Vín og skel: a wee tale of redemption

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.]

Sad to say, the ideal dining experience is about as rare here in Niceland as a favourable review about an Icelandic bank overseas. Icelanders very often seem to equate ‘service’ with ‘servile’ and all too often complaints about service or food or similar are met with a haughty kind of arrogance. [Actually, to be fair, Icelandic society is not an anomaly in this regard – not many places live up to the North American standard of service in restaurants, at least not in Europe.]

So anyway, we had dinner at Vín og skel, YT gave it a wee review, and that review was, well, less than stellar. Not exactly bad because the experience wasn’t all-bad; in fact on the whole we had a very pleasant evening, thanks in no small part to the relaxed and friendly service and laid-back atmosphere. However, a few things went askew, and those were duly noted by our YT.

A few days after I posted that review on this blog, I received a message in my inbox from the proprietor of Vín og skel, who as it happens had been one of our servers that night. He began by thanking me for my detailed review, saying that obviously many things had gone wrong that night for which he apologized, and said he would like to invite us back to enjoy a meal at his invitation. He reiterated his thanks for the review, saying that they would take a close look at what had happened that night, adding that such critiques gave them an opportunity to make improvements. After all, Vín and skel took pride in providing good service and meeting their demands of its guests.

I have to say, I was flabbergasted. Not only because it is extraordinary for the proprietor of a restaurant to actually go out of his way to make amends in this way, but also because that sort of response to criticism, with not a trace of defensiveness or self-righteousness, is extraordinary in any situation. After some debate as to whether I should take him up on his offer [should I be independent in my ‘reviews’, would it limit my ‘credibility’, such as it is, etc.] and being somewhat uncertain about how to proceed, I decided in the end that I should take him up on it. I felt it was the right thing to do.

And so, last Friday evening EPI and I showed up for dinner at Vín og skel once more and – I am delighted to report – had an absolutely fabulous time. Our host welcomed us graciously and was amicable in every way. He began by offering us an aperitif; we ordered a glass of white wine each, to have with dinner, and were poured a delightful South African sauvignon blanc, crisp and full-bodied. He then brought us menus but we decided to leave the choice of food up to him, which was the perfect move because he chose for us the four-course ‘surprise’ menu, which made our dining experience all the more, well, surprising [and fun].

The appetizer was an amazing combo of grilled lobster and scallops [my favourite] on a mushroom risotto with a melt-in-your-mouth creamy buttery sauce. Talk about a roaring start. The second course was a small piece of kangaroo filet served with a peanut sauce and garnished with fresh coriander. [Incidentally, for my Australian readers: do you eat kangaroo in Australia? I’ve been wondering about that ever since…]. This was my first intro to kangaroo, which I’ve been curious to try for a while, and I enjoyed it a lot – it was a sort of cross between lamb and venison, at least to my palate. With the kangaroo our host brought a delicious Australian Shiraz [I took the name from the label and forgot it, but it had a picture of a dog – dingo? – on the front], that he left on the table [so much for our intention of having one glass of wine and going to bed early, ahem]. Next up was the entrée: monkfish [mmm…] wrapped in bacon [mmm] and cooked to perfection [i.e. not too long] with lobster sauce and a sort of carrot-tomato coulis. By the time we finished that we were – predictably – more than satiated, so when our host offered us dessert we opted for sitting a while and enjoying our Shiraz. When we were ready, he brought dessert: two types of cake [chocolate and a sort of apple-cheesecake] served on a single [large, square] glass plate with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, and coffee [espresso for EPI, regular for YT]. He also invited us to try a delicious port, which we simply couldn’t refuse [because that would have been rude].

Needless to say, throughout all this the service was flawless, absolutely attentive without being intrusive, our wine and water glasses were kept perpetually full and every detail was observed.

