Reykjavík Grapevine - 12.08.2011, Blaðsíða 58

Reykjavík Grapevine - 12.08.2011, Blaðsíða 58
F D For your mind, body and soul 3 Frakkar Baldursgata 14 | G5 Aktu Taktu Skúlugata 15 | E7 Alibaba Veltusund 3b | D3 American Style Tryggvagata 26 | D4 Argentína Steakhouse Barónstígur | F7 Austurlanda- hraðlestin Hverfisgata 64A | F7 Á næstu Grösum Laugavegur 20B | F5 B5 Bankastræti 5 | E4 Bakkus Tryggvagata 22 | D3 Ban Thai Laugavegur 130 | G8 Babalú Skólavörðustígur 22A | F5 Bæjarins Beztu Tryggvagata | D4 Íslenski Barinn Pósthússtræti 9 | E4 Bar Ellefu Hverfisgata 18 | E5 Café d'Haiti Tryggvagata 12 | D4 Café Loki Lokastígur 28 | G6 Café Paris Austurstræti 14 | E4 Café Roma Rauðarárstígur 8 | G8 Deli Bankastræti 14 | E5 Domo Þingholtsstræti 5 | E4 Einar Ben Veltusundi | D3 Eldsmiðjan Bragagata 38A | G5 Fiskmarkaðurinn Aðalstræti 12 | E3 Geysir Bar/Bistro Aðalstræti 2 | D3 Garðurinn Klappastigur 37 | F5 Gata Laugavegur 3 | E5 Glætan book café Laugavegur 19 | E5 Grái Kötturinn Hverfisgata 16A | E5 Grillhúsið Tryggvagata 20 | D3 Habibi Hafnarstræti 20 | D4 Hamborgarabúlla Tómasar (“Bullan”) Geirsgata 1 | C3 Hlölla Bátar Ingólfstorg | D3 Hornið Hafnarstræti 15 | D4 Hótel Holt Bergstaðarstræti 37 | G5 Humarhúsið Amtmannstígur 1 | E4 Hressó Austurstræti 20 | E4 Icelandic Fish & Chips Tryggvagata 8 | D3 Indian Mango Frakkastígur 12 | F6 Jómfrúin Lækjargata 4 | E4 Fjallkonubakaríið Laugavegur 21 | F5 Kaffifélagið Skólavörðustígur 10 | E5 Kaffitár Bankastræti 8 | E5 Kaffivagninn Grandagarður 10 | B2 Kofi Tómasar Frænda Laugavegur 2 | E5 Kornið Lækjargata 4 | E4 Krua Thai Tryggvagata 14 | D3 La Primavera Austurstræti 9 | E4 Mokka Skólavörðustígur 3A | E5 nonnabiti Hafnarstræti 9 | D4 O Sushi Lækjargata 2A | E4 Pisa Lækjargötu 6b | E4 Pizza King Hafnarstræti 18 | D4 Express Pizza Vallarstræti 4 | E4 Gamla Smiðjan Lækjargötu 8 | E4 Prikið Bankastræti 12 | E5 Ráðhúskaffi | E3 Tjarnargata 11 Santa Maria Laugavegur 22A, | F6 Serrano Hringbraut 12 | I5 Shalimar Austurstræti 4 | E3 Silfur Pósthússtræti 11 | E4 Sjávarkjallarinn Aðalstræti 2 | D3 Sólon Bankastræti 7a | E5 Sushibarinn Laugavegur 2 | E5 Sushismiðjan Geirsgötu 3 | C3 Svarta Kaffi Laugavegur 54 | F7 Sægreifinn Verbúð 8, Geirsgata | C3 Tapas Vesturgata 3B | D3 Thorvaldsen Austurstræti 8 | E4 Tíu Dropar Laugavegur 27 | F5 UnO Hafnarstræti 1-3 | D3 Vegamót Vegamótastígur 4 | F5 Við Tjörnina Templarasund 3 | E4 Vitabar Bergþórugata 21 | G7 Food & Drink | Venue finder The idea of a Viking themed bar triggers the same knee-jerk reaction that natives get when they're confronted with the puffin plush toys and plastic helmets shops in downtown Reykjavík. It’s un- derstandable that we're seeing more of these shops given the summer traffic of visitors to Reykjavík, but it's always a little heartbreaking to see a charming old wooden house get press-ganged into tourist service. But I’m inclined to cut Víkingakráin (The Viking Tavern) some slack. Víkingakráin is firmly in the spirit of those Medieval Times jousting places we all know and love/loathe. In my opin- ion, the place has real potential to offer a barrel of stupid fun to foreigners and lo- cals alike and if you need to put on your ironic hat to enjoy it then be my guest. For one thing, they've gone out of their way to maintain authenticity and are well ahead of the Viking Village in Hafnarfjörður which is too 'Disneyfied' and 'plasticky'. Here there isn't a plas- tic horned helmet in sight and the cos- tumes (every guest gets one!) are quite convincing. For what’s mostly a bar, Víkingakráin offers an ambitious menu. Local dishes and local ingredients make up most of the menu and of course the usual rotten shark, smoked lamb and wind-dried cod are well represented. But