Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.04.2012, Síða 51

Eyrarbraut 3, 825 Stokkseyri, Iceland · Tel. +354 483 1550
Fax. +354 483 1545 · info@fjorubordid.is · www.fjorubordid.is
At the Restaurant Fjöruborðið in Stokkseyri
> Only 45 minutes drive from Reykjavík
By the
sea and
lobster
a delicios
Forréttabarinn specialises in starters—
but think tapas meets bistro rather than
2-for-1 hot wings. In fact, Forréttabarinn
(The Starter Bar) is sometimes jokingly
referred to by locals as Forréttindabar-
inn (The Privilege Bar). There is no
denying that the place looks a little on
the chic side, but it’s hardly the surgical
steel of the nouveau riche or the vaulted
ceilings of the gentry. I looked around
and saw mostly young professionals en-
joying a relatively affordable meal. It’s a
place of minimal and fashionably raw
interiors and an open kitchen.
The starter theme is a playground for-
mat that lets Forréttabarinn grind out
inventive concoctions mixed in with
some safer choices—safe in the sense
that any duds are sure to be lost in the
avalanche of flavours. It’s essentially one
big tasting platter with two to four small
dishes taking the place of a traditional
three-course meal.
Plates are divided between warm,
hot and cold; and everything, except for
the desserts, is available in half and full
portions. The dishes come at a very rea-
sonable 790 ISK for a half portion and
1190 ISK for a full portion. Desserts are
890 ISK.
The wine was similarly affordable,
averaging around 1.000 ISK for a glass,
but I had expected more selection. We
went with the Folonari Montepulciano,
Besheim Pinot Blanc and the surprise
cocktail. The cocktail, which turned out
to be cherry syrup treacle called lollipop,
was not my cup of tea whatsoever. I
downed it like cough syrup and tried to
forget it ever happened.
On to the dishes that my date and I
tried:
Oxtail meatballs with blue cheese
and cranberries—fat and pungent, with
the cranberries struggling to tart it up. A
great dish but you wouldn't want to fol-
low that up with anything too delicate.
Horse wellington with mushrooms,
béarnaise sauce and ham—don't be shy
to try the horse. While well-cooked horse
(most likely foal) can be quite good,
this was not the best I've had (for good
horsemeat, I recommend Humarhúsið).
Lamb hearts with bacon, dates &
green apples—the hearts had a deep and
slightly gamey flavour. This was surpris-
ingly tender, rustic cooking brought to
life by skill and great technique.
Beetroot, pears, figs & ricotta
cheese—the ingredients had been
shredded and stewed together into
something almost like a compote. Not
sure ricotta was the best choice, but the
fig and beetroot were bang on.
Beef belly with apricots and ginger-
soy vinaigrette—slow-cooked into a
something between a fine stew and a
rillettes. A well-balanced dish served in
a thin rolled-up pancake. This was the
standout dish of the evening.
Beef Carpaccio, Dijon, capers, crou-
tons—simple, classic, fresh, tasty. A
very safe bet.
Salted cod waffle with sour milk,
crowberries and Masago (capelin roe)—
a basic waffle with a light bacalau fla-
vour. I appreciate the risk-taking, but
this would have been more at home in
the dessert section and the taste wasn’t
that interesting.
We finished with the chocolate,
raspberries, salted peanuts, caramel
desert—even my dessert-detesting wife
was happy with it, which says some-
thing. Salt and caramel is an established
combo by now and the raspberries gave
a tart finish. Definitely one of the better
desserts I’ve had recently.
All in all, Forréttabarinn is offering a
different kind of indulgence. Sure, you
could “award” yourself for sticking to
the gym routine this week by bludgeon-
ing your tongue with a cheesy Dominos
mallet or you could ambush that tongue
and tickle it at Forréttabarinn until it
cries frændi (“cousin”).
CORRECTION:
The price quoted in the Geysir food review in issue 2, 2012, was supposed
to be for two people, which we failed to make clear. Furthermore, we
stated that the entrecote steak Geysir served was not a real entrocote
steak when in fact it was. We apologize sincerely for our mistakes.
NoSH, NoSH, NoSH
RAGnAR EGILSSOn
ALÍSA KALYAnOVA
What We Think: A head-on col-
lision between bistro and tapas.
Small portions. French/Icelandic.
Great meat-dishes. Interesting
concept. Surprisingly affordable.
Drinks a letdown.
Flavour: Small portions packing
a dense, savoury punch. More
laborious and constructed than
simple and fresh. Spanish por-
tions. French tradition.
Ambiance: Wide-open. Enviable
ceiling height. Open kitchen but
neither awkward nor clamorous.
Guests were chatty and casual.
Good for a small group of friends
catching up.
Service: Knowledgeable. Top
marks.
Price: (for two): 10-12.000 ISK
Forréttabarinn
Nýlendugata 14, 101 Reykjavík