Iceland review - 2014, Qupperneq 97

ICELAND REVIEW 95
Iceland’s chefs know how to feed
their people. Here is a guide to
the vie gourmande in the
capital and beyond.
sPECIAL PROmOTION
ed steaks. further enhancing
the natural experience, smoke,
fire, wood and coal are used.
the Grill Market is located in
the heart of the city center in
a 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.
571 7777. grillmarkadurinn.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 deco-
rated with antique furniture and
accent 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
IcElANdIc FISH & cHIpS
the humble cod just got
trendy. Icelandic fish & chips,
a self-styled ‘organic bistro’
by Reykjavík’s harbor, has gar-
nered a loyal following since it
opened four years ago. It’s ob-
vious 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
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 lo-
cation is good.” don’t take Ja-
kob’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
Jómfrúin’s open-face sand-
wiches. 551 0100. jomfruin.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, 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 km (60 miles)
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
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 Satur-
days the kitchen stays open
until midnight. uno.is