Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2018, Page 19

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Best Newcomer
Nostra
Laugavegur 59
“Nostra” translates to ‘meticulous detail’
in Icelandic. This philosophy is distilled
into every dish at this new tasting-menu
oriented fine dining place, from the
lightly cured trout in green strawberry
juice to the langoustine cooked to a
velvety singular bite with nothing more
than lardo and lavender. Elegant, con-
fident and refined, they let one or two in-
gredients shine in each dish. Nostra also
houses Artson, an artisanal cocktail bar
mixing up delicious concoctions—we’re
particularly partial to the Cherry Manhat-
tan. Nostra is a breath of fresh air.
Runners Up
Hlemmur Mathöll
Laugavegur 107
The most anticipated new spot in
recent years, it's Iceland’s first food hall,
housed in a renovated bus station. De-
spite squeaks of gentrification, the food
hall is a popular spot for both locals
and tourists, with choices from Mexican
food to Vietnamese, Danish smorrebröð,
or the Icelandic gastropub Skál.
Marshall House Bar + Restaurant
Grandagarður 20
A bright, airy space located under three
floors of excellent cutting-edge con-
temporary art galleries, the Marshall
House Bar + Restaurant outdoes the
traditional museum café tenfold. With
excellent spins on Italian food and a
great cocktail and wine list, make a
point of heading out to Grandi to try it.
Previous Winners
2017: Hlemmur Mathöll / Mat Bar
Best Ice Cream
Skúbb
Laugarásvegur 1
Giving stiff competition to granddaddy
Valdís, Skúbb plays into the national
obsession for ice-cream all day, any
day. Unlike the ultra-aerated, maxi-
mised-for-profit tub versions available
in supermarkets, these creamy churned
scoops are dense and full of flavour. We
especially like the dark chocolate, and
the roasted white chocolate. Who even
knew chocolate could be roasted? The
seasonal mango ice-cream and other
fruity sorbets are worth making the trip
to Laugardal, just for the excuse to have
some ice cream afterwards.
Runners Up
Valdís
Grandagarður 21
The long lines here deter no one. The
flavours are fun, with a nod to local
tastes, like the lakkrís, aka liquorice,
or the not-so-subtle jokes on current
affairs—who can forget the memora-
ble “icehot1” flavour? The takeaway
ice-boxes are particularly great if you
are hosting a party at home.
Ísleifur Heppni
Hlemmur Mathöll, Laugavegur 107
Newcomer: Liquid nitrogen ice-cream
is still seeing a popularity surge. Hard
not to understand when the rather the-
atrical process yields creamy, intensely
flavoured ice-cream with none of the
icy grittiness of freezer burns. Freshly
made warm waffles are a great vehicle
for all that sugar and cream.
Previous Winners
2013-14: Valdís
2012: YoYo
2010-11: Ísbúðin Ísland
Best Tasting Menu
Dill
Hverfisgata 12
Dill has been doing tasting menus
longer than most in Iceland. Built on the
New Nordic philosophy, the menu tra-
verses the islands culinary traditions,
changing seasonally. Offered as five
or seven-course menus, every meal is
introduced with a series of ‘snacks’ or
assorted amuse-bouche. The progres-
sion is a tight narration of seasons,
flavours, ingredients and traditions.
A cunning ability to tap into the food
memories of its diners is what makes a
meal at Dill that much more memorable
and inspiring. We recommend going all
in for the wine pairings.
Runners Up
Apotek
Austurstræti 16
Apotek’s tasting menu takes quality Ice-
landic ingredients and serves them with
refreshing and interesting twists from
the kitchen. The service is excellent, the
plating is aesthetically pleasing, and the
whole experience is reliably high quality.
A carefree meal at Apotek is the perfect
medicine for a tiring week.
Nostra
Laugavegur 59
Newcomer: Bursting onto the fine-din-
ing scene, upstart fine-dining eatery
Nostra has tasting menu options of
four, six and eight courses, consisting
of deceptively simple plates with bold
flavours in a daring display of the simple
and complex. For an adventurous meal
in a beautiful setting, Nostra is perfect.
Previous Winners
2015-17: Tapas barinn
2013-14: KEX
Best Italian
Marshall House
Bar + Restaurant
Veltusund 3b
Chef Leifur Kolbeinsson practically
introduced Icelanders to fresh pasta
at his iconic restaurant La Primave-
ra. Now running the kitchen at the
Marshall House eatery, he stays true
to the Italian spirit of simplicity. The
menu focuses on fresh ingredients
cooked beautifully; whole cooked
plaice with burnt lemons, capers and
anchovies jostle for attention alongside
a n’djua spiced tagliatelle with plump
langoustine.
Runners Up
Kolabrautin
Harpa
For a decadent dinner, in possibly
the prettiest building in town, Harpa,
Kolabrautin is perfect for pre-show
nibbles or a dinner date. The views are
beyond spectacular, both inside the
restaurant, and looking out towards the
harbour. “The lobster pizza is the thing
to order here,” sighed one panellist.
Coocoo's Nest
Grandagarður 23
This cosy and popular eatery on Grandi
might not be a full-time Italian restur-
ant—on different nights of the week
you'll find them serving tacos, pizza,
pasta, and other dishes of the day—but
they capture the spirit of the Italian
style better than most with their happy
hour aperativos. Salut!
Previous Winners
None: new category!