restaurant reviews

Within the past week, I have swung from such extreme polar opposites in dining experiences that it’s a wonder I’ve retained my sanity. I didn’t think it was possible to reach such sublime heights, or such hideous lows in the space of a few days. But - turns out it is, and here in our very own lil’ Smoky Bay.*

It all began last Friday when EPI and I were invited to dinner at Sjávarkjallarinn, one of Iceland’s most raved-about places. The person who invited us didn’t actually accompany us because he had other buttons to button*, namely a concert to play two hours later, to which we were subsequently invited. In lieu of his delightful company he’d actually gone and selected the entire experience for us - the most superexcellent choice on Sjávarkjallarinn’s roster, aptly dubbed the EXOTIC MENU, along with a fantastic and rarely-found variety of Pinot Gris.

Friends: I hardly possess enough superlatives to describe this meal. For one thing, it consisted of ONE appetizer, THREE entrées, TWO main courses and TWO desserts. And despite all this, we never felt excessively full - everything was just-so perfect. The sheer creativity and joy with which the food was put together was exhilarating, alternatively surprising and delightful. We were like little kids discovering food for the first time - it was that amazing. Case in point: the mini-burgers that comprised our third entrée, with filet of kangaroo, a creamy garlic sauce, peas, alfalfa sprouts, topped with orange foam - TO DIE FOR. As was the lobster compote served in a jar, the sushi and sashimi [one of the nigiri pieces was topped with elk meat], the different fish combos for the main course, and the DUCK main course [topped with foie gras - I know I know, poor ducks, I know] that still has me swooning every time I think of it. For dessert there were two types of mousse [white and dark] and also this dessert, which is actually three types of sorbet surrounded by fresh fruit, hiding inside that dry ice spectacle that the waitress sprung on us when we least expected it.

As regular readers will know, YT is somewhat hard to please when it comes to dining, but this meal was OUTSTANDING in every way. Even the service was fabulous and the waitstaff didn’t miss a beat. The only downer to the evening was that we had to finish this adventure for the senses in less than two hours to get to Víkingur’s concert - it’s the sort of meal you’d choose to linger over for an entire evening, not rush through. But major kudos to the staff for making sure we got out the door in time while never feeling excessively rushed. Which just means that we’ll have to go back again when we have more time. Soon.

So: if you’re coming over here, or if you’re already here, and want an extra-special treat, THIS is the place to go. It’s not cheap - but when you consider what you’d pay for three entrees, two main courses and two desserts anywhere else, it’s a total bargain.

—

Okay then.

So last night, AAH and YT opted for shopping over a proper dinner because, you know, we have our priorities straight, so by the time the old Kringlan mall closed we were famished and suffering from a severe crash in blood sugar. We’d been meaning to try this new Mexican place called Santa Maria on Laugavegur a] because there was this major buzz around it because it’s cheap [every entrée costs less than ISK 1.000] and b] because I’m so extremely self-sacrificing and I was looking forward to posting this as a HOT TIP on my blog for all the regular-income tourist people who generally have to choose between taking a trip to Iceland and actually eating food when they get here.

Anyway, we got there around 9.15 and got served pretty quickly. We decided to share a plate of nachos to start and then ordered a couple of entrées - YT a chicken mole somethingorother [with chocolate sauce - I’m sure most of you will know what I’m talking about here] while AAH ordered a burrito or something. So our nachos arrived within 15 minutes and were - adequate. We were both so ravenous that we wolfed them down, but in truth they were kind of chewy with merely little specks of ground beef on them and bits of grated cheese that wasn’t even melted.

So far so good [kinda]. We then proceeded to sit. And sit. And sit. The waitress came by a couple of times looking really confused with another plate of nachos that she couldn’t figure out where to put down [clearly some sort of mix-up with the order] then disappeared again, then came back again holding the nachos, then disappeared again. She then came back looking kind of spooked, walked up to our table, pointed to the order she’d left sitting on the table [?] and asked if we’d already eaten our entrées. No, we had not. At which she looked really alarmed and rushed off to the kitchen. Meaning: we’d been sitting there for 45 minutes and they hadn’t even started making our food.

