Nosh, Nosh, Nosh
Forréttabarinn specialises in starters—but think tapas meets bistro rather than 2-for-1 hot wings. In fact, Forréttabarinn (The Starter Bar) is sometimes jokingly referred to b
DELAY THE HUNGER STRIKE
When I heard about Gandhi I immediately welcomed the idea even before looking at the menu. Reykjavík only has one proper Indian restaurant, the wonderful Austur-Indíafjelagið, w
OM NOM NAM
Nam is a curiosity. Nam offers a Pan-Asian fusion menu designed by a chef coming straight from top shelf Michelin restaurants like Opera Källaren in Stockholm. But it also happens
Truly Sated
It’s worth mentioning that all reviews are done in context. A place like Nam will be measured against other ambitious fast food places and a beautifully designed hotel restaurant
Today Is Beer Day!
Yes, today is Iceland’s beer day! It was only on March 1, 1989 that beer became legal in Iceland. While the prohibition of most strong alcohol ended in 1935, the […]
Happy Bun Day!
Today is Bun Day, or Bolludagur, which is celebrated on the Monday before Lent starts, seven weeks before Easter. On this day, children wake their parents up with loud screams [&he
Grapevine Beer-Off 2
BJARTUR BLOND NR. 4 (5%) Borg Brugghús A blonde ale made from German and Slovenian hops. FIRST IMPRESSION! We all agree it has an unusually harsh and sharp aftertaste for [&hellip
Painted Ship Upon A Painted Ocean
Back in the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre. Back in The Borg starship (see Kolabrautin review). Except the place is shifting in my eyes every time. One moment it [&hellip
Happy Restaurant Day!
Restaurant Day—which has been wildly successful in Finland—will come to Reykjavík for the first time on February 4. On this day, people are encouraged to open their very own r
Five Food Things I Want To See More Of In 2012
COMPETITION IN THE DAIRY MARKET AND MORE CHEESE They may be tracing links between milk products and prostate cancer but I just can’t get enough of that milky goodness. The [&hell
Five Food Things That Made Me Happy In 2011
A BIGGER SELECTION OF ASIAN FOOD In one fell swoop NAM (Nútíma Asísk Matargerð) have started offering bento boxes, proper dumplings (so they say) and banh mis. I thought Icelan
Under The Paving Stones, The Fish
“It is well understood that fish is less nourishing than meat, because it contains no osmazome, because it is lighter in weight, and contains less weight in the same volume. [&he
The Grapevine Christmas Beer-Off
JÓLA BOCK 6.2% Víking Ölgerð/Vífilfell From the distributors of Coca-Cola. Those are the people that brought you SantaTM, you’d expect something a little more Christmassy. A
Rudolph the Medium Rare Reindeer
Fjalakötturinn is Hotel Centrum’s corrugated conjoined twin. Despite the faux-antique exterior, the buildings are riddled with cultural heritage within and without. The hotel an
Off To See The Wizard
Harry’s has been the topic of much discussion in the Icelandic media lately. At the time of writing, Harry’s is rated the third best restaurant in Iceland on TripAdvisor with [
Dining In The Borg Starship
Harpa looks a lot better on the inside, doesn’t it? From the outside it’s a sooty ice-cube blocking my view of my favourite range of mountains. On the inside it’s […]
THE NEW KID ON THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK
Grillmarkaðurinn is the new contender in the Icelandic steakhouse circuit. It is tucked behind the restaurant Happ, and shares one facet of Happ’s food philosophy with an emphas
Shiny HaPPy People
Happ is full of new ideas and fresh talent, but seems to stretch out in all directions, embracing every ideology and theme, some less compatible than others. This problem starts [&
FUNKY CHICKEN
“You know I don’t eat pork, not because I’m a Muslim—I just don’t really like it. But I really will fuck a bird up” – Immortal Technique (‘Beef &
Fight The Pink Pig: On Sourcing Locally
You are probably going to be hearing a lot of griping about Icelandic food trends in this mini-column, so I want to start off on a positive note. I was […]
LET’S SPLIT A SAUSAGE TART
Litli bóndabærinn (like St. Paul’s) is very much a one-person show. David, owner and sole employee (for the time being) is responsible for every aspect of the operation and