Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.07.2018, Blaðsíða 45

ÓÐINSTORG | 101 | REYKJAVÍK | ÍSLAND
SNAPSBISTRO.IS | +354 5116677
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Icelandic Ísbúi cheese, croûtons
2.390 kr.
MOULES MARINIÈRES
steamed mussels from Breiðafjörður
2.600 kr.
FISH OF THE DAY
chef´s special
3.890 kr.
Lunch offer from 11:30 - 14:00 1.990 kr.
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45The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 16— 2018
batter fried to a greasy, ghastly red
is likely what’s keeping the crowds
aw ay. A lt houg h t hey proud ly
claimed the fish to be cod, it tasted
suspiciously like a thawed day-old
haddock. Somnambulist service
added insult to injury and our
oh-so dramatic demonstration of
disappointment—dumping said
fish into the trash—was met with
zero curiosity. The cardboard cone
packaging is Insta-friendly but
dining-deadly. Avoid.
Lobster Hut
Kalkofnsvegur & Lækjartorg
Neither serving lobster nor be-
ing located in a hut caused some
trepidation regarding this one,
but it revealed itself to be a pleas-
ant surprise. Now opposite Harpa,
by the fortress-like parking ga-
rage below Arnarhóll, the little
red wagon serves up the most af-
fordable langoustine in the coun-
try. Their soup (1,990 ISK) is a
curry-laced bowlful with a gener-
ous portion of langoustine, thank-
fully eschewing the tomato-based
bisque that is ubiquitous around
town. Fishing for langoustine
tails isn’t a futile affair here. The
hot dog (1,450 ISK) comes with
caramelised peppers and onions
with sauteed langoustine, chilli
mayo and misplaced tortilla chips
(ask them to hold the “nachos”).
The only let-down is the bun—
when you’re serving up something
so tender, firmer bread would help
it shine. However, between the
hot dog and soup, we easily had
around 20 tails, or more. Either
they suspected the seriousness
of our mission, or we’re looking
at the best langoustine-bang-for-
your-buck in Reykjavík.

Fish and Co.
Aðalstræti 9, Fógetagarðurinn
Like the waxing and waning of
the moon, this little truck keeps
making an appearance, albeit in
different guises. It used to be the
Salmon Wagon (which we suspect,
might have been a reincarnation of
the Crab Cake
L a d s) . T h e i r
lovely blue and
white truck is
now the dark
b u t s a l u b r i -
ous “Fish and
Co.” For a mere
1000 ISK, you
get a chunk of
cod cooked in a
generous amount of butter, served
over spinach that wilts under the
heat, and blistered cherry toma-
toes. This is a perfect meal for a
cold afternoon and one of the more
wholesome options in downtown
Reykjavík. They served small talk,
too—this was the only chap in our
investigation who knew that eating
at a food truck is also about chat-
ting with the folk behind the wheel.
Vöffluvagninn
Frakkastígur 27, by Hallgrimskirkja
They may proclaim they sell Bel-
gian waffles—those crisp, light
as a feather, yeasty delights—but
don’t be duped. Manned by an un-
derage teenager who was so dis-
interested that we were seriously
worried that the kid was about to
pass out, the waffles are under-
cooked, with spots of blackened
old grease. At 590 ISK for a plain
waffle, it’s daylight robbery. They
occupy prime location by Hall-
grimskirkja—it’s a shame their
fare doesn’t match the view.
Sætir Snúðar
Frakklansdsgarður, Frakkastígur
One of the more recent arrivals,
stationed beside the dreaded waf-
fle cart, Sætir Snúðar are upping
the cinnamon bun (“snúður”) game
with their warm, yeasty rolls—a
slightly sneaky move, as they’re
stationed above the renowned
Brauð & Co, who changed the
snúð u r g a me
a f e w y e a r s
back. Perhaps
t h e y ’ r e h o p -
i ng to pig g y-
back off Brauð
& Co.’s success
by suck ing in
war y tourists
trotting down
Frak kastíg ur.
However, these aren’t your stan-
dard Scandinav ian cin namon
buns—they’re denser Cinnabun-
st yle yeast y rol ls, with cream
cheese frosting, meant to be eat-
en with forks. We’d have liked a
punchier frosting, but the rolls
themselves are nothing to com-
plain about. Pair with a kokomjólk
for an authentic Icelandic packed-
lunch (“nesti”) experience.
Skúli Bao Bun
Aðalstræti 9, Fógetagarðurinn
Fogetagarðurinn is seeing some
l ife even in the late summer,
thanks to the aforementioned Fish
and Co. and Skúli Bao Bun, who
share this tucked-away square.
With by far the most erratic sched-
ule, this truck was hardest to try.
The menu is a tad heavy on the
‘Asian fusion confusion’ trend,
where Chinese, Japanese and Kore-
an food names wrestle with Hunt’s
barbecue sauce, chilli mayo, Mexi-
can oregano seasoning and fried
onions. It’s ideal after a night of
Reykjavik debauchery; sober, we
recommend the kimchi as a take-
away so you can make your own
fried rice at home.
“For a mere 1000 ISK
you get a chunk of
cod cooked in a gen-
erous amount of but-
ter, served over wilted
spinach.”
“The fish itself is
deep fried to or-
der—flaky perfec-
tion encased in a
light, airy batter.”
REYKJAVÍK’S
FIRST
BREWPUB
lunch from
1.690 kr
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