OK. We were prepared to overlook that little faux-pas, but when they finally brought the food an hour after we’d sat down and it was COLD and tasted like crap … well, we [read: YT] weren’t feeling all that benign any more. Seriously: that food was horrible. How horrible? it tasted like the inside of an ancient pillow covered in rancid chocolate sauce poured all over a COLD plate, with a few strands of ungrated cheese on top. Gross. I was so famished that I was ready to devour the fricking table, but I still wasn’t able to get the food down. We just got up and left. Paid for the nachos and two cokes, and left.

Moral of the story: if you’re desperate for a chicken burrito, go to your local 10-11 and buy a ready-made one and heat it in the store’s microwave. Then use what you’ve saved and put it towards an exhilarating meal at Sjávarkjallarinn.

WHAT? TIME’S UP?
Oh right, I forgot: you want to hear about the weather. It’s gorgeous right now, almost 11.30 pm and bright as day. Dark blue and purple clouds are sailing through the sky and I bet if I left my house and walked 50 metres I’d be in the midst of a gorgeous sunset. But I’m lazy so just envisioning it will have to be enough. Currently 10°C [50], sunrise this morning at 3.11 am and sunset in a few minutes at 11.44 pm.

* The literal translation of Reykjavík
** Nicelandic idiom

A few weeks ago YT and EPI went out for dinner with a couple of friends to a place called Vín og skel, on Laugavegur. Now, having been on intimate terms with the restaurant business in my North American incarnation [many moons ago], and having worked in some places that considered flawlessness to be merely the starting point, YT considers herself a bit of an expert when it comes to the many little nuances that make up the ideal dining experience. [As regular readers will no doubt know.] [click to continue…]

Ok, enough whingeing: here comes a restaurant review.

EPI and I went out for dinner on Friday night with a couple of friends to Vín og skel [Wine and Shell – NB not the oil company] on Laugavegur. I’d been curious about the place for a while, having heard good things about it. In fact, I’d wanted to try it in its previous location, a bit further up on Laugavegur, tucked away down an alleyway and inside a little courtyard that was supposed to serve as an idyllic sheltered place in summer, where we could all pretend we were on continental Europe, sitting outside and freezing our butts off. But that’s another story.

Vín og skel specializes in wine and shellfish, as the name suggests, and has a really easygoing bistro feel, with the specials written in chalk on a blackboard and so on. We were tucked away in a corner in the back, which was very cosy, and in general the ambiance was delightful. Also delightful was the service … our waiter, who I believe is the owner of the restaurant, had the sort of easygoing charm I associate more with the US or Canada than with Niceland, where the wait staff tends to be either uptight, aloof, rude, or sometimes all three.

It started off extremely well. We ordered vino [they have a good wine list there and even had my favourite white, Gewürztraminer, although not by my favourite producer, but nevermind] and the execution of the wine service was flawless. The waiter also brought an ice bucket to our table, which is not standard here in Niceland [and indeed debatable whether it is necessary in the land of ice – although inside a geothermally-heated restaurant it probably is]. I ordered something called a Fjöruferð [‘excursion to the shore’] which turned out to be a three-course menu of scallops as an appetizer, monkfish as a main course, and the house chocolate cake for dessert. I asked to substitute the cake for crème brûlée, which was not an issue. [Add a point for flexibility and all-round charm.]

Next we were brought a basket of bread with possibly the most excellent tapenade I’ve ever tasted, and soon afterwards came our appetizers, which were delicious. By this time I was ecstatic. Everything had run absolutely smoothly and I couldn’t fault a thing. - Alas, it was not to last. Our appetizers were taken away, and we waited for at least 30 minutes – if not more – for our main courses. Finally they arrived, and sadly were less than satisfactory. My monkfish was tasty enough, but it was way overcooked [an absolute sin where fish is concerned], and consequently tough like an old piece of leather. EPI had ordered a ‘fish trio’ – salmon, spotted catfish and tuna … and it arrived cold. Also, his fish trio shared the same sauce, which seemed rather substandard and contrasted sharply with our previous experience at Grillið, where the three fishes all had their own sauce. Our friends both reported the same dissatisfaction with their food – it was merely average, or thereabouts.

By this time the service had also fallen rather severely from grace, as EPI waited for five or ten minutes for a new set of cutlery [we’d all had ours taken away after the appetizers, but a waitress had brought new cutlery for us all, except EPI] and eventually we actually had to fetch the girl to bring it [did I mention his food was already cold?]. My friend L. had also ordered more red wine and that took forever to arrive, meaning she ate a large portion of her main course without it [unforgivable].

