Reykjavík Grapevine - 20.06.2014, Blaðsíða 63

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Less than two weeks old, Súpuvagninn
(“The Soup Wagon”) is Reykjavík’s
newest food truck, focusing (almost)
exclusively on kjötsúpa (“meat soup”),
what food historian Nanna Rögn-
valdardóttir has called “the national
soup of Iceland.” Owned and managed
by brothers Gabríel Þór and Benjamín
Ágúst, staffed by their sister, and locat-
ed, for good measure, in Mæðragarður
(“Mothers’ Garden”), Súpuvagninn’s
family approach to street cuisine gives
Icelanders and tourists alike a taste of
amma’s (“grandma’s”) home cooking
on the go.
On the first afternoon my compan-
ion and I arrived at the white wagon,
its sides cheerfully decorated with
grinning carrots and other anthro-
pomorphised veggies, it was actually
closed. “We sold 70 soups before 1:00
PM,” read a handwritten sign. “Uppselt!
Sold Out! More soup in 1.5 hours.” We
were too peckish to wait for the next
fresh batch, so we returned the next
afternoon instead, this time to find a
welcoming scent wafting through the
window. The menu options are pretty
basic: you can get large kjötsúpa (1,000
ISK) or small kjötsúpa (800 ISK) and,
on occasion, there are also grilled bagels
with cream cheese (650 ISK). Those
in search of a quick and filling family
dinner will also be happy to know that
take-away buckets serving five are avail-
able for 3,500 ISK.
Despite its ubiquity, there’s no set-
in-stone recipe for kjötsúpa, and most
households have their own personal
takes on the dish. Generally speaking,
however, it’s made with lamb (there are
some recipes which call for beef or even
pork, but these would hardly be con-
sidered prototypical), potatoes, swedes,
carrots and a mix of parsley and herbs.
It’s not uncommon for a handful of rice
to be added to the broth for thicken-
ing, and many recipes also use cabbage,
leeks, celery and in newer variations,
even chopped broccoli, cauliflower or
kale.
Gabríel Þór says that he and his
brother tested 90-odd recipes before
settling on theirs, which they then
asked a “respected chef” to taste-test
for them. What they ended up with is
simple and classic: lamb, carrot, potato,
celery and onion, with a just enough
rice to round out the broth. And where
some local shops sell rather meagrely
rationed kjötsúpa portions, the helpings
at Súpuvagninn are generous, with
nice meaty chunks of tender lamb and
substantial wedges of veg bobbing in
the amber-coloured broth. (You can get
an extra helping of meat added to the
soup for 250 ISK, but this will only be
necessary for those feeling particularly
carnivorous.) The broth is where the
soup particularly shines—it’s rich and
a bit oily (as the best lamb broth is),
tasting very much as though the meat
has had a good long time to simmer and
suffuse the liquid.
Our two small soup portions (800
ISK) were served up in deep Styrofoam
bowls with more smiling veggie stickers
and were enough for a light lunch, but
for the extra 200 ISK, I’d be more likely
to get a big serving all for myself next
time.
I wouldn’t have minded a buttered
roll to complement the soup either, but
while bread may be added as a menu
option in the future, Gabríel Þór says
its omission was intentional, since it’s
easier to eat soup on the go if you’re not
trying to juggle a roll at the same time.
A vegetarian soup option would also
be a nice addition to the menu in the
future.
On the strength of their early suc-
cess, the brothers are also exploring
catering options and expect to expand
in the next few months. And there’s no
reason to think these efforts won’t be
equally rewarded—Reykjavík is, after
all, a city where a hot and hearty bowl
of soup can be equally appetizing on
both a summer afternoon and a chilly
winter evening. We’re looking forward
to Súpuvagninn year ‘round.
m a n y f a m o u s p e o p l e a r e r e g u l a r s h e r e
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BanThai
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Street Food, Family-Style
LARISSA KYZER
MAGNÚS ELVAR JÓNSSON
What We Think:
Like amma used to make,
just faster.
Flavour:
Meaty-juicy-hearty comfort
in a bowl.
Ambiance:
Entirely depends on the weather. If
it’s a nice day, you can enjoy your
soup on a nearby park bench. If
it’s raining, you’ll probably want to
hustle indoors somewhere.
Service:
Friendly and efficient.
Price for 2 (no drinks):
1,600–2,000 ISK
Súpuvagninn
Súpuvagninn is located in
Mæðragarður (“Mothers’ Garden”)
just in front of the downtown high
school, Menntaskóla í Reykjavík
(MR) from 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
every day. On weekends, you can
find it parked with the other food
trucks at Lækjatorg after 10:00 PM.