Reykjavík Grapevine - 15.08.2014, Page 62

Hverfisgata 12 · 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.
F D
For your mind, body and soul
www.fabrikkan.is reservations: +354 575 7575
BE SQUARE AND BE THERE
PLEASED TO
MEAT YOU!
The Hamburger Factory is Iceland's
most beloved gourmet burger chain!
Our 15 square and creative burgers are made from
top-quality Icelandic beef and would love to "meat" you.
Reykjavík
The groundfloor of
Höfðatorg, the tallest
tower in Reykjavík, right
opposite Höfði
Akureyri
The groundfloor of
the historic Hotel Kea,
in the heart of the
city center
Our burgers are square - beef and bun!
Does it taste better? You tell us!
HERE WE ARE
ATTENTION
HAMB
URGER
FACT
ORY
TH E ICE"N DIC
One of Reykjavík’s more impressive
architectural achievements–the Alvar
Aalto-designed Nordic House–became
host to new restaurant this spring,
named in honour of the Finnish archi-
tect himself. Aalto Bistro replaces the
highly acclaimed Dill (now on Hver-
fisgata) as the Nordic House’s resident
restaurant. Dill is of course Iceland’s
premier representative of New Nordic
cuisine, with all the use of local produce
and foraging that entails. The menu at
Aalto is in a similar vein, local produce
cooked in a style that could be called
Scandinavian-French fusion.
The kitchen at Aalto Bistro is in the
capable hands of renowned celebrity
chef Sveinn Kjartansson, who has been
showing Icelandic television viewers
how to make the best of the island’s
prime produce, namely its impressive
seafood. This translates directly to Aal-
to Bistro’s lunch menu, with seafood
in abundance, supplemented by a nice
choice of open faced “smørrebrød”-
style sandwiches. Vegan options are at
hand, along with four new specials each
day. During weekends, a short and con-
cise dinner menu is also on offer.
My companion and I visited the
Nordic House for a sunny Monday
lunch, on one of the few days this sum-
mer when dining outside has been
possible. We decided to choose from
the menu itself, although the specials
looked very nice to say the least. The
main courses are all available as half
portions, enabling one to try two dishes
in one go. And that is what we did.
My companion decided upon a fish
pan with assorted seafood, fresh herbs
and white wine sauce (1,950 ISK) along
with a tuna melt (1,400 ISK). I chose
the hot-smoked catfish on citrus salad
with wild angelica mayonnaise (1,550
ISK), followed by the singular meat
dish on the menu, Turkish köfta meat-
balls and Morroccan merguez sausages
with garlic sauce, oven-grilled potatoes
and root vegetables (1,750 ISK). With
our meal we were served a complimen-
tary freshly baked bread and whipped
butter with fresh local herbs. Very nice.
Alvar Would Have Been Proud
BJÖRN TEITSSON
ALISA KALYANOVA
What We Think:
Fresh, light, fragrant, different.
Flavour:
New Scandinavian-French
classics.
Ambiance:
Easy-going, bright dining room,
lovely surroundings.
Service:
A nice mix of personal and
professional service.
Price for 2 (no drinks):
6-7.000, a steal.
AALTO Bistro
Sturlugata 5, 101 Reykjavík