Seeing as the main course is, well, sort of the main course, this put a rather large damper on the experience. Meanwhile, the dessert was just fine – my crème brûlée was satisfying and EPI’s chocolate cake was very good.

I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt and think that they were having an off day with the overcooked and cold fish, but don’t quote me on it. However, the service was utterly charming, so that carries some clout. Dinner for me and EPI, with a bottle of wine, came to ISK 17.960 [USD 265/EUR 173] and I now see on closer inspection of the bill that we were charged with a coffee we didn’t order. Just goes to show you should always check your bill at the table.

All in all, three out of five for the food, and subtract half a point for charging us for something we didn’t order.

Afterwards we wandered into a few pubs/clubs and wound up at Næsti bar, which is the only place in Reykjavík where you don’t have to shout to be heard [i.e. they don’t play deafening music to make people drink more]. It’s also where all the theatah people hang out, and sure enough, there was dreamy Gael Garcia Bernal hob-knobbing with the locals [he’s in Reykjavík doing a play, if you remember], while all the Nicelanders were trying really hard to act like they didn’t see him. Hilarious. However, that is probably why famous people like coming here – because everyone goes out of their way not to see them.

WEATHER

Right now it looks lovely out there. There’s no wind to speak of, and the sky is mostly brilliant blue with a handful of scattered white clouds. Temps according to Yahoo are 0°C [32F] so not too terribly cold. Sunup today 8.02, sundown scheduled for 7.14 pm.

Við Tjörnina, literally translated, means “By Tjörnin” – Tjörnin being a Reykjavík landmark that, depending on who you talk to, is either a pond or a lake. [Personally I think it’s too large to be the former and too small to be the latter – so for lack of a better word we’ll call it a ‘poke’.] Hence it should come as no surprise that the Við Tjörnina restaurant is located – you guessed it – by the poke.

In the 15 or so years it’s been open [anybody, feel free to correct me], Við Tjörnina has become somewhat of a Reykjavík institution. Primarily known for its fish dishes and its comfy old décor, it’s the sort of place where Nicelanders tend to take tourists for dinner. I’m going to avoid at all costs the description “just like your granny’s living room” because that’s how every tourist brochure tends to describe it, but, well, you get the picture. Old stuff. Old telephones, old sofas, old ornaments. And tableware that doesn’t match, on purpose.

About 12 years ago, when I first went there, the ‘old’ thing was all gleaming and shiny, particularly the glansmyndir – glossy pictures – that were stuck up on the walls. Unfortunately now the ‘old’ is, well, a little old. It just doesn’t enchant in the same way it used to. It’s a bit like a grey veneer of complacency has sort of descended on everything including, sadly, the food.

Anyway. Back to our evening last Saturday. We all met up in the lounge [granny’s living room] for an aperitif. I ordered a Kir Royale – my tipple of choice when I was about, oh, [mumblemuble] back in the disco era, and which I hadn’t tasted in almost as long. To their credit, they make an excellent Kir Royale at Við Tjörnina. In fact, if your grandmother drank Kir Royale, that is probably exactly how she would make it.

While there, we checked out the menu and a delightful waitress took our order. A few moments later we were ushered to our table. A waiter came with our wine [Pouilly Fuisse – wonderful] and did everything by the book, opening it at the table [you’d be surprised how many supposedly classy restaurants here just plonk the bottle down on the table already opened], holding the bottle so that the label was displayed while the tasting was done, etc. The only thing he missed was that he didn’t fill the glasses of the ladies before filling those of the men [having worked in some very fine establishments myself, I’m a stickler for these things] but we’ll forgive him for that because after all, here in Iceland, the women are men.*

Next came our starters. I’d ordered “Sauted [sic] scallops w/tomato and garlic” because I absolutely love a good, tender, melt-in-your-mouth scallop. Sadly, the consistency of these reminded me more of a fish ball from a can than a tender miym scallop, although it did have the same delicate, gorgeous taste. EPI, his father and brother all ordered “Pickled herring & fermented shark w/schnapps” [jawol!] wheras my sister-in-law had “Hot smoked lamb’s heart w/applesalad and horseradishcream”.** Nobody complained.

