Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.09.2015, Blaðsíða 41

DINNER
6 COURSE MENU
STARTS WITH A “REFRESHING“ SHOT
OF THE NATIONAL SNAPS BRENNIVÍN
FOLLOWED BY A BITE-SIZED TASTE OF PUFFIN
OCEAN PERCH
Slow cooked ocean perch, beetroot purée, spicy
butter, serrano ham, beetroot
MINKE WHALE
Shallot vinaigrette, crispy Jerusalem artichokes
SEA TROUT
Yuzu mayo, truffle mayo, crispy quinoa, apple
PLAICE
Samphire, green asparagus, blood orange, lime beurre blanc
RACK OF FREE RANGE ICELANDIC LAMB
Lamb fillet, leeks, pickled onions, browned celeriac, baked
carrots, spinach and dill cream
Dessert by pastry chef Axel Þ.
CHOCOLATE ROSE
Chocolate mousse, raspberry gel, Sacher layer
7.990 kr.
Austurstræti 16 101 Reykjavík apotek@apotekrestaurant.is
ICELANDIC GOURMET MENU
Freshly caught seafood and free range lamb – with a modern twist
FROM 17:00
apotek.is
Amtmannsstíg 1 • 101 Reykjavík • +354 561 3303 • www.torfan.is
experience
classical cuisine
were problems with the sound system.
The top-off party was also successful as
a shirtless social gathering. And when
stereo issues were resolved, and the deep
house offerings of the night got into full
swing, everyone there was ready and
willing to let loose—though there wasn't
much room to spare.
When venues like Lava Bar measured
for capacity, I doubt they envisioned a
crowd exclusively made up of large men.
So space for dancing was a hot commod-
ity; everyone got well acquainted with
their neighbours real quick.

“The best party in the
basement of a national
theatre that I've been a
part of...”
The largest party of the weekend was
hosted in the basement of the National
Theatre—which was the first location
that was reasonably able to contain the
combined bulk of the attendees. The night
began with a DJ set from Frosti himself
(as Bistro Boy) and DJ Dramatik, whose
mixes fit the tone of the party to a T—a bit
darker and harder than your standard gay
bar fare.
The night's main performers were
Icelandic drag queen Gogo Starr, Chicago
native and frequent New York City per-
former Big Dipper, and DJ Brent Milne to
close out the night. “We're trying to intro-
duce something new—performers, musi-
cians, DJs. People we haven't seen before
at other gay events,” Frosti explained.
Big Dipper put on a high-energy,
camp-funny, polished show to rival any
of his better sets back in the States. It
seemed, however, that the crowd was
somewhat split down the middle in its re-
ception. Half were engaged and enjoying
themselves (some in the know even sing-
ing along), while the other half seemed
more perplexed than entertained (though
most were still amused to varying de-
grees).
Dipper may have been a bit too out-
landish for some of the partygoers—
queer-adjacent, bear-themed hip-hop
with an accompanying stripping of out-
landish camp costume elements down to a
red jockstrap. “He's not the kind of act we
would have in Iceland,” said Frosti. Which
is the point. Though perhaps a cold open
for those who'd never come across an act
like Dipper does run the risk of crowd
confusion—especially with his millennial
use of shallow irony to hide deep earnest-
ness, combined with an eagerly bran-
dished hip-hop ego. Still, showcasing and
celebrating variety is what Bears On Ice is
all about.
The night then turned to dancing in
the dark by the stage of the National The-
atre, with others in the stands talking over
the music about their dip in the Blue La-
goon and the natural wonders they’d seen,
or swapping stories about their lives back
home and their local bear scenes. Bears
On Ice truly was what Frosti had hoped
for and promised: an open, welcoming
community of international men, no two
of whom were the same, accepting of and
willing to engage with difference.
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