Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.07.2018, Blaðsíða 26

BEST OF REYKJAVÍK
Best Museum
Winner: The
Marshall House
Grandagarður 20
Although it’s officially a new-
comer, it seems obvious that
this pristine new art museum is
here to stay. Housing three gal-
leries—NÝLÓ, Kling og Bang,
and an Ólafur Elíasson work-
shop—it was an instant hit with
the local art crowd. “It’s such an
amazing space,” said the panel.
“There’s so much natural light,
and the design is beautiful.” The
variety of work on show was an-
other reason for the win. “An art
museum doesn’t have to be one
big institution,” said the panel.
“It’s a collection of three inde-
pendent art organisations work-
ing together to make something
exciting happen.”
Runner-up:
Reykjavík Art
Museum
Various locations
This might be cheating a bit, but
Reykjavík Art Museum provides
three winners in one. Whether
it’s classic Icelandic sculpture
at the beautiful Ásmundursafn,
Kjarval paintings at the airy
Kjarvalstaðir, or the various con-
temporary displays at downtown
Hafnarhúsið, Reykjavík Art Mu-
seum has it all.
Newcomer:
Einar Jónsson
Museum
Eiríksgata 3
Located right next to Hallgrím-
skirkja, this beautiful building
was the house and studio of Ice-
landic sculptor Einar Jónsson
during his lifetime and is now
a permanent exhibition of his
work. Large-scale sculptures
musing on the big subjects of
birth, life, death, society and re-
ligion dot the garden, and Einar’s
apartment is preserved inside.
Go Fish
Where’s best to taste Iceland’s
famously fresh seafood?
Words: John Rogers & Hannah Jane Cohen
Photos: Art Bicnick
Iceland is famous for its fresh,
delicious seafood. But with a fish
restaurant on every street corner,
where should you try it? Here are
some of our firm favourites.
Fiskmarkaðurinn
Aðalstræti 12
One of the fanciest restaurants in
town—and priced accordingly—
Fiskmarkaðurinn, or “Fish Mar-
ket,” offers immaculately present-
ed seafood dishes with a creative
twist. The whole menu is fantastic,
but we recommend getting a seat at
the sushi bar to watch the sashimi
being prepared before your eyes.
JR
Sjárvargrillið
Skólavörðustígur 14
From lobster tacos, to maki, to salt-
ed cod and slow cooked salmon,
Sjárvargrillið harnesses the flavour
of each fish in usual ways. The vibe
straddles the line between upscale
and casual, which is reflected in the
prices—reasonable and mouth-wa-
tering, the best of both worlds.
HJC
Fiskfelagið
Vesturgata 2a
This dimly lit and cosy basement
restaurant specialises in Icelandic
fish with an international flavour.
The lunch menu is particularly
reasonable, for a quite fancy place:
the huge chunks of cod come Nobu-
style, soaked in miso, blackened on
the grill and served with a soy-mar-
inated egg, and a sushi platter will
set you back just 2,690 ISK. JR
Mat Bar
Hverfisgata 26
It isn’t a specialised fish joint, but
fancy small-plates restaurant Mat
Bar is an absolutely reliable choice
to try some Icelandic seafood. The
menu cycles based on seasonal in-
gredients, so there’s always some-
thing fresh and interesting on the
menu, whether it’s spicy scallops,
grilled wolffish, cod cheek, or king
crab tortellini. JR
Salka Valka
Skólavörðustígur 23
For a piece of good ol’ Icelandic fish,
there’s no better spot than Salka
Valka. The restaurant serves up a
steamed fillet in their Fish Of The
Day meal, with the fish options
depending on what is the freshest
available. This means you could get
salmon, cod or wolffish, all served
with potatoes, rice, veggies and
sauces. They also serve a fantastic
plokkfiskur. HJC
Skelfiskmarkaðurinn
Klapparstígur 28-30
This brand new eatery is the sister
restaurant of Fiskmarkaðurinn. Fo-
cussing on fresh shellfish presented
in the French “fruits de mer” plat-
ter style, you’ll get a feast of fresh
seafood including langoustine, crab,
scallops and—the star of the show—
small, meaty Icelandic oysters. It’s
an upscale place, but it’s worth the
price. JR
Icelandic Fish & Chips
Tryggvagata 11
The name of this restaurant gives
a good hint as to what you should
expect to find, but this ain’t your
average fish’n’chips joint. Fried in
organic spelt batter without eggs or
milk, the fish here is crispier and
more delicate than average pub fair.
Along with that, they offer a selec-
tion of dips, which they call ‘Sky-
ronnes.’ The truffle and tarragon is
a particular standout. HJC
Matarkjallarinn
Aðalstræti 2
Iceland is famous for its fish soup
and Matarkjallarinn’s take on the
classic is certainly a standout. With
a rich broth, the meal is so flavour-
some that you might feel full just
halfway through the bowl. With
butter-soft haddock, scallops, and
a touch of leek for flavour, it’s the
perfect choice to warm your bones
on a windy Reykjavík day. HJC
26The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 16— 2018
The Chrysler building of fish dishes
Best of Reykjavík
Open 11:30-22:00
saegreif inn. is
Geirsgata 8 • 101 Reykjavík • Tel. 553 1500 • seabaron8@gmail.com
An absolute
must-try!
Saegreifinn restaurant (Sea Baron) is like none other
in Iceland; a world famous lobster soup and a diverse
fish selection.