Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.08.2017, Síða 49

Dining Under the Dead
Gaze of Shipwrecked
Sailors
French Cuisine in Iceland's French Village
Words & Photos: Ragnar Egilsson
Fáskrúðsfjörður is one of those
towns which can be unfairly over-
looked as the Route 1 (“Þjóðveg-
urinn”) offers an easy bypass con-
necting the tourist beacons of the
Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in the
southeast and Mývatn in the north-
east. This does a disservice to this
charming seaside town which came
into significance as a trading post
in the 1880s and its rich history.
L’Abri is French for “The Shelter”
and it’s an apt name as Fáskrúðs-
fjörður served as a port of call and
haven for stranded French sailors
from the mid 19th century to the
dawn of World War I with over 200
French fishing vessels docking in
Fáskrúðsfjörður at its peak. No
other town in Iceland boasts such a
significant French presence and it
is only recently that the locals have
begun to celebrate this historic cul-
tural intersection.
The main physical remnant
(aside from the graves of ship-
wrecked sailors) is the French hos-
pital which was reopened in 2014
after extensive renovation. The
building houses a museum dedicat-
ed to the French connection, which
runs through the tunnel connect-
ing the two buildings main build-
ings. The remainder serves as a ho-
tel (part of the Fosshótel chain) and
the restaurant l’Abri on the ground
floor, overlooking the old pier.
The ghosts of perished sailors
are said to haunt the old hospital
and after you have taken in the im-
peccably creepy wax figurines of
dying sailors, you should be left in
little doubt about their veracity. Sit-
ting on the dock with your back to
the hospital, taking in the majestic
mountain views, serves as a good
palate cleanser before taking in a
meal at l’Abri
The restaurant specializes in lo-
cal produce with a modestly french
flair. The windows overlooking the
bay are adorned with French nau-
tical phrases and their Icelandic
equivalents and the dining room
subtly references the stark hospital
moorings of the building.
There you can expect the friendly
staff to delight you with such deli-
cacies as a two piece lamb crown
with roasted beets and sweet potato
purée, large salmon steaks, creme
brulées with local twists, French
onion soups, and margarita glasses
brimming with rhubarb whiskey
sours.
If you are hankering for a drive
just off the beaten path and wish
to sample the local produce seen
through the sextant of French sail-
ors, then l’Abri is the only game in
town.
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E s t . 2 0 1 2R e y k j a v i k
49The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 15 — 2017
gpv.is/food
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L’Abri - The Shelter