Iceland review - 2012, Qupperneq 96

94 ICELAND REVIEW
dill located in the beautiful nor-
dic house, dill restaurant opened
in 2009, but already sits atop
the mountain as one of the most
interesting and exciting restaurants
in town. led by chef-sommelier
duo gunnar gíslason and ólafur
ólafsson, dill excels in the modern,
local flavors of new nordic food.
everything from the cutlery to the
sommelier’s suit is of nordic origin;
you won’t even find olive oil in this
kitchen. in the daytime dill serves
relaxed brasserie style lunch and
coffee, in the evening there is a
7-course set fine-dining menu,
including champagne and coffee.
fried plaice with the namesake dill,
artichokes with seaweed, smoked
haddock and blue mussels, and
to finish an almond cake with
cinnamon cream… is your mouth
watering yet? and what better
setting than the nordic house,
designed by renowned finnish
architect alvar aalto and located
in the Vatnsmýri plains, the view
over downtown reykjavík is simply
breathtaking.
552 1522. dillrestaurant.is
FiSh market take the sophis-
tication of new york and pair it
with the elegance of paris and
the trendiness of tokyo, and you
have the formula for fish Market’s
unbeatable atmosphere. Match
that with its equally spectacular
haute cuisine with an asian flair
and you have the recipe for a
restaurant that’s here to stay. the
crown jewel of its kitchen is the
nine-course tasting menu. high-
lights include miso-marinated black
cod served with tiger prawns and
apricots, king crab with chili and
lemongrass, and arguably the most
tender quail on the planet comple-
mented by a delicate barbeque
sauce. the restaurant has also
earned a well-deserved reputation
for its sushi and sashimi, as fresh
as it is elegant. located in the heart
of downtown, no detail is spared.
tea lights illuminate the soft, rich
furnishings, and highlights of bam-
boo and asian flora create a trendy
atmosphere to which the city’s glit-
terati come flocking. Save room for
the sorbet: green tea, lychee and
blood orange. the perfect scoops
are almost too beautiful to eat.
578 8877. fishmarket.is
FjöruBorÐiÐ lobster. that’s
what the dining experience at
fjörubordid (the Seashore) is all
about, where icelandic lobster, or
langoustine, is served delicately
grilled and drizzled with melted
herb butter and a spritz of lemon.
as a starter, its flavor infuses the
delicate creaminess of the lobster
soup, the self-proclaimed ‘Best in
the republic of iceland.’ although
you can also find a tender lamb
filet or vegetable-filled puff pastry
on the main course menu, lobster
is what makes this seaside cozy
eatery in the village of Stokkseyri,
60 kilometers from reykjavík, so
popular with locals and visitors
alike.
483 1550. fjorubordid.is
the Grill market the deli-
cious food prepared and served at
grillmarkadurinn, the grill Market,
is based on close collaboration
with farmers all across iceland
giving personal advice regarding
their produce, whether it is honey,
cheese, skyr, beef, mutton or quail.
then, the grill Market’s chefs, who
are among iceland’s finest, take the
ingredients and use them to make
unique and often surprising dishes
ranging from vegetarian meals
to red-blooded steaks. further
enhancing the natural experience,
smoke, fire, wood and coal is used.
the grill Market, which opened
its doors last year, is located at
the heart of the city center in an
historic building dating back to
1920, originally built as a cinema.
the contemporary décor is inspired
by icelandic tradition and nature,
featuring natural wood, fish leather
and lava. open from 5 p.m., the
grill Market lounge is located
on the lower floor. there, enjoy a
cocktail or glass of fine wine in a
bona fide relaxed icelandic atmo-
sphere.
5717777. grillmarkadurinn.is
GullFoSS kaFFi the ultimate
lunch stop along the golden Circle
route, family-run gullfosskaffi by
the iconic waterfall gullfoss is
especially beloved for its icelandic
meat soup. filled with local lamb
and vegetables and at iSK 1,350
(including refill on all three of soup
bread and butter) one of the more
affordable lunches around, this fa-
vorite leaves nobody hungry. they
also offer a selection of bagels,
salads and sandwiches, and sev-
eral home-baked cakes. try their
most popular blueberry cheese-
skyr cake, with a cup of italian
style espresso by one of the best
views in the country. all the food
is made from scratch with the best
local ingredients, and no shortcuts
taken—as is to be expected when
the family who has run the restau-
rant for the last 18 years are from a
farm background themselves. the
warm, swift and friendly service,
reflects that personal touch too
(and with 400 seats there is always
space at the dinner table, even in
the busiest season). Quick, simple,
local, affordable and super tasty—
could there be a better road-trip
lunch spot? and did we mention
the view? 4866500. gullfoss.is
hótel BorGarneS Situated
70 kilometers from reykjavík, the
newly renovated hotel Borgarnes
is a three-star hotel offering 75
modern rooms with views of the
picturesque surroundings, confer-
ence facilities and an in-house
restaurant. Borgarnes is a small
coastal town of 2,000 inhabitants
in Borgarfjörður north of reykjavík
and home to the icelandic Settle-
ment Centre which tells the history
of the settlement of iceland and
iceland’s most famous viking and
first poet egill Skallagrimsson. the
town and surrounding area also
offers a golf course, salmon rivers,
hot springs and a swimming pool.
hotelborgarnes.is
hótel ranGá you could start
with the seafood soup, laden
with chunks of fresh salmon,
monkfish and prawns. Maybe
you’ll sip some of the hotel’s
own-label beer, hrammur. then
you could try hótel rangá’s take
on the surf and turf, featuring
scallops drizzled in lobster oil
and icelandic mountain lamb.
But whatever you do, leave room
for the chocolate and skyr cake,
a signature concoction of rich
chocolate and velvety skyr-based
cheesecake for which locals are
happy to drive the 100 kilometers
from reykjavík to taste. after
your gourmet meal, do like the
King of Sweden on his visit and
enjoy a drink in one of the hotel’s
outdoor hotpots. then sit back,
relax and start planning your next
trip to this luxurious enclave in
South iceland.
487 5700. hotelranga.is
icelandic FiSh & chiPS the
humble cod just got trendy. ice-
landic fish & Chips, a self-styled
‘organic bistro’ by reykjavík’s
harbor, has garnered a loyal fol-
lowing since it opened four years
ago. it’s obvious what this simple
eatery, with both eat-in and take-
away service, features on its menu.
But it’s the details that make it so
popular. the fish itself, not just
cod but catfish, haddock, plaice
or whatever the fisherman has just
hauled in, is battered in spelt and
barley flour and cooked in canola
oil, rich in omega 3 fatty acids. the
chips are Maldon-salted wedges of
baked potatoes, cooked in olive oil
and herbs. and instead of fat-laden
tartar sauce, patrons can choose
sPECIAL PROMOTION
Reykjavík’s chefs know how
to feed their people. Here is a
guide to the vie gourmande
in the capital and beyond.