Iceland review - 2012, Page 97

ICELAND REVIEW 95
from a variety of skyronnaises—
creamy dips made from icelandic
skyr. those interested in a larger
meal will enjoy both whatever rich
soup of the day is on offer (served
with spelt bread and hummus), and
the whipped skyr and berry des-
sert, served in a champagne flute.
this is healthy, tasty food at a good
price in a charming environment.
511 1118. fishandchips.is
jómFrúin if gallup were to poll
reykjavíkians about their favorite
danish open-face sandwich res-
taurant, Jómfrúin would win hands
down. Walk down
lækjargata street at lunch, peek
into Jómfrúin’s windows and see
for yourself: the restaurant that is a
little touch of denmark is packed.
“it’s popular because of iceland’s
relationship to denmark,” says
Jakob Jakobsson, the restaurant’s
owner, referring to iceland’s former
status as a danish colony. “We
have quick service, great food,
and the location is good.” don’t
take Jakobsson’s word for it. try
it yourself, but make sure to order
the ‘h.C. andersen’: rye bread with
crisp bacon, liver pâté, port aspic,
horseradish and the ubiquitous
butter spread across most of Jóm-
frúin’s open-face sandwiches.
551 0100. jomfruin.is
lava dominating the reykjanes
peninsula landscapes, lava pro-
vides the name and the decor of
the restaurant at the Blue lagoon,
the country’s most popular tourist
destination. opened in 2007, lava
restaurant is built into the side of a
cliff, with a striking black lava wall
projecting into the stylish, modern
setting. a glass staircase leads up
to the lava Bar, perfect for a cock-
tail, and a rooftop viewing deck
provides a beautiful view of the la-
goon. as for the menu, lava offers
fresh icelandic ingredients with an
international flair. nearby fishing vil-
lage grindavík provides the kitchen
with the freshest catch, so it’s no
wonder that seafood is the most
popular choice among guests. try
Minke whale with wasabi, gin-
ger and sweet soya for a starter,
continue with pan-fried catfish
with lime and chili, then finish with
the signature dessert of blueberry
sorbet, warm chocolate cake and
white chocolate skyr mousse. it
may be hard to leave the luxurious
soak at the Blue lagoon spa, but
with a menu like this you will feel
just as pampered out of the water
as in. 420 8815. bluelagoon.com
lónkot Bucolic reSort
once a traditional icelandic farm
but converted into a guesthouse
and restaurant twenty years ago,
the family-owned lónkot lies in the
beautiful and remote Skagafjörður
in the north of the country. as
a member of Slow food, the
restaurant is renowned for its
creative use of the region’s best
produce: flowers, herbs, berries, an
assortment of fish, mountain lamb
and birds from the nearby islands.
newly renovated for the upcoming
summer season, the bucolic resort
also offers hostel-style accommo-
dation and camping, as well as the
obligatory hot pot. lónkot lies just
over three hours from reykjavík,
one hour from akureyri, and near
the icelandic emigration Center,
which commemorates the emigra-
tion of icelanders to north america.
lonkot.com
nítjanda high above the city,
on the 19th floor of turninn in
Kópavogur by Smáralind mall,
the crowds have been flocking
for brunch and lunch buffets at
nítjanda. now, they finally offer
a dinner buffet too. appetizers
feature icelandic ingredients
with tropical twists: salmon with
mango, sushi, fresh fennel and
orange; cured lamb with hazelnut
sauce that is to die for. there
is also soup and home-baked
bread—but don’t forget that
there are plenty more courses to
go! the main offerings include
a dozen spicy dishes from
across asia, from tikka masala
to freshly fired skewers of meats
and fish from the yakitori grill
and tandoori. the highlight is
the 12-hour-baked, tender and
juicy rib-eye of icelandic beef.
desserts come by the dozen too:
skyr cake, chocolate, Caribbean
cheesecake… you name it! the
candles are lit, the sky turns
golden and the mountains line
the horizon. the view is magical,
service friendly, the buffet one
of the top in town, and for only
iSK 4,900 per person, it is a real
bargain for an up-scale evening
out in reykjavik. open for dinner
Wed-Sun.
5757500. veisluturninn.is/nitjanda
SliPP caFé Centrally located in
the new hotel reykjavík Marina by
the harbor and the old dry-dock
“Slippur,” Slipp Café offers a quirky
and relaxing place to grab break-
fast, sit down to lunch, or take
a break from sightseeing over a
coffee and pastry. Start with small
courses of squid and aioli, beetroot
and goat cheese, or cod carpaccio.
the menu offers a wide selection
of main courses, including salads,
braised icelandic lamb, and fish
of the day. Continue the evening
at the Slipp Bar where you’ll enjoy
music, art, and stand-up comedy
events. Mingle with the locals
over a cocktail or a glass of fine
wine—the bar boasts an extensive
cocktail menu. the café is open
early to late but the Slipp Cantee-
nis open 24 hours a day and has
you covered with its selection of
tasty meals made from fresh local
ingredients.
Eat Meat
& Fish