Reykjavik, Iceland – Writing With My Mouth Full

Where to eat in Reykjavik, Iceland: Kebab Husid

Because Iceland is famous for its cod, the Dr. became very interested in eating fish and chips after reading about the Kebab House. The name doesn’t scream fish and chips, but the writeup proclaimed it offered the best in the city. Because cod is plentiful in Iceland, I assume Kebab House had several chances to get them right.

The downtown location closed after the building burned down in the corner of Austurstraeti and Laekjargata. We had to drive to their other location on Grensasvegur. We drove to what looked like a plaza mall before heading out to the airport. It felt like we were transformed to a London pub as soon as we walked in. All the TVs were on showing football games. Famous jerseys were hanging on the walls. Blokes were drinking beer and smoking cigarettes while playing billiards. It wasn’t even noon yet.

The Dr. ordered fish and chips. I ordered the lamb gyro because I was still insistent on having good lamb before leaving Iceland. We’ve had fish and chips from England to Harlem and they’ve all tasted differently because of the fish used and how they were fried. The Kebab House cod version was light and not weighed down by so much batter. I’m not sure what oil they use but the fish was definitely not soaking wet. The chips were also light and crispy.

The gyro was nothing special. I could not finish the heavy pita anyway, but I have to say the lamb chunks tasted better and were more flavorful than my overdone saddle of lamb the night before.

Kebab Husid is on Grensasvegur 3
Where to stay in Reykjavik for cheap: Reykjavik Hostel

Where to eat in Reykjavik, Iceland: Baejarins Beztu Pylsur

Our Iceland guide books made such a big deal about Baejarins Beztu Pylsur that we had to check it out. It’s a hot dog stand on Posthusstraeti, next to the Kolaportio flea market on weekends, and it’s lauded by eager locals as one of Iceland’s national foods.

When we walked by before noon, the line was already long. They must be good hot dogs, right?

I’m from New York City and we have Nathan’s and Sabrett hot dogs on the streets. We have Gray’s Papaya and Sparky’s. But perhaps Reykjavik has a say, too. So we joined the queue and bought ourselves a hot dog–what they call “A Clinton” after Bill Clinton made a stop during one of his trips to the country.

The verdict? We ordered a hot dog with ketchup and mustard. I added fried onions on mine. It looked like a hot dog and, well, it tasted like a hot dog. What’s the big deal again?

Baejarins Beztu Pylsur is on Posthusstraeti 101
Where to stay in Reykjavik for cheap: Reykjavik Hostel

Where to eat in Reykjavik, Iceland: Vin og Skel

For our first dinner in Reykjavik, we ended up at Vin og Skel on a small alley off the main shopping street of Laugavegur. We didn’t have reservations, but when we walked in, the waitress led us to the only two-person table upstairs. We were surrounded by two large groups. It felt like we were crashing two different parties. Their entire menu was written on a blackboard which reminded me of any laid-back New England seafood restaurant, but the seafood at Vin og Skel was better than any I’ve had here in the States.

Owner Kristjan Noi is not shy about experimenting, but the best dishes were the simplest. A pail of mussels was comforting in some broth flavored with leeks. My glass of white wine wasn’t as cold as I would have liked, so the mussels made me wish I ordered beer instead.

My main dish, part of the “surprise menu” I selected, was a lobster-catfish-monkfish combination with white sauce. The dish was a little too salty but the lobster and the fish were the freshest I’ve had in a long time. Both fish were cooked just right: the meat tender with some give. The Dr.’s bacalao, or cod, an abundant fish in Iceland, was also really good. Unfortunately, it was also oversalted. His came with brown stock and potatoes, which were perfect to combat the chill coming in through the French doors next to the kitchen.

They were offering minke whale carpaccio as a special. I am currently doing research about whaling in Iceland to see if the meat for sale in their markets are from scientific research only, but that night, the Dr. and I simply couldn’t resist. The whale meat was of a deep-burgundy red, like beets, sliced thinly and drizzled with olive oil. The tops of what looked like radish greens had the perfect bitter taste to accompany the beefiness of the whale. It wasn’t at all fishy and it tasted like a very expensive cut of beef. The Dr. felt more awful than I did because he loves to fish, but when asked if he’ll eat it again, say in Japan where it’s also “allowed,” he said yes.

We ended our night with creme brulee served with a dainty gooseberry on top. It came with my prix fixe. Our temples were pounding because of the salt we’ve consumed and my eyes were a little tired from squinting all night because the space was not well lit. In the end, both helped us fork over our $200 with only a glass of wine and a Pillsner Urquel. We saved a lot of money while we were on the road but we surely blew a lot just in one night!

Vin og Skel is on Laugavegur 55, + 354 534-4700
Where to stay in Reykjavik for cheap: Reykjavik Hostel

Where to eat in Reykjavik, Iceland: Carpe Diem

Dinner the second night was at Carpe Diem inside the Foss Hotel. Since we arrived in Reykjavik, we’ve been eating a lot of the local seafood. We wanted to taste the local fare of lamb and the much-heard about puffin. Carpe Diem prides itself in the two.

We started with the Icelandic feast: a plate of salmon, herring and two kinds of roe served with crÃ¨me fraiche. A small side of mixed greens and the accompanying wheat bread would have made it perfect for lunch.

I was excited to finally eat the puffin. We were in Iceland in the beginning of the summer season and all the puffins were beginning to nest. We tried to stop by Dyrholaey but it was inaccessible, so we were unable to see them close-up. I thought that if I can’t see them, I might as well eat them. They always say, When in Rome…

The lundi is the national bird of Iceland, but they’re obviously not shy about eating them. My smoked puffin was neither gamey nor fishy as expected. It looked like beef with the beautiful marbling. It also tasted like fresh, high-quality beef. Unfortunately, it was served with unexciting shredded iceberg lettuce and zucchini and a dollop of white sauce which tasted like ranch dressing. I thought it would have been better if it was served carpaccio-style, drizzled with good olive oil.

We split an order of saddle of lamb. Before we ordered it, we asked our waitress if saddle was the term they use for rack of lamb. She said that it was. However, we were served the loin. To top it off, it was overdone. If it wasn’t for its gamey taste, I would have confused it with well-done pork chops. Mushrooms, carrots, celery and squared potatoes mingled with a few pieces of blueberries. They all drowned in some kind of brown sauce. The balsamic reduction sauce was burnt.

Who the hell was cooking in the kitchen? After a large family left, we were the only two in the restaurant. I would have thought that the chef would cook our lamb with care because the kitchen wasn’t so busy. I was terribly disappointed. I just assumed that Icelanders don’t eat lamb medium-rare and that was why we weren’t asked about our preference.

Carpe Diem Restaurant is on Raudararstigur 18, + 354 552 4555
Where to stay in Reykjavik for cheap: Reykjavik Hostel