On the whole, the entire experience was absolutely delightful. We wound up sitting there for four hours and rarely have I enjoyed dining out so much. The food was truly perfect [ok, for the sake of credibility I’d say – if pressed – that the apple cheesecake was the least perfect, but really, it was an insignificant flaw] and the bistro-like atmosphere was so relaxed and easygoing that we felt almost at home. Topping it all, of course, was the extraordinary conduct and generosity on the part of our host. Now, I realize there may be cynics out there who would question the standing of his invitation and, by extension, of this appraisal – after all, we were no longer ‘anonymous reviewers’ … but even with that factored in, the way the proprietor of Vín og skel handled the entire situation can only be described as admirable. Many of us – in the service industry and elsewhere, in Iceland and even in North America – would do well to follow his example.

AND JUST A QUICKIE ON THE WEATHER

Sunny and cool, moderate winds, with a thin cloud cover. Weatherman claims spring will arrive tomorrow with higher temps and [bleh] rain and drizzle. Currently 1°C [34F] and the sun came up at 5.58 am, will set at 8.59 pm.

YT gets served, shame about the food

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: slightly dusty and a notch above average

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'.

Ain't no Yule without The Virgin

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.

Stuffed at Argentina

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.

YT and EPI enjoy a romantic outing complete with spa, slippers and food to die for

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.

YT the one-woman tourist board

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.

Dining in Reykjavík - our picks!

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.

In praise of bad service

Went out with my friend Sandy tonight, who is visiting from Canada and who I haven't seen in about eight years. We became friends about 13 years ago, when I'd just moved back to Niceland and had my first whiplash injury [have I ever mentioned that the Icelanders have the most horrific traffic culture in the Western hemisphere? No? Well, they do] and I was sent to a physiotherapist who turned out to be Sandy and who just happened to be from Canada where, of course, I grew up. So over various exercises on big balls and balancing gadgets and suchlike we started yacking away about anything and everything, including men and our assorted problems with them. Finally, a couple of years later, Sandy threw in the towel with her man and moved back to Canada with her sons and has now made a life for herself there and it's all good. And now she's back for a visit.

As ever, from the moment Sandy and I get together, we start talking and don't stop, and when we part ways it feels like we have even more things unsaid than when we started. Of course we had lots of catching up to do and very little time in which to do it, so our chins were wagging at a frantic pace all evening. First, we went to the little café above the IÐA bookshop in Bankastræti, which is my favourite café for a chinwag because it's relatively quiet and the tables aren't all squished together like in most other places, so you can actually reveal fairly intimate details of your life without the whole place knowing about them. So we ordered tea and she told me all about her boyfriend and her work and her house and her ex and so on and so forth, and then she asked me how my neck was, which made me all warm and fuzzy because I do believe she's the only person in the world who ever asks me that and who is actually, like, fascinated by the details. And so I told her.

So right around the time I was finishing it was ten o'clock and IÐA was closing and of course we had far more things left to talk about than when we started, so we decided to go somewhere else. We walked up Bankastræti and on to Laugavegur and decided to go into that little place called Kofi Tómasar frænda [Uncle Tom's Cabin], even though we really didn't feel like drinking any more liquids - we just wanted a place to sit to continue blabbing. So we go in there and I noticed immediately what everyone's been complaining about since the smoking ban was imposed in June, that now the cigarette smoke is gone, the places just stink - of old stale booze and ancient smoke and BO and toilets. Anyway, we sat down at a table and in between yacking were sort of glancing at the menu deciding what we might force ourselves to order so we could continue sitting there. And you know what? We sat there for a full hour, right next to the bar, and nobody came to take our order. And after half an hour I was, like, 'Should we go up there and order something?' and she went, 'Um, well, I'm OK' and I said, 'Great, because I'm OK too,' and for the first time ever I was actually not in the least bothered by the atrociousness of Icelandic service.

On the way back to the car, Sandy outlined for me the three things she's noticed have changed since she lived here. 1) There are more flowers everywhere, 2) the grass is brown for the first time ever, 3) people are fatter. Make of that what you will.

I MAKE THIS: THE GRASS IS BROWN BECAUSE OF ALL THE SUN
... and the lack of rain we've had for the last month. Really, this is a most unusual state of affairs for us - normally this place is brilliant green in summer, but right now the earth is scorched. Meanwhile, the weatherman sez it's just a weather system that has locked into place - fortunately for us it's been locked in sunshine, whereas for the poor Brits it's locked in rain. We're in for some of that this weekend, though, and the grass will breathe a sigh of relief. Right now it's 12°C [54F] and the sun will come up at 3:46 am and set at 11:19 pm.

