Reykjavík Grapevine - jún. 2023, Blaðsíða 32

The Reykjavík Grapevine 7 / 23 32Food
WORDS Shruthi Basappa
IMAGES Art Bicnick &
Kristinn Magnússon
Fiskfelagið, also known as Fish
Company, is often confused with the
other fish-in-its-name restaurant
down the street. But point out that it
is the restaurant under the bridge,
or the restaurant in the stone cellar,
or ahem, the Reykjavík Grapevine’s
Best Seafood restaurant 11 years in
a row, and an aha moment of clarity
dawns.
Whether you are visiting, or live in
Reykjavík, chances are that you’ve
lingered more than a moment tak-
ing in all the architectural delights
around Grófin. The historic, nauti-
cal heart of downtown Reykjavík is
home to thoughtfully restored tim-
ber and stone buildings, some dat-
ing as far back as 1863. Standing at
the corner of Tryggvagata and Ves-
turgata is the historic Zimsen house,
a building with a history riddled with
as many adventures as those prom-
ised on the menu at Fiskfelagið.
Originally located at the corner of
Hafnarstræti, the Zimsenhús was
moved in its entirety in 2006 from
its original location, on a specially
rigged out moving truck. It was a
newsworthy event, with spectacular
images and the enthusiastic obser-
vation that the move was so careful-
ly orchestrated that a flower vase in
the window sill made it safely to its
destination. While speculation was
rife about the renewed use of the
building and its possible new loca-
tion, by 2008 it was clear that a res-
taurant run by one-time Lækjarbrek-
ka owner Guðmundur Hanneson and
chef Lárus Gunnar Jónasson would
open in the stone basement.
Carefully restored by architect
Hjörleifur Stefánsson, the landscape
is meant to evoke what would have
been piers around this location in
1863. In place of the shallow harbor,
is a stone paved dug down square
with a pond on one side, replete with
a timber bridge — an awfully delight-
ful way to cut across to Hafnarstræti.
Tucked away from the bustle of the
main street, Fiskfelagið beckons
with its dark, stone walls and out-
door patio seating. On a sunny sum-
mer noon, you’ll be hard pressed to
find a free table outdoors as regu-
lars descend in hordes to make the
most of a rare good weather day.
But what has Fiskfelagið been up to
since Grapevine last reviewed them
in 2012? Well, a lot.
ROOTED IN ICELAND
Walking into the cavernous res-
taurant instantly transports diners
elsewhere. This is one of well known
interior designer Leifur Welding’s
more successful projects that com-
bines a sense of place with a touch
of worldly flourish with aplomb. Pops
of mustard add a depth of warmth
matched by the hospitable staff
that are quick with a chat or happy
to leave you alone, depending on
your preference. Artwork by local
artists, including a bold number by
illustrator Solveig Pálsdóttir, is as
prominent as the wall of Norwegian
porcelain plates from Figgjo, alto-
gether creating a moody, grotto-like
ambience that feels fitting to plot a
delicious escapade.
Since they first opened, and to the
amusement of reviewers before
me, Fiskfelagið’s affinity for naming
dishes after countries with seem-
ingly no connection to the ingredi-
ents proposed has been a baffling
phenomenon. But bat away those
affronting appellations and choose
what calls to you the most. What
was once a lone offering of ‘Around
the World’ dishes offered either as a
set menu or as a la carte has since
grown to include a snappy adven-
ture around Iceland menu, set men-
us of three and five course dishes,
and a substantial lunch menu that is
as celebratory a feast as dinner.
When my picky sister-in-law told me
about the best salad í bænum, I was
skeptical. Not only was this at a sea-
food restaurant, but also a lunch-on-
ly offering, reinforced my pre-
sumptions about sad salads. Fast
forward ten years since, and I am
now channeling that same enthu-
siasm for the Lobster Salad (5490
ISK) as my family first did. Crisp
Food Feature The Adventure Under The Bridge
Fiskfelagið is still going strong, 14 years on

SÆTA SVÍNIÐ / Hafnarstræti 1-3 / Tel. 555 2900 / saetasvinid.is
990 1.690
HAPPIEST
HAPPY HOUR
IN REYKJAVÍK
ICELANDIC GASTROPUB
They’ve taken something fa-
miliar and had fun with it in the
most maximalist way possible
by combining flavours and in-
gredients that aren’t tradition-
ally paired, but which still work
in a tasteful, pleasing fashion.