For a main course I ordered what I ordered the last time I was there [about three years ago] because it was so fabulous back then: “Sauteed plaice w/blue cheese and banana”. As expected, the fish was very fresh and on the whole the dish was tasty – but it wasn’t very hot. In fact, it was only lukewarm. Due probably in no small part to the fact that the plates were cold. Which brings me to another point: I fail to understand why restaurants here in Iceland just cannot keep their plates warm. Sheesh! An essential part of serving a good meal is serving it hot and in my book, serving it hot is mutually exclusive with loading it onto a cold plate. What the hell are they teaching in Cooking 101 these days!?

For dessert EPI and I decided to split a French chocolate cake because once upon a time the French chocolate cake at Við Tjörnina was famous and there was even one occasion when we made a point of going there just for the cake because we were having a craving. Alas, we failed to remember that these days French chocolate cake is no longer such a novelty and in fact even EPI and I make a perfectly good French chocolate cake now in our very own kitchen. And so, like the old-style décor, the cake had somehow lost its lustre, in spite of the sculpted dollop of cream they stuck on the top.

Yeah, so anyway, I’m aware that I’m sounding pretty damn bleh about the whole thing, which is unfortunate because in fact I had a lovely time on Saturday night. In fact, I was having such a lovely time that I really didn’t have the inclination to be underwhelmed about the food whilst there, nor to consider the fact that the waiter kept reaching his arm over me to pick up or deliver plates so that I virtually had my face in his armpit. Water off a duck’s back, as they say, thanks in no small part to the lovely company I was in.

Final verdict: Við Tjörnina is an okay place for dinner that can remember its dandelion more beautiful*** and that appears to have become somewhat complacent over the years. Food: a tiny notch above average [quite unacceptable considering the prices they charge.] Service: friendly and amiable but could have done without all the armpit-gazing or [cough] smelling. Ambiance: relaxed but a tad dusty in the metaphorical sense.

WEATHER: It’s been mild and calm today with rain. Wind is picking up now. 3°C [46F], sunrise was at 9:15 am and sunset at 6:09 pm.

* i.e. somewhere, some committee decided that the masculine pronoun should be used to refer to both men and women.
** Sadly, I always feel it reflects badly on a place when they can’t have their menus properly translated.
*** Nicelandic idiom meaning ‘it used to be better’.

Christmas in Iceland is all about tradition, and for EPI and YT there quite simply is no freaking Christmas unless we get our Yule Platter at The Virgin.

In fact, this conviction has passed repeatedly through my panicked mind over the past two weeks, having been told that The Virgin was all booked up every day and every evening until Christmas and there was not a hope in hell that we’d be able to get a table unless something major happened, like a massive fricking storm that would drive everyone off the streets and into the malls. Which is exactly what happened last Friday. Whew.

The Virgin is the English translation of Jómfrúin, which is the name of a restaurant in downtwn Reykjavík and also a euphemism for ‘Danish woman who makes open-faced sandwiches’. Those open faced sandwiches are called smørrebrod and are traditionally Danish. In Denmark they have been elevated to a high art, so much that it takes years to be educated as a smørrebrod-maker, and those who actually graduate in the art of smørrebrod-making can officially call themselves jómfrú which in English translates into ‘virgin’ or, more specifically, ‘female virgin’.

Anyway, the owner of Jómfrúin is a man, and not just any man but actually the first member of the male gender to actually graduate as a jómfrú [geddit? He’s not actually a female, yet he’s a jómfrú]. And – predictably – the restaurant specializes in smørrebrod, a scrumptious selection of which they serve every day of the year [but only until 6 pm because true smørrebrod places are never open in the evenings]. During Advent, however, Jómfrúin completely departs from its regular programming and serves up a fantastic Yule Platter, featuring a selection of seven different tapas-sized dishes, plus a to-die-for dessert in the form of a rice and almond pudding served with cherry sauce [with real cherries] and whipped cream. YUM.

The Yule Platter consists of the following Danish delicacies [keep in mind that all this is of the highest quality, made from scratch by The Virgin himself, and absolutely delectable]: Pickled herring in a mustard sauce, crab tart with lobster tail, some sort of pickled chicken salad concoction, hot smoked duck breast, reindeer pâté, roast pork with rind and caramelized potatoes with brown sauce, and finally a slice of creamy gorgonzola with grapes, all served with pumpernickel bread and sliced baguette. Followed by the aforementioned dessert. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to start the evening off with a shot of Aalborg Aquavit, served in an iced glass.

