Reykjavík Grapevine - 08.12.2017, Page 63

Photos: Jason DeSomer
FEAST PORTLAND
Issue 04 Winter 2017 Your free copy
I n mid-September, Ólafur Ágústsson chef and general manager of KEX
Hostel’s gastro pub Sæmundur í Spar-
ifötunum, DILL Restaurant, Mikkeller
& Friends and Hverfisgata 12, and Hin-
rik Carl Ellertsson, chef at Hverfisgata
12 and beer maker at KEX Brewing
traveled to Portland, Oregon to par-
Brunching in the Pacific Northwest
Icelandic chefs pay their visit to
ticipate in the annual Feast Portland.
Feast Portland is one of the most vi-
brant food and drink festivals in the
US right now and it has been celebrat-
ed by Thrillist, Wall Street Journal,
Past Magazine, Huffington Post, USA
Today and Eater International, just to
name a few. Feast Portland is more
than a food and drink festival as it
showcases the creativity and the ener-
gy that drives the American culinary
revolution. The festival has donated
more than $300,000 to help end child
hunger in Oregon and elsewhere in
the US. Ólafur and Hinrik traveled
alongside award winning vodka
distillery Reyka Vodka to make a re-
markable visit to Brunch Village. The
Icelandic chef team received much ap-
plause for their unique and enjoyable
brunch trio that consisted of hand-
picked Icelandic wild berries, mush-
rooms, herbs and more.
Afternoon happy hour food and drink at Kex Hostel doesn’t do happy hour, but has now come
up with a new and scrumptious concept: Síðdegi,
which means “afternoon” in Icelandic.
Síðdegi is basically a menu of beer orientated
food at very affordable prices, and of course, beer,
offered up between 5 and 7 pm on weekdays.
Kex Hostel is the perfect after-work meeting
point with its open spaces and dim-lit, lively atmo-
sphere where you can hear Reed and Bowie from
the speakers at a polite volume. The bar and restau-
rant at Kex is actually called Sæmundur í sparifötu-
num (a bit of a tongue-twister) and its new Síðdegi
menu marries perfectly with a pint. It features small
dishes such as baked goat cheese with figs, baked
cauliflower with Icelandic cheese and what we can
safely describe as the best chicken wings in town,
sprinkled with a generous amount of fresh chili.
The venue offers a great selection of beer but the
most exciting newcomer is their very own brew: the
Kex Beer which comes in a funky bottle and offers
a classic German pilsner style with a modern twist.
Kex Hostel is located on Skúlagata 28 downtown on
the oceanfront.
SíÐDEGI
Afternoon happy hour food and drink at Kex
Photo: Stasia Andreeva