Reykjavík Grapevine - Nov 2019, Page 49

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ment for visiting artists, and a future
podcast studio. They have begun
construction on a black box theatre,
too, which will cement Sláturhúsið
as the performing arts centre of the
east.
Next door, Tehúsið is cosiness in-
carnate. A teahouse with delectable
vegan treats and a few rooms func-
tioning as a hostel, Tehúsið’s purvey-
or is Halldór Warén. Also the former
manager of Sláturhúsið, Halldór is
similarly making art dreams for the
region come true as he arranges con-
certs for touring musicians.
Dreams at the end of
the rainbow
To the east of Egilsstaðir lays an art-
sy haven nestled in the crook of an
east fjord. The town of Seyðisfjörður
splays before us as we descend the
mountain. It’s home to the Skaftfell
Centre for Visual Art, the LungA Art
Festival, and the LungA School for
arts practitioners.
As we approach, we spot the
Smyril passenger ferry in the har-
bour. The town bustles with passen-
gers about to cross the North Atlan-
tic, eagerly snapping photos of the
rainbow walkway leading up to the
town’s robin-egg blue church. An ac-
tual rainbow paints the sky over the
town, too, as we step into beloved
sushi restaurant Norð Austur.
Sushifjörður
We receive a warm greeting from Jim
van Woensel, our Norð Austur host.
Originally from the Netherlands, he
spends months every year in this
Icelandic home-away-from-home
working at Norð Austur. Though a
nationally celebrated sushi restau-
rant, Jim will test the vegetarian
menu on us this evening. The menu
is scheduled to launch next year.
We chat with Jim between cours-
es, enthusing about Seyðisfjörður’s
anything-is-possible mentality and
the heart-stopping yuzu liqueur.
Seyðisfjörður’s rainbow has made
it onto the plate, too, with a flow-
er-garnished wakame salad and
maki rolled with avocado, shiitake,
and sweet egg. One of the finest
restaurants in all of Iceland, Norð
Austur ups the cool caché of Seyðis-
fjörður.
Sirkus FTW
Our final stop is Sirkus. Though
new to Seyðisfjörður, Sirkus is the
stuff of Icelandic lore. The bar was
a mainstay in Reykjavík social life
until it closed in 2007. The follow-
ing year for the Frieze Arts Fair, Ice-
landic art collective Kling og Bang
set up a temporary commemoration
of Sirkus by erecting it in London.
News of Sirkus’ return to Iceland,
this time in the cool kids’ capital of
Seyðisfjörður, has prompted talk of
pilgrimage to the beloved bar.
One of the instigators of Sirk-
us-Eastfjords, Philippe Clause hugs
us as we enter the bar. As a prac-
ticing visual artist, Philippe’s entre-
preneurship has led him to design
clothing and sample plants to make
local scents. He is also envisioning
the old bookshop as a future artist
residency and studio gallery. He’s
the ideal champion for Sirkus’ ma-
jestic return.
Sirkus is alive and well in Seyðis-
fjörður, with every seat in the house
occupied. The lights are dim, the bar
is well-stocked, and enticing conver-
sation burbles from every corner of
the room. We wish there was more
time to stay in Seyðisfjörður so we
could invite our new friends from
Sláturhúsið, Tehúsið, and Norð Aus-
tur for drinks. It’s an inspired group
inhabiting Iceland’s East region. Our
hearts have grown three sizes from
our brief but bountiful encounters.
“Though new to Seyðis-
fjörður, Sirkus is the stuff
of Icelandic lore.”
Laugarnesvegur 74a, 105 Reykjavik
+354 537 6556
Please follow us on
Facebook: kaffi.laekur
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Tripadvisor & Google: Kaffi Lækur
Family-run speciality coffee house/bar
and a homey eatery
Healthy drinks and food
Vegan-friendly
Homemade with local ingredients
We run an art gallery and host cultural
events
Located next to Laugardalslaug pool