EPI and I chanced upon this hidden Advent treasure about six years ago when we were doing some Christmas shopping downtown and ambled into The Virgin on the way home because we didn’t feel like cooking. We were immediately bowled over and made a vow there and then to do the Yule Platter thing every single year, come hell or high water [like last Friday]. Something which we have judiciously adhered to ever since, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends. And clearly we’re not the only devotees because Yule Platter at The Virgin has become more popular year-on-year, witnessed by the fact that when I phoned to make a reservation at the beginning of December for, oh, around the 20^th or so, we were told that there was not a hope in hell of getting a table for the remainder of the Advent, unless there happened to be a last-minute cancellation, which was highly unlikely. Unless there was a tempest, that is.

WE HAD A BRIEF RESPITE YESTERDAY AND THEN – ANOTHER STORM
It’s getting so that you can set your watch by it … one day a storm, another day calm, next day storm, next day calm, and so on. Weatherman sez it’s because there was a huge low-pressure area that was broken up somehow en route to us, resulting in this chequered kind of weather. Whatever, all I know is that I went out for a walk today and there was not a dry thread on my entire body within ten minutes of walking out the door. I came back looking like a drowned rat. Then, this evening, EPI and I went out for a long walk around the golf course in relatively calm and absolute pitch darkness. Scary. It was a new experience for Yours Truly, and I remarked to EPI on the way that there were probably not many places in the world where you could walk outside like that in a remote area with not a light around, and still feel safe as houses. We’re in for some calm until tomorrow night, when we have another storm coming. Tsk. Still, we’re not getting barraged with snow like the northern US. It’s mild, in fact: 6°C [43F] and sunrise was at 11.17, sunset at 15.29.

Been suffering from Acute Cobweb Syndrome all day long on account of the copious amounts of red wine I drank last night while out enjoying a Christmas buffet courtesy of EPI’s employer. Actually, ‘copious amounts’ is probably a bit misleading - the fact is that I normally suffer from cobweb syndrome the day after drinking anything in excess of a single glass of red wine. Sadly, red wine and YT do not mix well. I love it yet it doesn’t love me. Sigh. Life’s a bitch, and all that. Boo hoo.

Anyway, ’tis the season of the Christmas buffet, meaning every company worth its salt must invite its employees out to at least one. And such is the demand that parties are booked back-to-back at restaurants and in our case we had to arrive promptly at six pm and be out by nine. Fair enough.

This particular buffet was held at Iceland’s Bastion of Beef, a restaurant called Argentina, which for about a decade now has been considered one of the classiest joints in town, not to mention one of the most expensive. Hence it was with some anticipation that our YT made her way there last night for the very first time, ready to partake of Argentina in all its glory.

Imagine my surprise, then, to find that the decor was much like a tired old steakhouse in any old suburb of any Western metropolis, all fake Tudor, plaster walls and exposed beams. And boy, was it a tight squeeze in there - the place is in no way designed for a Christmas buffet or parties of 20 or more. People were cramming into a tiny room off to the side to fill their plates, an undertaking which, note bene, was carefully orchestrated by the waitstaff and as such went off without any major disasters, but was still a bit unpleasant.

Be that as it may, the food was very good, although for a Christmas buffet there was only a limited selection of things to choose from - at least compared to some other places at which I’ve had the privilege of partaking. There was the ubiquitous gravlax and reindeer pate, both of which were excellent, and a pretty good roast beef that nonetheless was a bit tough [as all beef is in Iceland always - guess it must be the absence of tenderizer, which in turn makes it OK]. There was also an excellent Spanish potato salad, and a turkey terrine with wild mushrooms that was very tasty and unusual. Mind you, the whole thing was a bit heavy on the turkey … probably because turkey is a bit of a fad in Iceland these days, or has been for the last, say, 3-4 years. Adopted from somewhere - probably America [ooh, now I’ll get some hyper-sensitive American person in my comments accusing me of saying Iceland picks up all its bad habits from America] - and, like all fads to hit Iceland, it took off at a gallop and virtually everyone followed. Except for YT, because in my North American incarnation I ate enough turkey [and turkey leftovers] to last me until the end of my life and then some, so unlike most of my Icelandic brethren I really cannot get excited about turkey even if my life depended on it. But I digress.

