Atlantica - 01.01.2006, Page 63

Eat Decadent and Be Happy
Salt Lounge Bar and Restaurant. After
spending a day trawling around downtown,
scoot over to the casual and sophisticated Salt
Lounge Bar and Restaurant. Right down-
town in the former headquarters of shipping
icon Eimskip, Salt has turned a corner of
Icelandic history into a chic lounge bar, with
20th century design and global electronica
soundtrack that make it the perfect place
for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. The
restaurant has a kitchen where you can see
the chefs preparing dinners of free-range
lamb, fresh seafood, and creative dishes with
a Latin American accent. 599-1020.
In the lobby of the Radisson SAS 1919 Hotel.
Vid Tjörnina. Why not go to dinner by the
lake, which is the English translation of Vid
Tjörnina, the restaurant that specializes in
Icelandic seafood, located next to the Tjörnin
lake in downtown Reykjavík. Okay, so it’s a
pond, not a lake. Regardless, after enjoying
a meal of the freshest salted cod you’ve ever
tasted in the cozy restaurant that feels like
your living room, grab some bread, step
down to the pond, and feed the waterfowl.
551-8666. www.vidtjornina.is
Lækjarbrekka. Romantic and elegant, Læk-
jarbrekka feels like a European inn. Housed
in one of Reykjavík’s oldest buildings,
Lækjarbrekka is a classic restaurant serving a
diverse menu, from café-styled, light lunches
to main courses such as baccalao in a crust
of manchego, or Icelandic lobster tails. After
dinner, retire to the bar and cognac room to
finish off the night in style.
551-4430. www.lækjarbrekka.is
Grillid. Sometimes it’s best to leave the
ordering to the professionals. So when you
sit down in Grillid, Reykjavík’s so-called old-
est restaurant, the friendly waiter Atli Már
Sigurdsson suggests langoustine medallions
with cauliflower puree and pinecone foam,
accompanied by a delightful Pinot Gris. And
if you like this recommendation, try tender-
loin venison crusted in trumpet mushroom
and wild game sauce. Wash it down with
a Chilean Marques de Casa Concha. Your
taste buds tingling? Make sure to reserve on
weekends. 525-9960. www.grillid.is
Sjávarkjallarinn. Not easy to find, but
always a winner. Try the “Seafood Cellar’s”
exotic meat and seafood sampler and you
will not be disappointed. Perhaps you’ll have
candied roasted quail followed by delicate
sushi, monkfish and gorgeous reindeer. Or
you might get to sample some tender kan-
garoo. The waitstaff is friendly and helpful
as they guide you through the languid meal
that might be – no matter how well heeled
you are on the food circuit – among the best
you’ve had. Almost everything, from the an-
ise-infused bread topping to the mocha and
orange crème brulée with candy that pops in
your mouth, is out of this world. 511-1212.
Humarhúsid. The “Lobster House” opened
up downtown 11 years ago, specializing in
lobster, seafood and meat dishes. Try the
lobster bisque, prepared with cream, brandy,
and lobster, or the whale sashimi served with
licorice-soy sauce. For your meal, try the
popular “five times” lobster – lobster cooked
in five different ways – or another special of
the house, the popular tenderloin of horse.
And for dessert, the white chocolate crème
brulée will treat you right.
561-3303. www.humarhusid.is
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