Iceland eats Burgernomics for breakfast

Once again, Iceland has been awarded the dubious honour of being at the top of the Big Mac index. What this means, in practice, is that a Big Mac costs more here than in any other country in the world.

I wonder if there is any connection between this and the fact that McDonald's food tastes worse in Iceland than in any other country in the world? Honest: never have I tasted food as artificial as at an Icelandic McDonalds. Plus, the service sucks. Take it from one whose first job was slinging burgers at McD's, and who since then has not been able to call a 'rag' a 'rag' or 'garbage' 'garbage' without flinching*.

I guess the moral of the story is: if you must eat a hamburger whilst in Niceland, go for a Tommyburger. You won't be sorry.

OH ALL THIS HOPELESSLY DREARY SUNSHINE IS DOING ME IN
Yes: it's sunny again. Sigh. So much for my plans to tweak my template, refresh my profile, try to figure out why the colour of the banner in my archives is different from the index page, or catch up on any number of other indoor-related projects. Outdoor activities beckon. Right now it's a lovely 14°C with just the slightest hint of a breeze. Sunrise today was at 3:26 am and sunset at 11:38 pm.

* They had a special lexicon at McDonald's - certain words were taboo. 'Rag' was always called 'bar towel', 'garbage' was 'waste', and 'small' was never to be uttered. Things were not 'small' at McDonalds, they were 'regular', as in 'regular fries, sir?'. And when the customer left, we were always required to say something like 'Hope to see you again soon!'. Predictably, I lasted about as long there as a the fizz in a cup of 'regular coke'.

YT eats her words

OK, it pains me to do this. Pains me. But it cannot be helped: I have been forced to amend my glowing review of ICELANDIC FISH AND CHIPS, as the place has fallen rather severely from grace here at the Weather Report.

It all started last Saturday night when EPI and I went there for a bite. The place was hopping and we were instructed to order and pay for our food BEFORE checking to see if there was a decent table available. [It has a front room, and a back room, only partially visible from the front.] There is a rather brusque [read: rude, even by Icelandic standards, which is saying a lot] man working there, who instructed us to sit down at a table for two that happened to be in a high-traffic area, right next to the cash register and the self-serve area for cutlery, water and such. [Did I mention the place was hopping? Virtually the butt of every customer in the place would have made direct contact with our food.]

YT: We'd rather have another table, if that's OK.
RUDE MAN: There are no other tables available.
YT: Nothing in the back?
RM: No, and I don't know when one will become free.

At that point I probably would have turned and left, were it not for the minor consideration of having already paid.

So EPI and I had a brief consultation, in which YT bitched about terrible Icelandic service, and EPI tried to convince YT - unsuccessfully - that we should just do as we were told and sit down at the table.

YT: [assertively, to rude man] We've decided to wait for another table.
RM: Okay, but I don't know when one will become available!

At that point, YT wandered into the back room - and what did she see? A table for two, unoccupied, albeit with dirty plates all over it. Granted, it was situated virtually next to the loo and the air back there was stuffy and smelled dangerously like unflushed toilet water, but hey, it was preferable to the other option.

So we sat down, and received fine service for the rest of the meal. The food was good and it appeared that the waitstaff were aware of our grumbling, because they truly made an effort. And so, ICELANDIC FISH & CHIPS was redeemed.

Until last night when I went there again, this time with my cousin, who is visiting from Canada. We lined up, ordered our food, paid, and then wandered into the back room.

Once again, the rude man appeared [impossible to shake!] to question our choice of seating. Evidently it was not to his satisfaction that we should sit down at a table for four, despite the fact that a couple who had just ordered before us had just sat down at a table for four right next to us. No - he instructed us to sit down at the table for two that EPI and I had occupied two nights earlier - the one with the toilet smell.

As YT stood there, all flustered and deciding what to do, the rude man turned and said [wait for it ...]

