Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.06.2018, Blaðsíða 56

Guess Who’s
Coming To Dinner?
Óx offers a memorable chef’s table experience
Words: Shruthi Basappa Photo: Art Bicnick
In a city like Reykjavík where it
is now the norm for new restau-
rants to mushroom on almost
every street corner, it’s almost
a relief when one such entrant
is determined to thrive on its
small, secret dining USP.
Óx is the brainchild and long-
time dream project of Þráinn
Freyr Vigfússon. It’s an intimate
dining experience where the
walls between the chef and din-
er are dissolved over a leisurely
tasting menu.
The restaurant is housed in
the far end of Sümac, Þráinn’s
other venture, and is designed to
feel like an Icelandic timber cab-
in. Two chefs host eleven guests
each night. The high bar seats
overlook an old kitchen cabinet
that has been in Þráinn’s family
for decades, and is now enjoying
its second lease of life as a fine-
dining kitchenette. We watch
the chefs plate up dainty, velvety
mounds of goose liver mousse,
sipping everything from a choco-
latey beer to a fruity wine.
Oddly comforting
discomfort
Icelanders are notorious for not
being fond of small-talk, and a
preference for plenty of personal
space. This played on my mind
before my first dinner at Óx. But
I needn’t have worried—Þráinn
is a very warm host, encourag-
ing us to mingle and chat during
the meal.
Dinner starts promptly at
7pm, getting off to a memorable
start with Jerusalem artichoke
jackets topped with coral-hued
trout roe. I can’t help but won-
der though why Þráinn wanted
to create this particular experi-
ence. “I had the idea ten years
ago,” he explains. “Sümac came
after. It’s kind of like a black and
white thing since they are so dif-
ferent.”
W hi le Sümac leans on its
Moroccan-Lebanese inspiration,
Óx looks closer home. The rose
gold menus are little pieces of
take-home art, while the deli-
cate hors-d'oeuvres are delicate
morsels from the land and sea.
A particular stand-out was the
whole gril led monkfish, with
succulent, buttery meat and the-
atrical presentation.
“Initially I thought of it as just
being one chef, the guests, and
maybe a waiter,” says Þráinn.
“But the idea evolved. It’s a chal-
lenging idea to do, but it’s gone
well so far.”
Live theatre
By the third course, aided by the
free-f lowing wine, the eleven
diners are no longer strang-
ers—we’re discussing politics,
tourism, and of course, food. The
chefs hold back at times, or gen-
tly encourage a shy diner; feed-
back is robust and immediate.
We debate the wine pairings and
the nuances of saucing.
“That is probably our biggest
responsibility in the kitchen,”
Þráinn says. “It’s not about put-
ting a guest on the spot when
they don’t like something.” He
pauses. “We recently had a last
minute request for a no-seafood
meal. So that was a true live the-
atre situation, with the kitchen
reacting and improvising on the
spot.”
Ever dynamic
Þráinn says that one night in
the kitchen at Óx is like two in
a regular restaurant kitchen.
“Mentally, it’s so much harder,”
he says. “But it was my idea, so I
have to stick to it.”
Óx manages to effectively
translate this modesty into its
central concept. The portions are
appropriate, the drink pairings
unconventional, and the guess-
who’s-coming-to-dinner experi-
ence feels fresh. Given that we
often choose to dine at familiar
favourites, it ’s refreshing that
no two meals at Óx will ever be
the same. Dining with strang-
ers is exhilarating—a familiarity
bridges the social divide, leav-
ing us bound by this communal
experience. And that alone war-
rants a visit.
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R E S T A U R A N T
w w w . b a n t h a i . i s
Laugavegur 130, Hlemmur, 105 Reykjavík Tel : 6 9 2 - 0 5 6 4, 55 - 22 - 444
----------------------------
BanThai
B E S T T H A I F O O D 2 0 1 7
a l s o b e s t : 2 0 0 9, 2 0 1 0, 2 0 1 1, 2 0 1 2, 2 0 1 3, 2 0 1 4, 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 6
M A N Y A W A R D S
Always been the best from the reviews
in our local people and local newspaper.
There's a reason why we get an award
every once a year
all
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us
, w
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ow
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ay
Do
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et
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ith
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FISH panS
icelandic "plokkfiskur"
Onion, garlic, potatoes,
celery, lime, white wine,
cream and butter
1,950 isk

arcTic cHar
Honey, almonds, cherry–
tomatoes, lemon and butter
2,200 isk
redfisH
Chili, celery root, sour cream,
corn, lemon and cream
2,200 isk
plaice
Tomatoes, capers, parsley,
lemon and butter
2,200 isk
salmon (lacTose–free)
Parsnip, broccoli, cashews,
coconut oil, chili and lemon
2,200 isk
our fisH pans are always served
wiTH buTTer–fried icelandic
poTaToes & fresH salad
any pans
for
luncH?
lækjargaTa 6b, 101 rvk · 546 0095 · messinn@messinn.com
gpv.is/food
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