and exciting, good value for
great food
Flavour:
A Southeast Asian/Caribbean take
on classic Icelandic ingredients
Ambiance:
1930s dining-salon glamour
Service:
Unsophisticated and faltering, but
cheerful
Price for 2 (with drinks):
7.000-12.000 ISK
Lounge Restaurant,
Hótel Borg
Pósthússtræti 11,
101 Reykjavík
Lunch: 11:30-14
Dinner: Sun-Thurs 18-22, Fri-Sat 18-23
Located in what is arguably the most tastefully preserved hotel in Reykjavík, Lounge
Restaurant has a lot to live up to—but is off to a great start.
PATRICIA ÞORMAR
ALÍSA KALYANOVA
F D
For your mind, body and soul