Reykjavík Grapevine - jan. 2023, Side 24

FOOD FEATURE
Looking Back,
Looking Ahead
The foodscape of 2022 was a veritable mixed bag
Words: Shruthi Basappa Photos: Grapevine Archives
When I first started to think about
what my annual end of the year food
retrospective would look like for 2022,
I imagined I’d say something along the
lines of having firmly put the pandemic
behind us, bright hopes for 2023, etc
etc. But with an active war in Europe,
whispers of the pandemic swirling
again and a fluctuating economy that
has the island on edge, that optimism
has been tampered with the reality of
the foodscape — 2022 was a year of
many highs and many lows and 2023
looks like a tightrope walk between
hope and fear.
HIGHLIGHTS
Michelin comes to
Iceland again
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Óx
earned its first Michelin star, bringing
Iceland’s count of recognised estab-
lishments to two. The once 11-seater
only dining experience has found new
digs just down the main street and
accommodates a handful more, just in
time for star-hungry diners. Dill not
only held onto its star, but also received
a ‘green star’ for Chef Gunnar Karl’s
circular practices in the kitchen that
take centre stage on the menu.
Winning wines
Not just restaurants, but their respec-
tive wine menus too garnered interna-
tional acclaim. At the Star Wine List
Nordic awards, Brút snagged silver
in three categories: sparkling wine,
Austrian wine and the medium-sized
list of the year. Dill took home silver for
both sustainable wine list of the year
and best short list of the year. The wine
bar revolution is firmly afoot and just
when one was starting to lament the
lack of one that didn't push just natural
wines, Apéro opened its doors, with a
scrumptious menu to boot.
A seafood festival for a seafaring
nation
The year saw the birth of Matey
Seafood Festival, a homegrown food
festival from the Westman Islands that
brought together producers, restau-
rateurs, chefs local and international,
and diners over an entire weekend,
showcasing the very best of Icelan-
dic seafood. The organisers also get
brownie points for cleverly timing the
gastronomic affair with the peak of
puffling season which made it an envi-
able two-for-one destination getaway.
I’d make those 2023 hotel reservations
stat, as we learned just how full all of
Vestmannaeyjar was during the festi-
val.
Homegrown products,
international acclaim
It continued to be a big year for local
producers: Himbrimi Gin launched in
the United States, receiving an envi-
able New York Times byline that
said, “This Icelandic gin will win over
whiskey fans.” Westfjörd based salt
producers Saltverk created waves
for their flaky seasoning, and family
run businesses like Islenskt Hollusta
and Og Nattura regularly showcased
their wares in forums abroad. Nordic
Wasabi continues to wow customers
here and overseas, frequently appear-
ing on plates from Scandi hotspots.
Their downtown store now offers fun
group sessions centred around wasabi
and you can buy the fresh stem for a
delicious souvenir.
LOWLIGHTS
Suffering from Success:
Mathölls
Mathölls are the new ‘videosjóppa.’
At the onset of the VHS revolution,
video rentals mushroomed on practi-
cally every street corner. This get-rich-
quick, short-term thinking coupled
with “þetta reddast” is how you end up
with no less than nine food halls (soon
to be 10) in a country of 370,000 people
“xxx”
PHONE : 5522-444, 692-0564 banthai130@gmail.com
Ban Thai is not “fast food” restaurant
food made fresh from scratch, it‘s not pre-made,
every meal take some time to cook.
BEST THAI FOOD 2022
2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015,
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 AND 2009,
BEST GODDAMM RESTAURANT 2011
TOP TEN : BEST RESTAURANTS IN ICELAND
DV. 17.06.11
Laugavegur 130, Hlemmur, 105 Reykjavík
Lots of options for vegetarians.
BanThai
w w w . b a n t h a i . i s
R E S T A U R A N T
Welcome to the Rainbow
Thread, a queer guide
through the permanent
exhibition
The National Museum of Iceland
Suðurgata 41, 102 Reykjavík
Opening Hours
Daily 10-17
Closed on Mondays
www. nationalmuseum.is
+354 530 2200
@thjodminjasafn
Laugavegi 28
537 99 00
sumac@sumac. is
sumac. is
24The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1— 2023