they also offer things like salted cod in orange sauce (3.100 ISK) and lamb filets in beer sauce (3.900 ISK) and some interesting group menus, which I didn't get a chance to try. So they seem to be aiming for bistro status. My companion and I kicked off with what should be considered the basics: Icelandic lamb stew (1.600 ISK) and the creamy fish soup (1.450 ISK), and the recommended light lager Jökull to wash it down. The lamb stew I’m used to is served with either rice or oatmeal as a thickening agent and so the thin broth-like stew that they offered didn't feel quite right. They do get a big plus for skimming off most of the fat as the fat on the Icelandic lamb can have an almost overbearingly gamey taste to it. They also used what looked like fresh herbs and vegetables, which is not a given. The fish soup was somewhere be- tween a Manhattan and a New England clam chowder and worked well—mixed seafood, heavy on the cream, but with fresh tomatoes and white wine (also sour whey?) to lift it up. For the main course we picked the lamb shank with blueberry sauce (3.400 ISK) and the interesting-sounding Arc- tic char with a cumin-brennivín sauce (3.100 ISK). The Arctic char was of the typical mass-farmed variety and I missed the burned, crispy skin, which is where the char really shines. The sauce tasted more of burned butter than cum- in and the overall impression was bland and did not do justice to the Arctic char. The Lamb shanks, I'll bet good mon- ey on, had been boiled prior to roasting. Overcooked, the flavour wasn't there and the salty blueberry-free bouillon sauce did little to liven up the protein. I squeezed in a dessert of rice pud- ding with blueberry “kissel” (also known as “jam”) and got what looked like a Rice Krispies yoghurt bar. It was day-old, cin- namon-less mulch and I heartily recom- mend the cream pancake or skyr in its place. I would like to give kudos to the lady holding down the fort by herself for the better part of the evening and with a packed room of tourists too! It can be difficult to predict traffic in restaurants aimed at tourists and these things hap- pen but she was professional and friend- ly despite the workload. The menu may be over-ambitious for this range and the kitchen needs a kick up the ass, but I’d say it does the job for a theme bar/restaurant and could easily be raised up a notch with a few easy fixes (if you have to precook it, then leave it off the menu!). Overall, Víkingakráin does a good job of letting you know what you’re in for and if you take it for what it is then the meal should live up to expectations. However, it would be nice to see the theme of the place explored further, in- volve the guests more, add more events, involve the staff more, maybe some bar games, like an axe challenge with free shots for those who hit the bulls eye! SORRY, NO MONK MEAT RAGnAR EGILSSOn JULIA STAPLES there are a lot of positive reviews about.. also.... the best thai food year 2009, 2010 and 2011 authentic thai crusine served in elegant surroundings with spicy, very delicious and reasonable prices. o pe n h o u r s 18 .0 0 - 2 2. 0 0 e v ey d a y tel : 55-22-444, 692-0564 www.banthai.name TOP TEN for.... The Best Restaurant in Iceland D V. 17.06.11 A genuine Nordic 3 course feast starting from 4.900,- Pósthússtræti 11 101 Reykjavík Tel: 578 2008 www.silfur.is sushismiðjan Veislubakkar pantanir í síma 517 3366 www.sushismidjan.is What We Think: Theme bars are fun! Kitchen needs a boot up the arse! Flavour: Viking! (and sometimes missing) Ambiance: Fun but less rowdy than you’d think Service: Heroic Víkingakráin (The Viking Tavern) Pósthússtræti 9, 101 Reykjavík
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