Iceland review - 2013, Page 92

90 ICELAND REVIEW
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, horse radish
and the ubiquitous butter
spread across most of jóm-
frúin’s open-face sandwiches.
551 0100. jomfruin.is
lÓnkot Bucolic reSort
once a traditional icelandic
farm but converted into a
guesthouse and restaurant 20
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, the bucolic resort
also offers hostel-style
accommodation and camping,
as well as the obligatory hot
pot. lónkot lies just over three
hours from reykjavík, one hour
from akureyri, and near the ice-
landic emigration Center, which
commemorates the emigration
of icelanders to north america.
453 7432. lonkot.com
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, hram-
mur. then you could try hótel
rangá’s take on the surf and
turf, featuring scallops drizzled
in lobster oil and icelandic
lamb. But whatever you do,
leave room for the chocolate
and skyr cake, a signature con-
coction 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 ho-
tel’s outdoor hotpots. then sit
back, relax and start planning
your next trip to this luxurious
enclave in south iceland.
487 5700. hotelranga.is
humarhúSiÐ from its perch
in a historical timber house on
the hill overlooking bustling
lækjargata, the haute cuisine
kitchen of humarhúsið (the
lobster house) offers a host
of local ingredients prepared
to highlight delicate, complex
flavors, including cod, catfish,
salmon, mussels, horse, lamb
and, of course, langoustine
(icelandic lobster). enjoy the
candlelit dining room decorated
with antique furniture and ac-
cent pieces that speak to the
house’s historical provenance.
for a romantic evening, try the
four-course menu, consist-
ing of creamy lobster soup,
catfish with creamy barley and
carrot purée, a fascinating
combination of tenderloins of
pork and langoustine, and to
finish, vanilla parfait with warm
licorice sauce and blueberries.
all dishes can be ordered with
wine carefully selected to com-
pliment their taste. humarhúsið
brings iceland’s best to the fine
dining table.
561 3303. humarhusid.is
reStaurant reykjavík
Come for the seafood buffet,
stay for the dessert… housed
in a beautiful historical quay-
side building dating back to
1870, restaurant reykjavík is
the ideal place for both small
and large groups to have lunch
or dinner. the seafood buffet,
open every evening from 6 pm,
is a big hit. including the soup
of the day, selection of start-
ers, hot and cold main courses,
traditional icelandic, asian and
Mediterranean-inspired dishes,
the buffet is certainly value for
money. the courses on the
menu are more mouthwatering
still with the icelandic lamb duo
being among the most popular.
all dishes are made with the
freshest icelandic ingredients
available. Whether you’re going
for the buffet or ordering from
the menu, be sure to leave
room for dessert. Blueberry
skyr, rhubarb crumble, double-
chocolate cake and deep fried
ice cream all make for the
perfect ending to an enjoyable
meal.
552 3030. restaurantreykjavik.is
sPECIAL PROmOTION
Reykjavík’s chefs know how
to feed their people. Here is a
guide to the vie gourmande
in the capital and beyond.
Eat Meat
& Fish It Is tIme...