Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.02.2019, Síða 44

In The
Upside Down
Systir flips the tables on Dill
Words: Shruthi Basappa Photo: Timothée Lambrecq
Systir
Hverfisgata 12
Hverfisgata 12, originally dubbed
‘the no-name pizza place,’ became
popular in recent years for slinging
pizzas that ranged from the unpre-
dictable to the staid. The news of
its recent closure
was met with ut-
ter dismay from
regulars.
But t r ue 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 Michelin-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.
The upside down
We arrived at Systir full of anticipa-
tion and, admittedly, a little anxi-
ety. What will this new place be like?
Can H12’s delicious cheesy fries ever
be replaced? Oh, the uncried tears
for the Korean fried chicken!
But lo and behold—with the
paint barely dry
on the new sign,
it turns out that
Systir gives a not-
so-subtle wink to
its grown-up rela-
tive downstairs.
The options 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 numbers 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 sensi-
bility, which includes a five-course
tasting menu.
The head chef helming the proj-
ect is Ólafur Ágústsson. “We felt
that we needed a new challenge
for our business at Hverfisgata 12,
with this ever changing 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 disruptive 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 re-
freshing mint and coriander tossed
in an intensely tart dressing and
dusted with ground toasted rice.
The clear Thai influences are such a
bold departure from the often sanc-
timonious New Nordic 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 promises to be a well-
priced casual haunt—five courses
for 5,900 ISK is a steal—that just so
happens to also be an experimen-
tal culinary playground for Dill. My
hope is for Systir to be an approach-
able adventure—a true rebel in the
culinary upside down. The seriously
curated wine list and focus on spe-
ciality 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.
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Soul (food) sistah
Food
“Systir may prove
to be the rebel in
the family.”
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
What do you know about Ban Thai
Always been the best
in our local people
from the reviews
and local newspaper.
There's a reason why
we get an award
every once a year
r e s t a u r a n t
w w w . b a n t h a i . i s
tel : 5522-444, 692-0564 banthai@banthai.is
Laugavegur 130, Reykjavík
B E S T T H A I F O O D 2 0 1 8
also 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
BEST RESTAURANTS IN ICELAND
TOP TEN
DV. 17.06.11
Ban Thai is not “fast food”
food made fresh from scratch,
it‘s not pre-made,
every item in the menu
take some time to cook,
Please prepare your time
before you come
Best goddamn restaurant 2011
Best goddamn restaurant 2011
m a n y f a m o u s p e o p l e a r e r e g u l a r s h e r e