"WHAT??"

Oh, boy. N'er before has a "WHAT??" evoked such animosity. Stewing, we returned to the front room, and took a seat at the table in the butt-brushing high traffic area. But, lo! Just at that point, a table for four in a prime location next to the window was making ready to leave. Meanwhile, two punters were just about to order, and were eyeing the table by the window. So YT and cousin did the only do-able thing under the circumstances - made a beeline for the table for four, next to the window.

A moment later, the waitstaff came along to clear it. A few minutes after that, rude man appeared with a fresh paper tablecloth.

RUDE MAN: All right girls [!!], now lift up all the stuff on the table! [i.e. so he could get the tablecloth on.]

Seriously. This had gone beyond exasperation. Or had it? - Sadly no, because compounding the atrocity of the service was the fact that a) they brought the wrong type of fish [I ordered plaice, they brought spotted catfish], b) the fish had an odd taste, like it was not quite fresh, c) the normally delicious lime-ade, which until now has been one of the best things about eating there, tasted like turpentine and was completely undrinkable. In fact, I still feel vaguely nauseous at the mere recollection.

And so. ICELANDIC FISH AND CHIPS has been awarded not one, but two thumbs down from the Iceland Weather Report, and shall henceforth be known as ICELANDIC POOR & SERVICE. Bleh!!

THE WEATHER
Has been gorgous these last few days. The grass is green, the flowers are in full bloom, the light is translucent. The Most Beautiful Place on Earth at this time of year if you ask me and no, I'm not biased at all. Current temps 11°C [52F], sunrise at 2:56 am, sunset at 12:02 am tomorrow.

A long post about a chicken burrito

Brace yourselves: two restaurant reviews in two days [well, four actually, since I covered three-in-one the last time] – and this only because I’ve only just returned home from eating a chicken burrito and figured I’d hammer out a wee exposé about it. Consider it a public service, if you will if you shall if you must. Or a rant. Take your pick.

CAFÉ SÓLON
Okay, to be fair, this place has a few cards stacked against it from the outset because, quite frankly, I have avoided it like the plague ever since it opened. As a form of silent protest. So silent that nobody but YT [and EPI, although he may have forgot] knew about it.

It’s like this: In that very same location there was once a café called Café Sólon Íslandus [S.Í. was a fairly well-known Nicelandic hobo in the 1800s I believe, who travelled the country and produced some very fine paintings, long story] and it was exceedingly popular. It was owned by a collective of artists and vague bohemian-types who did an excellent job of running it [well, except the service staff they hired was notoriously slow, but then that’s par for the course in Niceland], it was all painted in warm, earthy tones, they put on art exhibitions and so forth, and it was all good. Except that one day their lease ran out, the owners of the building refused to renew it, waited a few weeks, then opened a café of their own in that very same location, audaciously called it Café Sólon, put on art exhibitions and, well, basically just ripped off the operations from the people who had originally busted their asses getting the place up and running.

Cut to this evening, when me and three girlfriends were downtown casting around for a place to eat. The first place we went to, Vegamót, was full, and the nearest suitable place to that happened to be Café Sólon. Everyone thought it was a great idea except our YT, although in the end I relented because I didn’t want to be a killjoy. Plus I was hungry.

The place, now all charcoal gray and super cool [read: cold and morose], was full when we arrived, although a table by the window was just leaving. We plonked ourselves down – it was the best table in the joint I have to admit – and had a boo at the menu, which arrived instantly [score a point for that]. YT ended up ordering a chicken burrito, as did Girlfriend 1, Girlfriend 2 had stir-fried egg noodles in Teryaki sauce with chicken, and Girlfriend 3 pasta with chicken and bacon swimming around in a cream sauce, with copious amounts of fresh parmesan on top.

The waitstaff wasn’t very tardy taking our order, but after that we waited at least 45 minutes for our food. By that time my blood-sugar level was somewhere down around Antarctica and I was practically in a foetal position under the table. TIP: when dining at Café Sólon, bring your own bread sticks. You’ll thank me later.