Happily there were alternatives to turkey, like the filet of lamb served as a hot course [also a bit tough, but hey, who’s complaining, not me] and then there was the dessert buffet which bizarrely served up chocolate cake [i.e. like a devil’s food cake, not French chocolate] which to me seems like a totally ridiculous thing to offer people who have just stuffed themselves at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I mean, one slice is equivalent to a whole meal! Cleverly I sidestepped the cake and went straight for the homemade sorbet, the creme brulee and the chocolate cups with the mango filling [or whatever that was] and boy, those did not disappoint.

Final verdict: Argentina is not a comfortable place for a Christmas buffet, but the food is good, especially if you like turkey. 3.5 stars out of 5.

Afterwards a few of us headed back to a friend’s apartment, where some more red wine was consumed and we yacked away until the wee hours of the morning, telling stories and chewing the fat. A very, very nice evening. Very nice.

THE WEATHER GETS FIVE STARS OUT OF FIVE
Because it has been sublime. Finally, a few days of proper winter! Today it was brilliantly sunny and cold, and there’s snow on the ground, which is awesome. There was no wind, which just made it so delightful to be outside in the cool, crisp air. The only problem is that there are only about 4.5 hours of daylight in which to enjoy it - but then again, the sky has such a lovely pastel hue for such an extended period. It’s all in the perception. Temps currently -5°C [23F] and sunrise was at 11.02 this morning, sunset at 3.36 pm.

Last year when EPI and I got married, our four exceptionally wonderful daughters gave us a fabulous wedding present: a night at the Hotel Saga plus dinner at Grillið, their in-house restaurant that happens to be one of the best in Reykjavík. It’s taken us almost a year to fit this little outing into our busy schedules [a scandal, really], but last night we finally managed it.

EPI’s main concern was that we’d get bored. I mean, we planned to check in at 2 pm and dinner wasn’t until 9.30 – what would we do in the interim? However, he comforted himself with the thought that, if push came to shove, we could always go home, seeing as how we live only five minutes away by car.

Personally I had no such worries, because as I pointed out to EPI, the hotel actually has a spa at which we could hang out for the duration of the afternoon. This generated even more anxiety for EPI, because by his own admission he didn’t know what to do in a spa. [I was going to mention Brazilian waxing, but decided against it.] Plus we could take a book and actually lie in bed and read, or – you know – whatever. It was supposed to be a romantic getaway after all.

So we checked in around three. The first half an hour was a bit weird; we unpacked our bags and examined the slippers and bathrobes folded neatly on the bed, stared out the window a bit, and then for lack of a better activity sat in the armchairs provided and read the newspapers. That took us up to about 4 pm, when it was time to take a deep breath and venture out to the spa.

After a bit of humming-and-hawing about what to take with us [bathrobe? towel? slippers?] we finally made it down there, only to discover that three Nicelandic couples had staked their claim to the Jacuzzi and were drinking beer and generally having a rowdy time. Great. So we alternated between the steam bath and the sauna and eventually shuffled over to the Jacuzzi after the ladies had retired to the changing room, only to discover that this Jacuzzi has salty sea water in it and the bubbles have this rhythm that is just so soothing, and OMG it’s fricking amazing. So we basically we just flaked out there completely inert until the woman who worked there came and told us the spa was closing and we had to get out now, otherwise she’d have to pull the plug.

Anyway, cut to a few hours later, and we were sitting on the eighth floor up in Grillið being served the meal of a lifetime. Seriously. The food was to die for. This was my second time eating at this particular restaurant and both times it’s been out of this world. [Meanwhile, the service was merely adequate, but that’s hardly news around here.] We picked the ‘Discovery Menu’ and the discoveries consisted of the following: an appetizer of king crab with buttery sauce; seared tuna steaks with a little croquette ball with a tiny zuccini slice inside and some other delectable accompaniments; pan-fried plaice with scallops and mango foam; melt-in-your-mouth beef with mashed potato all artistically carved and arranged plus vegetables and oxtail something wrapped up in like a pastry type thingy set on top … see? Words fail me.* I can’t even begin to describe what it was like. – Oh, and not forgetting dessert, which consisted of something called a ‘banana club’ [as in ‘sandwich’], crème brulee, sorbet and a fourth something that escapes me at the moment.

