Iceland review - 2014, Side 97

ICELAND REVIEW 95
Visit Hafnarfjörður and you can’t miss the Viking Village and its beautiful old-style wooden buildings
which house a hotel and two restaurants. The restaurants Fjörugarðurinn and Valhalla are intercon-
nected and can seat up to 500 guests. Both offer à la carte menu and set menus for groups. The menu
has Viking flair and includes Iceland’s famous sheep face and þorramatur (often-pickled-or-putrefied
winter “delicacies”). Luckily the Vikings were also famous for their steaks, and the menu also includes
fish dishes, pasta and more. Fjörugarðurinn is decorated with wood carvings, stuffed birds, fish tanks
and hide-covered seats; while Valhalla is smaller and cozier, with space for about 40 guests. The kitchen
is open daily from 6 pm to 10 pm and there’s usually live entertainment, with hordes of Vikings and
Valkyries jaunting about, singing. Groups love being ‘victims’ of Viking raids, but they have to book,
unlike a thousand years ago… 565-1213. fjorukrain.is
People often talk about this or that place as an “institution”, but Tíu Dropar really can claim that
mantra. It’s one of the oldest cafés in Iceland and has a distinctive grandma’s kitchen feel and coffee,
cakes and light meals to match. When we talk about grandma’s kitchen, we’re not talking pink lace and
doilies. This is a cool grandma. Maybe she was even a hippie, back in the day.
The name Tíu Dropar means ‘ten drops’ and comes from an Icelandic nickname for coffee: “Do you
want coffee?” someone might ask. “I’ll just have ten drops,” the other might respond. Unsurprisingly
then, Tíu Dropar is known for excellent coffee. It is also known for its generous servings, whether a sim-
ple slice of moist chocolate cake, or a plate groaning with bacon and eggs—you get value for money.
At night, when grandma leaves the kitchen, the French take over, turning it into Le Chateau des Dix
Gouttes. It’s out with the coffee and in with the extensive wine list and gourmet cheeses. Tíu Dropar
is downstairs below Laugavegur 27. 551-9380.
Special promotion
Yes, the clue’s in the name. This is a bar devoted to the cult 1998 movie, The Big Lebowski. Strange to
base a bar on a box office disappointment, you might say – but that would be to miss the point.
Like the movie, the Lebowski bar has found a place in people’s hearts and become a true cult classic.
Maybe it’s the American diner-like décor with all the clever attention to detail. Maybe it’s that there’s
plenty enough space (a bit of a rarity in Reykjavík bars). Perhaps it’s the real bowling alley. Or the regu-
lar events, including karaoke, open mic, quiz and more. It’s most likely all of the above.
You don’t need to have seen the movie to appreciate a very cool establishment with an extensive, good
value and tasty menu and an inexhaustible selection of milkshakes, cocktails and white Russian vari-
ants. But if you do happen to love the movie, you’ll love the Lebowski Bar even more.
The Lebowski Bar is at Laugavegur 20a. 552-2300.
Kol is a brand new restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of Reykjavík, combining sizzling styling
with a refreshingly down-to-earth and welcoming atmosphere. In typical Reykjavík style, the restaurant
which owners describe as “casual fine dining” is also a trendy cocktail bar with, we might add, at least
two cocktails on tap! The name Kol is a direct tribute to the kitchen centerpiece: a charcoal oven which
gives food an aromatic smoky flavor. The oven is used for steaks and luxury burgers, while Kol also
specializes in fish dishes and a wide variety of other innovative cuisine. The owners have previously
worked in some of the top eateries in London, and you can really taste it. At the same time, the place
itself—with its distinctive wooden floor and huge falcon mural—is very much Icelandic in feel; despite
being quite unlike anywhere else. Kol can be found at Skólavörðustígur 40. 517-7474.
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