At last, long last, the food arrived, and while The Girlfriends were delighted with theirs, YT was underwhelmed by her burrito. Granted, it was hot [score a point – not always the case], and somewhat spicy, but there was a disappointing absence of coriander [subtract a point] and the gunk inside the burrito was a little too soggy, as though it had come from a tin [subtract a point]. It was served with fresh salad, nachos and salsa on the side; the salad was fresh [score], but the nachos were of the MSG-cheese variety [subtract], the salsa insipid and almost certainly from a jar [subtract], and while it was filling, it was decidedly lacking in oomph and left a vaguely unpleasant aftertaste. In other words, about as far removed from a real Mexican burrito as Café Sólon is from Café Sólon Íslandus.

The atmosphere is, as I said, fairly cold and uninviting, and the best thing the place has going for it is the big windows. There’s a serious echo in there and fairly loud music, so semi-shouting is required for conversation to take place. Just so you know.

WEATHER: IT’S BEEN OVERCAST AND KIND OF CHILLY
… Although that may have had something to do with YT’s insistence on wearing a short-sleeved dress under a thin jeans jacket, leggings, and bare feet in sneakers. In other words, acting like the sort of Nicelander I used to scoff at many moons ago when I first moved back – the sort of Nicelander who puts on shorts and a tank top as soon as the sun comes out – never mind that temps are just above the freezing mark. Oh, what we wouldn’t give for the delusion that we’re actually in the tropics! Temps right now 9°C [48F] and sunrise was at 2:59 am, sunset at 11:58 pm. Beautiful!

Restaurant reviews! that aren't just rants

You know, I’ve been feeling rather guilty for not writing a proper restaurant review of the restaurants I actually like in Reykjavík, as opposed to just using my self-appointed critic status as an excuse to rant about bad service and whathaveyou. Especially since this is the time when the tidalwave of tourists hits us, and I just know they’re scouring the place for cheap restaurants [‘cheap’ being relative, of course – this being Iceland] that serve up sizeable portions of healthy, tasty food.

So, I offer three of my fave quick-and-tasty eateries for anyone planning to visit our fair isle now or in the future, who aren’t carrying all their provisions with them in tin cans.*

GRÆNN KOSTUR
Don’t try to pronounce it because you won’t be able to. Anyway, this is my favourite place for a quick bite because it’s good and very healthy and reasonable and because the people who work there are lovely. It’s vegetarian and a few years back it was getting reeaaalllyy dreadfully boring, with the cuisine centering around fried patties that tasted like cardboard covered in mushroom gravy. BUT fortunately it changed hands and these new people can really cook up a mean vegetarian that’s completely delicious. The combo platter of the day is generally the best value, and cost ISK 1,100 the last time I checked. The only problem is that you’ll have to find the place ... it’s tucked away in an unlikely location off a parking lot at the corner of Skólavörðustígur and Bergstaðarstræti. graaennkostur.is.

ICELANDIC FISH AND CHIPS
See here. fishandchips.is

KRUA THAI
Just a stone’s throw away from the fish & chips place is one of the most popular Thai restaurants in the city, and with good reason. This unassuming little place cooks up excellent food at very reasonable prices. Its rough stone [whitewashed] walls and low ceiling always remind me of a cave. Generally I tend to go for the take-away option because the smell of cooking can get pretty intense in there and you’ll smell like deep-fried shrimp for the rest of the evening if you stay too long. Particularly if they’re busy, which they almost always are. The service is super-friendly, the food is fresh and tasty and the portions are fairly hefty. EPI and I almost always order the No. 8 and No. 21, and share. Each costs around ISK 1,100. Yum! kruathai.is

Okay! Now, as for the weather, it’s been incredible today, brilliant sunshine and everybody in a sunny mood. I spent the better part of the afternoon out on the balcony soaking up rays and doing code word puzzles. Ah, the luxury of self-employment! Right now 10°C [50F] and sunrise was at 3:02 am, sunset at 11:54 pm.

* Yes, I have met such people. They were riding bicycles and stealing sugar packets from every place they went, and no, I won’t tell you where they were from. You’ll have to guess.