Reykjavík Grapevine - 15.06.2018, Page 49

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49The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 10 — 2018

Goi Cuon / Víetnam
J: The chicken soup was my
stand-out of the night. The serv-
ing is generous, and the broth is
slow-cooked for that deep, rich
comfort-food f lavour. I ’ l l be
coming back for this one.
S: I like that their small menu
reflects the Icelandic weather—
comforting chicken soup for
most cold, windy days, and fresh
summer rolls for the sunny ones.
Although the lack of fresh herbs
in the rolls was a glaring omis-
sion for me. The dipping sauce is
great though.
B: I was expecting more veggie
options on the menu, but c’est la
vie, I guess.
Rabar Barinn
J: One of my pet hates is “finger
food” formats like sandwiches
and burgers that are too wet to
handle. So I was a little put off to
pick up the sandwiches and im-
mediately have sticky mayo ooz-
ing out everywhere. I was into
the soup though: it wasn’t too
creamy, and would be perfect on
a cold day.
S: I didn’t mind the saucy sand-
wiches, in fact, I prefer it over
the lobster soup. The portobello
sandwich is so satisfying—well
grilled bread, fresh veggies and
the earthy shrooms. I can see
it being a not-a-sad-desk-lunch
staple.
B: I will definitely go for the
portobello sandwich again. Re-
ally hearty, good ingredients and
good for value. The soup will be
a warm embrace in the cold sum-
mer days ahead.
Gastro Truck
J: Gastro truck’s house special
is a hearty chicken burger with
coleslaw and chili aioli right
there in the bun. It ’s a tasty,
substantial burger with a glis-
tening, bright-red batter on the
hunk of chicken, and a tingle
of spice. This place seems to be
an early front-run-
ner in the Grandi
Mathöll popularity
contest—there’s al-
ways a little queue,
and they’ve been the
first to sell out and
shut up shop in the
evening.
Micro Roast Vínbar
B: This was such a treat. The nat-
ural wines served at Micro Roast
are something people will be
coming to look for. The service
was excellent—the sommelier
was confident in his knowledge
about what he was serving. The
prices are also fair in my mind,
considering the quality. Really
loved this one.
J: I’m late to the natural wines
trend, so it was interesting to
find out what it’s all about. It was
eye-opening: these wines had
unusual colours, earthy, unfa-
miliar flavours, and a fermented
tang. The Flambadou sparkling
red, served chilled, was a stand-
out.
Fjárhúsið
J: Everyone knows that Icelandic
lamb is a top quality ingredient,
and Fjárhúsið do the right thing,
presenting sharing plates heaped
with perfectly cooked cuts that
have a home-cooked vibe, and
no unnecessary accoutrements.
The f lavour was smokey, the
portions generous, and the meat
first class. If you fancy a barbe-
cue without the hassle of firing
it up yourself, go here.
Lax
B: Lax was my standout place for
this fantastic evening. I just love
the concept: everything salmon
and champagne. Or sparkling
wine on tap. The
gri l led wolffish
was a perfectly
cooked del ight,
and had a su r-
prising kick from
the horseradish
and garlic. All the
salt y cured and
smoked sa lmon
was a perfect match for a glass
of sparkling wine. It’s all about
the balance, and Lax nailed it.
J: This was a definite stand out:
citrusy, zesty f lavours with a
variety of cured, gri l led and
smoked fish, and a fresh-tasting
bubbly to wash it down. It was
like a plate full of summer.
Ísey
J: All Ísey are saying is give Skyr
a chance. And we tried, we re-
ally did, but the no-frills juices
and dairy pots seemed very basic
after such a varied and colourful
meal. This was the weakest link
in the chain—if I have room for
dessert next time, I’ll head over
to Valdís.
B: It was also the only place that
didn’t offer anything made from
scratch. Premade skyr in a glass
jar was not what I was looking
for. And I don’t find it especially
appealing that nothing there has
sugar.
“All Ísey are
saying is give
Skyr a chance.
And we tried,
we really did.”
REYKJAVÍK’S
FIRST
BREWPUB
lunch from
1.690 kr
BRYGGJAN BRUGGHÚS * GRANDAGARÐI 8 101 REYKJAVÍK * 00354 456 4040 * WWW.BRYGGJANBRUGGHUS.IS