Iceland review - 2013, Page 81

ICELAND REVIEW 79
101 HoTel Vogue, GQ, elle
and Condé nast Traveler all
agree—when you come to
Reykjavík there is only one
destination for a truly hip night
out: the restaurant and lounge
at 101 hotel. Its casual dining
room is a chic but relaxed get-
away with clean, elegant lines
and a glass ceiling—the ideal
spot for a pick-me-up before
an evening out. the kitchen
at 101 represents the best of
Iceland infused with intrigu-
ing flavors from abroad. Start
your three-course dinner with
the mouthwatering fresh tuna
tartar, or chicken miso soup, for
example, perhaps followed by
salted cod,with sautéed cherry-
tomatoes, crispy parma ham
and mashed potatoes, or lamb
with blueberries, dijon mustard
and root vegetables. Afterwards
licorice ice cream or a skyr
brulée is in order. If looking for
something quicker, the 101
hamburgers and sandwiches
cater to every palate. unique
food, swish design, laid-back
atmo... this place is a dish.
580 0101. 101hotel.is
BAmBuS one of the latest ad-
ditions to Reykjavík’s restaurant
scene, Bambus Asian Cuisine
and lounge brings Southeast
Asian casual fine dining to the
heart of Reykjavík. As well as
classics like phad thai, tom ka
and a range of stir fries, the di-
verse menu tempts with dishes
like tuna teriyaki, tempura tiger
prawns, cod with lemongrass
and galangal, as well as tofu
and mango salad. the desserts
are not to be missed: delec-
table mango kulfi and silky
smooth coconut custard with
cardamom. Bambus: the best
of the freshest Icelandic ingre-
dients cooked Asian style.
517 0123. bambusrestaurant.is
DIll located in the beautiful
nordic house, Dill restaurant
sits atop the mountain as one
of the most interesting and ex-
citing restaurants in town. led
by chef-sommelier Gunnar Gís-
lason, Dill excels in the modern,
local flavors of new nordic
food. everything from the cut-
lery to the sommelier’s suit is of
nordic origin. In the daytime Dill
serves relaxed brasserie-style
lunch and coffee, in the evening
there’s a seven-course set fine-
dining menu, including cham-
pagne and coffee. fried plaice
with the namesake dill, arti-
chokes 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 breathtak-
ing. 552 1522. dillrestaurant.is
FISH mArkeT take the
sophistication of new york
and pair it with the elegance of
paris and trendiness of to-
kyo, and you have the formula
for fish Market’s unbeatable
atmosphere. Match that with its
equally spectacular haute cui-
sine 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. highlights
include miso-marinated black
cod served with tiger prawns
and apricots, king crab with
chili and lemongrass, and argu-
ably the most tender quail on
the planet complemented 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 bamboo and Asian
flora create a trendy atmo-
sphere 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
fjöruborðið (‘the Seashore’) is
all about, where Icelandic lob-
ster, 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 and vegetable-filled
puff pastry on the main course
menu, lobster is what makes
this cozy eatery in the seaside
village of Stokkseyri, 60 km
(37 miles) from Reykjavík, so
popular with locals and visitors
alike. 483 1550. fjorubordid.is
gAllerY reSTAurAnT
located in hotel holt on
Bergstaðastræti 37,
101 Reykjavík, Gallery Restau-
rant—named Best Restaurant
in Iceland by the nordic prize in
2012—offers tempting dishes in
a classy atmosphere, boast-
ing Iceland’s largest private art
collection. Master chef friðgeir
Ingi eiríksson and his team
emphasize local ingredients
in the diverse menu, ranging
from lobster soup with roasted
chocolate cream to 500 g (18
oz) t-bone steak that’s been
specially selected and aged
for the restaurant. Also try the
three-course brasserie lunch
menu, which changes every
week, with the restaurant’s very
own beer. Wine connoisseurs
have come to the right place
too for Gallery Restaurant has
the largest wine collection in
Iceland with a selection of more
than 4,000 bottles of every
price range. 552 5700. holt.is
Iceland’s chefs know how to feed
their people. Here is a guide to
the vie gourmande in the
capital and beyond.
Eat Meat
& Fish
sPECIAL PROMOTION