Reykjavík Grapevine - 04.05.2007, Side 29

Editor’s note: Last weekend, my 8-year-old daughter asked me why the
Reykjavík Grapevine had never done a story on the Reykjavík Zoo and
Family Park. I didn’t really have a good answer to this question and since
she felt strongly about this, I made her an offer. If she would visit the Park
and report on her visit, I would run it in the magazine. While the following
story might not strictly adhere to the rigours of journalism, it was written
with all the passion for the job that is only reserved for the profession’s
finest. So here is the story of the Reykjavík Zoo and Family Park by the
youngest practising journalist in Iceland.

Now the summer is coming in Iceland, so it is ideal to go to the Reykjavík
Zoo and Family Park, which is in Laugardalur, across from the skating rink.
It is very exciting for foreigners and Icelanders, and people of all ages. In
the Reykjavík Zoo and Family Park there are many animals, for example
seals, rabbits, chickens, roosters, Guinea pigs, goats and newborn baby
goats, sheeps, pigs, reindeers, fishes, cows, horses, and foxes.
In the Park you can not only look at animals, you can also go to a café
and get hot and cold dishes. There are also amusement rides, for example
a carousel, a free fall tower, and a train, and actually, you can also bar-
beque hot dogs.
There is also a Science Tent where you can find all kinds of information
and knowledge. In the Science Tent you can wrap yourself in a giant soap
bubble, sit on a chair of nails, check your weight on other planets, there
you can also look at fishes, look at your self in funny mirrors and scream
[into a decibel meter] and see how loud you scream.
The Reykjavík Zoo
and Family Park
RVK_GV_INFO_BEZT Í HEIMI_B13
Engjavegur, Laugardalur, 104 Reykjavík. www.mu.is
B12_RVK_GV_INFO_ISSUE 05_2007_REVIEWS/FOOD
The vibrant three-floor bar, somewhat confusingly named
Barinn (The Bar), located on the corner of Laugavegur and
Klapparstígur is one of the city’s ultimate weekend party des-
tinations. With DJs playing five nights of the week, bartend-
ers on every floor and boasting plenty of seats, this place
is usually a safe bet for a good time out no matter if it’s a
Wednesday evening or a Saturday night.
But the attitude at Barinn isn’t all about drinking and
dancing until the crack of dawn. During the day, the place
turns into a casual downtown coffeehouse where the relaxed
vibe and reasonably priced menu attracts hungry pedestrians
who like to sit down for a meal and a drink or two during
lunch or dinner hours. Although mostly focused on drinks
in the past, Barinn recently started serving food again, now
featuring a simple bistro menu where several varieties are
available, from tomato-soup and nachos, to pasta, salads,
sandwiches and, as always, fine coffee and newspapers to
read.
Before my friend and I sat down to grab a quick meal
after a long workday, several regulars had recommended
the Barinn-style hamburger on the menu. On their advice
I decided therefore not to order the more healthy broccoli
quiche served with salad and yoghurt sauce but instead opt-
ed for the ultimate combo: bacon-burger and a large beer on
draught while my friend picked the chicken sandwich.
After only waiting for a few minutes, our waitress arrived
with our orders. My burger was very basic yet extremely fill-
ing, served with a rich portion of French fries. Fresh bread
and perfectly grilled meat topped with salad, cheese, sauce
and crunchy bacon made for a juicy burger-meal, which,
compared to nearby cafés, was well above average. My
friend was equally satisfied with her BBQ chicken sandwich,
consisting of a huge baguette topped with chicken, ham, ba-
con, cheese and salad, also served with lots of French fries.
Needless to say, after barely finishing our food, we didn’t
leave hungry, but instead very satisfied with this new dining
option in the centre, which is easy to recommend. At Barinn
you’ll get large, not too pricy portions, fine service and a nice
atmosphere. If in the mood for a quick meal followed by a
good party, come in late and stay until the beer-thirsty crowd
starts arriving.
Barinn
Laugavegur 22, 101 Reykjavík, tel.: 578 7800
Ostabúðin (The Cheese Store) on Skólavörðustígur is among
the most beloved gourmet stores in the city and its popularity
is well earned. Specialising in serving those with a discern-
ing palate, the shop has built up a loyal customer base that
can always rely on the fine selection of cheeses as well as
quality food products including hot-smoked blackbird, sa-
lami, smoked sausages, foie gras, oils, sauces, Italian pasta,
balsamic vinegars, Belgian chocolate and all sorts of yummy
desserts.
