Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.04.2013, Page 47

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
I have walked passed Rossopomo-
doro (“The Red Tomato”) nearly
every single day over the past couple
of years and never once have I seen it
empty during opening hours. Since
its opening a few years ago, Rosso-
pomodoro has maintained a steady
clientele and, despite the fact that
few restaurants seem to thrive so far
up Laugavegur, which is the main
thoroughfare, it seems to have carved
itself a permanent niche on Reyk-
javík’s restaurant scene. I decided
it was finally time to go and see for
myself what has made it such a rela-
tive hit.
The first thing I noticed is some-
thing I would never have considered
before my friends all started having
babies: it had a casual, child-friendly
appeal, without being unromantic.
There also was plenty of space be-
tween tables, something that nobody
fully appreciates until they’ve had
to navigate strollers around people’s
chairs while carrying a monstrous
diaper bag.
I'm a danger-seeker when it
comes to pasta, but the selection
on the menu, with its absence of
gnocchi or any exotic ravioli stuff-
ing, quickly bored me. Pizza lovers,
on the other hand, shouldn’t be
disappointed; there were about two
dozen varieties to choose from.
The wine list contained well-known
international labels as well as a few
interesting Italian wines, mostly Chi-
antis and Valpolicellas. Bottles were
reasonably priced; however, a single
glass of the house wine at 1490 ISK
was one of the most expensive I'd
seen at a restaurant.
Since the restaurant played it
safe with the menu we decided
to do so as well, and stuck to our
long-standing favourites: spaghetti
Bolognese and the mushroom ravioli
in sage and butter sauce. Our food
arrived promptly, served in bowls
the size and shape of upside-down
sun hats. My ravioli came doused in
a silky butter sauce, perfectly salted,
although the pasta itself was a bit
starchy. The sage, while fresh, was
barely audible of over the noise of the
cream and butter. Nevertheless, the
food was hearty and my helmet-sized
portion disappeared much sooner
than I'd anticipated at the first bite.
The same fate befell my partner's
spaghetti, although the meat in his
sauce was slightly dry and crumbly.
Neither of us walked out disap-
pointed, though from the start our
expectations certainly hadn’t been
soaring. While serious foodies will
need to go elsewhere to electrify
their palates, there is comfort to be
had in the simplicity of Rossopomo-
doro, which is almost refreshing in
the wake of so many trendy sushi
restaurants popping up in Reykjavík
every 15 minutes. If you’re look-
ing for a relaxed and unpretentious
time, Rossopomodoro will please the
crowd, if it’s a none-too-picky one.
No Reason To Start Throwing Tomatoes
Rossopomodoro
Laugavegur 40a, 101 Reykjavík
Tel: (354) 561-0500
Rossopomodoro.is
Info@ Rossopomodoro.is
Mon-Thurs 11-22, Fri-Sat 11-23,
Sun 17-22
What we think
Not overly exciting, but good for
groups looking for a common
denominator
Flavour:
Homely Italian, basic but reliable
Ambiance:
Family-friendly, cosy and casual
Service:
Quick and efficient, neither friendly
nor inattentive
Price for 2 (with drinks):
6.000–9.000 ISK
...but you might want to withhold applause
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.