Iceland review - 2013, Side 81

ICELAND REVIEW 79
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 pm, 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 atmosphere.
5717777. grillmarkadurinn.is
iCelandiC fiSH & CHiPS
the humble cod just got trendy.
icelandic Fish & Chips, a self-
styled ‘organic bistro’ by reyk-
javík’s harbor, has garnered a
loyal following 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, had-
dock, 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
from a variety of skyronnais-
es—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 restaurant, Jómfrúin
would win hands down. Walk
down lækjargata at lunchtime,
peek into Jómfrúin’s windows
and see for yourself: the restau-
rant that is a little touch of den-
mark is packed. “it’s popular
because of iceland’s relation-
ship to denmark,” says Jakob
Jakobsson, the restaurant’s
owner, referring to iceland’s for-
mer status as a danish colony.
“We have quick service, great
food, and the location is good.”
don’t take Jakob’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, horserad-
ish and the ubiquitous butter
spread across most of Jóm-
frúin’s open-face sandwiches.
551 0100. jomfruin.is
uno. located inside a charm-
ing old building on ingólfstorg
square in the heart of reykja-
vík, this cozy restaurant has
become a favorite among food-
ies. the various antipasti and
tapas dishes, vegetable, bread,
meat and cheese platters are
rich in flavor, made with local
ingredients and served with an
italian twist. Everything is made
from scratch: the kitchen is
equipped with a pasta machine
that churns out linguine, taglio-
lini and rigatoni every morning.
a broad selection of wine is
available in the in-house wine
cellar. prices are moderate and
every day there’s ‘happy hour’
at the lounge between 5 and
7pm. on Fridays and saturdays
the kitchen stays open until
midnight. uno.is
Eat Meat
& Fish