Ostabúðin’s little hidden secret is its cosy restaurant on
the bottom floor, open during lunch hours, (from 11:30 to
14:30). The small space only has a couple of seats and usually
fills up quickly every day, but as the service is fast and the cus-
tomers usually don’t have an infinite lunch break, you usually
don’t have to wait too long for a table. Just use the time to
browse the desirably filled shelves while waiting, or grab the
food to go if you’re really in a hurry.
The menu is simple and straightforward but features the
same gourmet experience as the rest of the shop. Reasonably
priced healthy and light daily specials include a rich bowl of
soup for 580 ISK, salads with irresistible raspberry vinaigrette,
bruschetta with parma ham, mozzarella and tomatoes and
always some juicy baguettes generously stuffed with vegeta-
bles, cheese and slices of meat. The most popular course on
the menu is the fish of the day, a hearty dish that will fill your
stomach but only set you back 1.090 ISK.
The restaurant only uses the freshest ingredients available
so the dishes may vary from day to day. When my compan-
ion and I sat down for lunch, fillets of pan-fried tusk with
tomato-basil sauce and polenta were on offer. That was just
too appetising to even consider ordering anything else. While
waiting for the meal the friendly waitress brought us home
baked bread served with olive oil and organic tomato season-
ing on the side. In only minutes our orders arrived, and they
tasted just as yummy as they looked. The tusk was perfectly
cooked and the sauce absolutely delicious.
This fantastic place offers not only quality meals but also
boasts staff who are passionate about fine food and really
know their business. Whether its for dining or shopping,
dropping by is always a pleasure.
Ostabúðin
Skólavörðustígur 8, 101 Reykjavík, tel.: 562 2772
Kaffi Sólon is an ideal stop for downtown working bees dur-
ing the 30-minute lunch break (obviously, hungry pedestrians
fit right in as well), featuring a new and extensive bistro menu
focusing on quick and healthy dishes, with space for groups
available on the upper level. Orders are processed in a timely
manner, the selection is plentiful, and best of all, the price is
right.
The main menu is a based on typical quick bistro offer-
ings, such as tapas, bagels, paninis, sandwiches, pasta or
hamburgers, with a solid, if not spectacular, wine selection.
The kicker is the special lunch menu, featuring health-con-
scious selections at a very reasonable price, with most dishes
coming in at around 1,500 ISK. According to our waiter, the
healthy lunch specials menu is changed every two-weeks. In
addition, Kaffi Sólon offers soup de jour, and fish of the day,
during this particular day, a vegetable soup, and tusk fish,
respectively.
After agonising over my selection, being torn between a
tapas selection of deep fried monk fish and dill cured salmon
with mustard sauce, I finally decided to live dangerously while
selecting from the health menu and opted for the pan-fried
seafood mix (scallops, mussels and shrimp) in garlic, basilica,
white wine and butter. It was an excellent dish by any stan-
dards, rich in taste and the serving was more than plenti-
ful. For the price of 1,350 ISK, I believe you would be hard
pressed to find a better lunch offer in town. My companion
chose creamy pasta with bacon, chicken, and spinach, not
the most adventurous selection, but always reliable. Again,
the pasta was good, and the serving could easily accommo-
date two people. For a little icing on the cake, so to speak,
I ordered a café and French chocolate cake from the dessert
menu. Despite being served cold, the chocolate cake was a
solid eight on a ten-point scale.
The only drawback to Kaffi Sólon is that the non-smoking
area is badly separated from the smoking section, although
that will probably be fixed by June; and as often happens
with busy lunch restaurants, the service can be a little imper-
sonal. Overall, between the plentiful servings, accommodat-
ing price and good food, Kaffi Sólon is an excellent choice for
lunching out in downtown Reykjavík.
Kaffi Sólon
Bankastræti 7a, 101 Reykjavík, tel.: 562 3232
Reviewed by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir Reviewed by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir Reviewed by Sveinn Birkir Björnsson Text by Alexandra Diljá Birkisdóttir, 8 years old
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Located in Reykjavik's old harbour, only a 5 minute walk from
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A spacious double-deck and a special viewing area on the
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or visitCall us on
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Puffin season
Oct
13:00
9:00
Sept
13:00
9:00
July
13:00
17:00
9:00
June
13:00
17:00
9:00
May
13:00
9:00
Aug
13:00
17:00
9:00
April
13:00
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