The Food of Iceland
Food, like everything else here, is expensive. There is an abundance of seafood all year round, but Icelanders also pride themselves on lamb, as it is the most common farm animal. The national dish is the Kæstur hákarl (treated shark), which smells worse than a durian. The shark meat is fermented and cured, then dried for several months. Wikipedia says it has a "large amount of ammonia and has a strong smell, similar to many cleaning products" and a quick Google search reveals several blog posts about how it is "the worst thing I have ever eaten" or "the worst tasting food in the world". (Un)fortunately for me, I've run out of time to find hákarl, but as it is available all year round, I'm sure I'll be back to give it a go, at least once.
As it is winter as well, the meals are very traditional comfort foods; winter warmers with lots of rich, creamy sauces and soups, or plenty of root vegetables like potatoes, beetroot and carrots.
Here's a selection of what I've eaten so far:
Lobster & Stuff
Panfried Plaice a la Muniere with Canadian Lobster
Lemon, artichoke purée, white asparagus, crispy small potatoes and pickled green apples
The restaurant, Lobster & Stuff, has a wonderful quote from George Bernard Shaw on its outside wall - it reads "There is no sincerer love than the love of food." As I passed by, I immediately thought how great it would be to have lobster, and then had cravings for it as I was exploring the waterfront, so I returned after my short walk and settled in for the plaice and lobster.
Plaice is very common here. It's a simple fish, much like the New Zealand snapper, with a white, tender flesh. The lobster is solid as always, a rich, chunky piece of meat, with natural sweetness and saltiness. A few drops of the lime over the seafood and the dish is lip-smackingly good.
Gamla Vínhúsið
Minke Whale Steak
With pepper sauce, baked potato and vegetables
Yes I ate whale! This particular species is listed as "Not as Risk" by COSEWIC, and G5 by NatureServe, which means the species is secure on the global scale.
I'm surprised with the first bite. It tastes very much like red meat, but it is chewier and very lean. I was expecting something a bit fatty, with perhaps some fishiness to it. They've done a good job with the gravy and vegetables, and it's got that "winter warmer" feel to it. I'm impressed with the baked potato too.
Icelandic Skyr
With baked apple, caramel sauce and whipped cream
Skyr is a traditional Icelandic dairy dessert that is very much like yogurt, but lacks the sharp acidity - it's much milder than yogurt. The texture is very similar, almost bordering a consistency of custard. The pieces of spiced apple and cinnamon strewn through the dessert, and the gingerbread biscuit on top, makes this a pleasant dessert and a nice way to end the meal.
Kol
Soup of the Day: Sunchoke
I had to do a double take when the waiter said "sunchoke". It's more commonly known in New Zealand as the Jerusalem artichoke, but what was interesting for me here is the sourdough served in a cloth bag.
Charred Tuna
With watermelon, avocado, chilli and wasabi
Classic flavours here, but the wasabi is milder than I would have liked. The tuna is fresh and has a good bite to it, and a little sprinkling of nuts on the table gives the dish some crunch. I really like the slightly sweetness that the watermelon adds. I'm also amused by the odd plate, which cements my conclusion that I'm in one of Iceland's most hipster cafes.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:08pm on Friday February 24, 2017 :: 0 comments :: 