Iceland review - 2016, Síða 45

ICELAND REVIEW 43
visit the island. “As soon as we reach our peak, it’s time to pack
up and close!” With such a short period to work with, Gísli is
sure to set goals for each summer. This year he aims to add
more dishes from Vestmannaeyjar to the appetizer menu, such
as sea truffles, monk fish liver, sugar kelp and capelin. He also
aims to pick a lot of herbs and dry them. “Every summer, we
improve the restaurant; we learn so much.”
FAMILY AFFAIR
Much has changed on the island in the last century. “My father,
my grandfather, my great-grandfather, were all fishermen.
Everything here was about fish. According to my grandfather,
there were 100 boats in the harbor back in 1970. When I was
a kid, there were around 25. Today there are just ten,” he says.
The quota system has undergone significant changes and
although there are fewer boats today, they are much larger and
the catches are also much bigger, he stresses. The harbor in
Heimaey remains one of the biggest in the country.
Just recently, the island started seeing the effects of the tour-
ism boom on the mainland. The island has also been benefiting
from a new ferry connection with the construction of the
Landeyjahöfn harbor in 2010, which cut the journey from
three hours to 30 minutes. “We’re a bit behind here but we
are starting to see more and more visitors and that is bene-
fiting local businesses like hotels and restaurants,” Gísli says.
It seems Gísli and his family’s efforts are paying off:
Slippurinn is quickly earning a following, with rave reviews
from Icelanders and visitors alike. Gísli is keen to emphasize
that this is not a one-man show but truly a family affair.
“Indíana has also been developing the concept of the restau-
rant with me, including some of the food, and is in charge
of the drinks menu, the cocktails. My mom takes care of
front-of-house and also the greenhouse and is here five days
a week. My dad is a fisherman, so we get a lot of fish from
him, but he is also a carpenter so he’s here a lot too.” The
ownership of the business is split four ways between them.
“We’re in this together. Yes, it’s challenging at times but it’s
also been great.” Gísli is certainly happy with the results.
“Though I’m proud of Matur og Drykkur, Slippurinn will
always be my first child—we did everything from scratch.” *
FOOD
Opposite page: The restaurant is reminiscent of the industrial history of the building,
Indíana explains. In order to add warmth, she included furniture from the early 20th century,
old ceramics and household objects, as well as plants and freshly cut flowers.
Above: A feast of (mostly) local fare.