Along with these mouthwatering treats we were poured three different kinds of wine – Riesling with the fish, Shiraz with the beef, and a Hungarian dessert wine with dessert. Yowsa!**

AND THEN WE WOKE UP TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY
And despite still being stuffed, went down to a lavish hotel breakfast before packing our things for home. I’ve decided that staying in a hotel that’s right near your house is the only way to travel – you’re not stressed out about forgetting something, and you don’t care how you pack before you leave the hotel because you know you’re going to unpack ten minutes later. But I digress: the weather was exceptional today, brilliant sunshine and temps hovering around the freezing mark. As soon as we got home [and unpacked] we went out for a long walk and tanked up on some daylight, which was clear and bright enough to take us through to the end of next week, I should think. Currently –2°C [28F] and the sun came up at 10.05 am and set at 4.20 pm.

* PS I reserve the right to be wrong about the food descriptions. It was all so exceptionally artistic and complex that I can’t remember what everything was called.

** I should probably mention, for anyone intending to follow our example, that delightful as this dinner was, it didn’t exactly come cheap. Two four-course ‘Discovery Menus’ accompanied with ‘a glass’ of wine with each course [it was actually only about half a glass] came to ISK 25.500 [USD 418 / GBP 204]. In my opinion the wine was the least value for money - it was fun to try different wines, but we could have easily ordered two bottles for the price they charged. Just FYI.

Got an email from a reader in Athens, Greece, who is planning to visit our fair isle over Christmas and New Year’s and who presented our YT with a set of questions related to his upcoming trip. Seeing as how the information might be useful to the myriad other punters who are planning on doing the same [if the google searches I’m getting are anything to go by, there are many] I thought I’d post both the questions and the answers here. Doing my bit for king and country, as it were.

What would you suggest as something traditional to do over New Years Holiday?

~ Go out on New Year’s Eve and mix with the locals at the brennur – the big bonfires generally held down by the seashore. [In Reykjavík the one on Ægissíða is the best, in my opinion.] Then at midnight go up to Skólavörðuholt, in front of Hallgrímskirkja church, and observe the mayhem as Reykjavík residents shoot up fireworks worth the GDP of a small African nation within the space of half an hour. TIP: you may want to bring earplugs.

What are the possibilities of seeing the northern lights? (we are renting a vehicle so we have the opportunity to leave the city during the nights).

~ Hit and miss. If you’re lucky it will be cold and clear, the conditions needed for the northern lights to appear. Driving out of the city also increases the chances, what with light pollution and everything.

What would you consider to be the best public pool/water slides for families?

~ 1. Árbæjarlaug, 2. Laugardalslaug.

Best Traditional Icelandic food (I am a big fan of Seafood)?

~ At Christmas? Smoked lamb [hangikjöt], ptarmigan [rjúpa] if you can get it [you probably can’t], reindeer pâté, leaf bread [laufabrauð], smoked puffin. All those will be present at any Christmas buffet in the city [except maybe the ptarmigan], which are hugely popular around that time. If traditional Christmas isn’t de rigueur, then you can’t go wrong with seafood and lamb. Even the most basic restaurant will do good seafood [except, maybe, Icelandic Fish and Chips, as I found out to my dismay] and I can recommend Við Tjörnina [no I’m not getting a kickback – if only!] for great fish dishes.

Okay then! If anyone else has any questions, do send them in, we aim to please.

STILL FREEZING COLD, UNTIL TOMORROW
The last few days have been miserable, what with the freezing temps and particularly the strong wind from the north that gets in through every nook and cranny and just makes you feel so cold. BUT we’re in for southeasterly winds tomorrow and rain for the next few days, much to the chagrin of another reader – from the UK – who emailed yesterday to ask if the weather forecast he’d seen somewhere with temps of 7-12°C was really true. And I was forced to tell him that Iceland is, in fact, the most misnamed country on the planet, save for Greenland which obviously is in a league of its own. Temps crawling upwards, currently 4°C [39F] and sunrise was at 8:23 am, sunset due for 6:02 pm.

First this: even if I still haven’t managed to grasp what Blogshares is, I was kind of chuffed to discover that it currently lists The Iceland Weather Report as the top Reykjavík blog, and the number two Iceland blog, following on the heels of the formidable Rebekka, who in case you don’t know absolutely rules Flickr with her stunning, hyperbole-defying photographs.

Yay! I guess.

But on to more pressing concerns. In the comments to the last post, lectriclady turned the tables and asked YT to recommend some places where she could go for lunch and dinner when she visits our fair city later this month. As some of you may recall, I’ve been meaning to do more restaurant recommendations, so I decided to turn my reply into a separate post. Here goes.

