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The main attraction of this smart, ranch-style cavern of a restaurant is steak. For years,
Icelanders have frequented Argentína in the certain knowledge of an excellent meal
combined with an intimate, cosy atmosphere. With its dark wooden interior, animal
hides, buffalo skulls and open fires, Argentína takes its inspiration from the famous
Gaucho Grill in Amsterdam and London. You’d be hard pushed to find a better steak
than here, with dishes stripped down to their bare essentials, emphasising the quality
of the ingredients and the cooking.
“Most of our foreign guests find that Icelandic beef has a lot more flavour to it than beef
from the US and Europe,” says one of the owners, Óskar Finnsson. “Our cows are small-
er, and the meat is more refined and compact. And, of course, the meat is as pure as
crystal. It’s all-natural.“ From farmer to butcher to the customer’s plate, the steaks at
Argentína are only of the highest quality possible. Starters include classics such as beef
carpaccio, foie gras with wild mushrooms and garlic creamed snails. The main dishes
are, no surprise, mainly steaks, and you can choose from entrecôte, rib-eye, top loin,
tenderloin and porterhouse. Other meats on offer are lamb, pork, veal and chicken, and
you can even order a mixed grill which enables you to sample the best of each.
Argentína’s famous classic is its peppersteak with tequila sauce, but those who prefer
something lighter can try out the mixed-seafood grill which includes lobster and a vari-
ety of Icelandic fish. Wines consist of a good selection of French and New World wines
with the emphasis on Argentinian reds. Complete the meal with a melt-in-the-mouth
chocolate fondant, millefeuille with mascarpone cream or passion fruit cake and a glass
of brandy in front of the fire. Argentína is also the place to head for if you’re a cigar fan,
as it offers the widest selection of handmade cigars in Iceland from both Cuba and the
Dominican Republic.
Argentína’s recipe for success has already hit supermarket shelves in Iceland in the form
of beautifully packaged meat marinated in secret ingredients. The range is constantly
expanding and includes beef, lamb, chicken and duck, as well as a selection of sauces.
“When you buy our ready-prepared steaks, you know you’ll be cooking an excellent din-
ner at home,” says Finnsson. The US may even catch a glimpse of Icelandic meat soon,
as Finnsson aims to export. “The only thing we might have to change is the name,
Argentína, because it might not have the same exotic appeal over there.“
Argentína, Barónsstígur 11a, 101 Reykjavík, tel: (+354) 551-9555 for reservations or e-mail:
info@argentina.is. For further information visit www.argentina.is
Hótel Holt
Elegant, prestigious Hótel Holt is located in a
quiet residential street in central Reykjavík.
This luxurious hotel is most remarkable for
being home to the largest private art collec-
tion in Iceland. The hotel, a member of the
Relais & Châteaux group, enjoys a sound rep-
utation for creating fine food, using the high-
est standard of cooking methods and the
freshest ingredients available. The Gallery
Restaurant is a refined room reminiscent of
an English gentleman’s club; cosy and tradi-
tional in dark wood, leather and famous
paintings. The menu has a traditional French
leaning and the resident chef won the
Mouton Cadet ‘Chef of the Year’ award in
1999. The restaurant prides itself on both
excellent seafood and meat. Starters include
melt-in-the-mouth garlic sautéed scallops
and main courses include a tender grilled fil-
let of beef ‘bordelaise’ served with a red wine
sauce. Desserts are mostly French, scrump-
tious and traditional, and include a mirabelle
plum flambé with white chocolate ice cream
and port wine sauce. The wine list is exten-
sive, with a collection of over 300 wines, and
there is also a selection of 130 single malts
which guests can enjoy in the lounge or bar
after their meal.
Hótel Holt, Bergstadastræti 37, 101
Reykjavík,
tel: (+354) 552-5700. Open for lunch service
daily between noon and 2:30 pm, and dinner
from
6 pm to 10:30 pm.
The Grill at Hótel Saga
This classic restaurant has shed its heavy,
leather-bound menus in favour of something a
little more light-hearted. The new look incor-
porates the colourful paintings of celebrated
landscape painter Tolli, and is more in keep-
ing with the restaurant’s modern
French/British-style of food. Without a doubt,
the most remarkable feature of this distin-
guished eatery is its panoramic view of the
city and beyond. The Grill is famous for being
a place to enjoy wonderfully tender steaks.
Starters include grilled langoustines with a
purée of cépes, and main courses include
wild Icelandic lamb, beef and a delicious
supreme of duck served with a saffron sauce.
During the summer months the chefs make
the most of the wonderful seafood selection
available in Iceland, although the menu
remains varied. Those trapped by that terrible
indecision in the face of such delicacies can
always let the chef decide and opt for either
the four or the seven course surprise menu.
No need for trepidation – it’s hard to put a
culinary foot wrong here.
The Grill, Radisson SAS Hótel Saga,
tel: (+354) 525-9962.
Open for dinner from 6:30 pm – 11:30 pm on
weekdays and until 1:00 am on weekends.
i-site RESTAURANTS❍
Carnal Pleasures
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NOT ONLY IS ICELANDIC MEAT DELICIOUS, BUT IT’S ALSO TOTALLY DISEASE-
AND HORMONE-FREE. ANNA MARGRÉT BJÖRNSSON WENT TO ICELAND’S TEM-
PLE OF STEAK, ARGENTÍNA, WHICH SERVES UP THE MOST MOUTH-WATERING
SLICES OF FLESH IN THE COUNTRY.
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