Reykjavík Grapevine - sep. 2021, Blaðsíða 29

Food 29The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 09— 2021Food
garlic, deliver a smooth, gentle heat.
The Cuban classic sandwich
Cubano is next, served Selva style.
Eschewing bread (we simply don’t
get the same kind of bread here, ex-
plains Sixto) for tostones, the meat
is a 24-hour affair; slow-cooked
pulled pork in mole negro, redo-
lent with the heady bitter notes of
chocolate that brings to mind the
smokiness of coffee, lending a depth
that the other spices and seasoning
rest on comfortably. Pickled onions
add a welcome burst of acidity and
the accompanying salad from El
Salvador with silent whispers of
oregano is a herby respite from the
deep darkness of the mole. Mexican
mole is, of course, popular, but in a
lot of countries like Guatemala and
El Salvador, they also cook a lot with
cacao.
The tostones are expertly fried
and shaped like a cup, somehow be-
ing both light yet sturdy at the same
time. These double-fried smashed
plantains, that are crunchy with
floury insides, are an integral part
of the cuisines from Puerto Rico to
Venezuela.
Selva boasts a vast selection of
rum and tequila from the region
and the cocktails are worthy ac-
companiments. Watch out for the
rum soaked pineapple that arrives
seductively nestled between plump
shrimp—they are boozy with a capi-
tal B.
Culinary bridge
“This is food that I like to eat, but
miss,” Paola shares. “Which is why
you’ll always find me here after
work,” she laughs.
I ask her how she sees food as a
cultural ambassador. “I have lived
here so long, I am Icelandic by now,”
she admits. “And I understand what
people would like. I think it is im-
portant for Icelanders to participate,
share and learn from people from
different cultural backgrounds.
And Latin culture is already known
to many in terms of the music, the
dance, it is time for them to know
about the food, too.”
“Here we want to present Latin
food, without sacrificing flavour or
what it is meant to be and present
it in a fun, fresh way.” The grilled
octopus, pulpo a la parrilla and the
camarones al ajillo (shrimp with
garlic) certainly embody that. Suc-
culent and jewel-hued, they are
served on mounted skewers, a play-
ful invitation to plate the meat off
the skewers, slice them and share it
together with any of the sauces.
It is worth noting that the range
of salsas and sauces at Selva are
freshly made every day and are care-
fully paired with the various meats,
vegetables and seafood. I especially
appreciate the deliberate absence of
mayonnaise. Instead, fresh herbs,
infused oils, tomatoes, onions, avo-
cados and garlic are used generously
to create luscious emulsions.
For far too many, even in the age
of the internet and cooking shows
dominating seemingly all air time,
food cultures outside of Europe and
America still seem to be new terri-
tory. A peculiar conundrum con-
sidering the ingredients from these
regions that have had far-reaching
influence on global cuisines. Con-
sider the absence of potatoes, toma-
toes and corn from our menus. Our
tablescapes would be quite bleak
then.
“We want people to experience
the range and diversity of these cui-
sines. Latin culture has a way of get-
ting into your heart,” Paola smiles.
If they can keep this consistency up,
they are sure to make inroads into
ours, too.
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