LUNCH
As a rule, it’s pretty hard for an Icelandic restaurant to mess up on food, simply because the quality of the ingredients here is superb. Mind you, some may be more adept than others at turning those ingredients into something delectable, and of course the service often leaves a lot to be desired [although the more posh places generally hire professional wait staff who have been through rigorous training and actually earned certificates in waiting on tables]. Many of the upscale places offer lunchtime specials that are excellent and a lot more reasonable than they are at night.

Hotel Holt
Their restaurant is one of the swankiest in town and boasts a super-impressive art collection. I haven’t been there in a couple of years, but they’re renowned for their food and their lunch special is an excellent deal. The downside is that the dining room is a bit dated and is really dark - which I find a bit of a drawback, especially in the summer.

Silfur
This place opened about a year ago in the gorgeous Hótel Borg and immediately earned a ‘Hot Pick’ type of accolade from Conde Nast. I haven’t tried it but I understand the food is great and they do one of those great-value lunch menus.

LaPrimavera
Haven’t been there since I wrote about it here, but I’m pretty sure it still holds its own and it has a lunch special. It has a lovely atmosphere, with high ceilings and huge windows overlooking Austurstræti.

Jómfrúin
This is a place I love for lunch - they specialize in Danish smörrebrod [open-faced sandwiches] that are absolutely to die for. My favourites are the breaded filet of plaice on rye and the lamb with deep-fried parsley. You can also order two half-portions, which is great if you can’t make up your mind. Their prices are pretty good too, by Nicelandic standards, and the service is efficient and friendly. [Located in Lækjargata, no website, and closed evenings.]

Osushi
Located upstairs in the IÐA bookstore on Lækjargata, this sushi place is really popular at lunch. They serve sushi on a conveyor belt [i.e. you sit at a bar and pick the dishes you want to try as they go past] and of particular interest, to some at least, is the horse sashimi. Yes, quite.

DINNER
There’s such a variety to choose from here, I hardly know where to begin, so I’ll just go with a random selection.

Grillið
lectriclady is staying at the Hotel Saga, which has one of the best restaurants in the city: Grillið, on the top floor. Can’t go wrong there, although it’s on the pricey side.

Sjávarkjallarinn
The place everyone raves about, which our YT has not had the pleasure of trying. They do a taster menu for around ISK 7000, which is wery wery popular. If price was no object, I’d probably opt for this place, simply because it has such a stellar reputation.

Austur India Fjelagið
This Indian restaurant is one of my favourite spots in Reykjavík for dinner - their food is outstanding and the service about the most professional you’ll get in this city [probably because some of the owners are from London]. Old Harrison Ford has a particular fondness for this place and tends to dine there whenever he’s in Reykjavík, which is surprisingly often.

Hornið
This little Italian place is among the first café-type places that opened in Reykjavík and it has been consistently popular since then. It’s incredibly cosy and their pizzas are great, plus their prices are reasonable.

Vegamót
This café morphs into a nightclub in the evening, but until then they serve really good food at great prices. There’s a courtyard that is usually packed on sunny days in the summer.

Okay then! That should give some idea of places to dine in Reykjavík, although the list is by no means exhaustive. As for lectriclady’s other question, whether I had any nightclub/music recommendations, I have to confess I’m a bit stumped. I tend to steer clear of Reykjavík nightlife a) because places don’t really get hopping until around 1 am and by that time I’m too lazy to move; b) by four or five you’ll have people puking in your lap, knocking you over and indiscriminately grabbing your boobs; c) by six or seven you’re lucky to get home intact without some methhead breaking a bottle across your head.

As for concerts, unfortunately this is not the season - vibrant as the cultural life is here in Iceland, things tend to cool down in the summer, start to simmer in September, and hit a rolling boil by December. That said, any of those free Reykjavík guides available at hotels will probably prove me wrong in a second.

WEATHER!
Sitting outside on the balcony, soaking up the sun as I write this. It’s sweltering hot in my little sheltered alcove, but out in the open it’s pretty windy, which tempers the heat quite considerably. Everything looks so iridescent in this light - sunshine mixed with crisp Nordic air is such an irresistible combo. Currently 13°C [55F], sunrise was at 5:14 this morning, sunset scheduled for 9:48 pm.