Reykjavík Grapevine - maí 2019, Blaðsíða 42

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2019
42
“Best distillery tour ever!”
- Ali B
“Must Do In Iceland If You're A Single Malt Whisky Fan”
- Patman
“Taste Iceland in a bottle”
- Andrew
*Reviews from Tripadvisor
DISTILLERY TOUR
EIMVERK DISTILLERY
SAVE 15%
WITH PROMO CODE
GRAPEVINE
Valid 2019
AVAILABILITY AND BOOKING:
tours@eimverk.com
www.flokiwhisky.is/tours
Eimverk Distillery is Icelands’ first and only
whisky distillery. During the tour you will
learn about the process of making whisky in
Iceland from grain to glass with 100% local
ingredients as well as tasting Eimverks Flóki
Whisky, Vor Gin and Víti Brennivín.
PRICE: 3.990 ISK
The upside down
We arrived at Systir full of an-
ticipation and, admittedly, a lit-
tle anxiety. What will this new
place be like? Can H12’s delicious
cheesy fries ever be
replaced? Oh, the
uncried tears for the
Korean fried chick-
en!
But lo and be-
h o l d — w i t h t h e
paint barely dry
on the new sign,
it turns out that
Systir gives a not-
so-subtle wink to its grown-up
relative downstairs. The op-
tions are even presented on an
upside down Dill menu card,
overlaid with the sweep-picked
font of the Systir logo—a nod to
all things unruly and chaotic, as
younger siblings are wont to be.
All is not lost
Beloved favourites like the
torched cheese fries with kimchi
(1,200 ISK) are still on the menu
(hallelujah!), while new num-
bers like the barley beet risotto
with cured goose (1,900 ISK)—
reminiscent of beef tartare in
its appearance—underscore the
new establishment’s Dill-like
sensibility, which includes a
five-course tasting menu.
The head chef helming the
project is Ólafur Ágústsson. “We
felt that we needed a new chal-
lenge for our business at Hver-
fisgata 12, with this ever chang-
ing restaurant environment
we have in Reykjavik now,” he
says. “We also feel that the Dill
concept should be presented to
more people in different envi-
ronment. We’re really focused
on our journey here, and we
want our guests to experience
that with us.”
Systir suspense
Engulfed by the comfort of spe-
cially curated natural wines to ac-
company the many small plates,
we couldn’t help but wonder if
Systir will be a dis-
ruptive sibling. As
if the kitchen were
reading our minds,
we were treated to a
fatty hunk of rib-eye
(3,200 ISK) under a
mound of refreshing
mint and coriander
tossed in an intense-
ly tart dressing and
dusted with ground toasted rice.
The clear Thai influences are
such a bold departure from the
often sanctimonious New Nor-
dic bible that it seems Systir is
determined to be the rebel in the
family.
Ólafur appears to revel in the
suspense. “Systir will try to play
both sides a bit,” he says. “It will
definitely have some experiments
going on, but it will also be there
to please and comfort. It will also
serve Dill classics—something
we know people will love.”
Systir retains the easy going
vibe of Hverfisgata 12, which is a
big part of the draw for its many
loyal fans. The new place prom-
ises to be a well-priced casual
haunt—five courses for 5,900 ISK
is a steal—that just so happens to
also be an experimental culinary
playground for Dill. My hope is
for Systir to be an approachable
adventure—a true rebel in the
culinary upside down. The seri-
ously curated wine list and focus
on speciality cocktails doesn’t
hurt either.
And for those still nursing H12
nostalgia, Ólafur hints that it isn’t
unlikely that the no-name pizza
place will make another appear-
ance, somewhere, somehow.
NEW IN TOWN
Systir flips the tables on Dill
Words: Shruthi Basappa
Photos: Timothée Lambrecq
Hverfisgata 12, originally dubbed ‘the no-name pizza place,’ be-
came popular in recent years for slinging pizzas that ranged from
the unpredictable to the staid. The news of its recent closure was
met with utter dismay from regulars.
But true to their edgy nature and gritty flair, the same brains
behind Dill, Kex Hostel, and Mikkeller & Friends now bring us
Systir (“Sister,” in English). This sibling restaurant for the Mi-
chelin-starred Dill is housed in the unchanged Hverfisgata 12
premises, and there were just days between the closure of one
and the opening of the other.
“I can’t help
but wonder
if Systir will
prove to be
the rebel in
the family.”