Reykjavik area, Iceland 2014 (various eateries)

Iceland is not a county most people think of to go to for vacation. Yes, it's cold. Yes, they have 24-hour daylight and 24-hour darkness during peak summer and winter days. But that's what jackets and sunglasses are for.

I think it should be, at least, within the top five places one should visit in one's lifetime. It's a very progressive country with many women leaders, a vibrant and thriving art community, friendly people (everyone speaks English), amazing landscapes, the purest water you will find anywhere, environmentally- and socially-conscious individuals and government, and phenomenal food. Here are some of the things I enjoyed during my recent trip.


Imagine having a picnic with this in the background. Yes, this is a picture that I took with my little point-and-shoot camera.

Baked Goods (various locations)

Breakfast is always a good time to explore the local bakeries. The pastries and breads are fresh and still warm from the oven. Each bakery has typical staples but also signature items not found in other bakeries. These were my favorite things.

Each day for me started with a delicious Latte. Iceland is too cold to grow any coffee beans but they import the raw beans from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Rwanda or other bean-growing countries and roast them in their many coffee houses. The milk is full-fat, naturally sweet, creamy and delicious. Many of the coffee houses roast their beans light, and this shows through in the little aromatic nuances in each cup.

Handverksbakari (bakery)
Hjallabrekku 2, SIM1 564 1800
This bakery was a short walk from the Hostel where I stayed. The hostels in Iceland were very nice, clean, with common rooms, private rooms and friendly travelers. If interested in more information about the Hostel where I stayed or Iceland Hostels in general, click here: https://www.hihostels.com/hostels/reykjavik-city

Croissant. These were excellent at this particular bakery and at other bakeries because of the Icelandic butter. This butter is made from the milk of cows that were brought from Norway back in the 10th century. Due to Iceland's isolation, there have been little to no import of dairy cows from other countries since then. These cows are a unique breed that haven't changed much over the centuries and are free from most diseases that occur in other countries. They also drink the purest, cleanest Icelandic water and graze on feed grown from that water. All this translates to creamy, naturally sweet, dense butter that is unlike any butter from anywhere else.

Kleinur--crullers or twisted donuts. These are the same basic concept as a regular donut but with a twist; literally. The dough usually includes sour cream or buttermilk and they are proofed, fried and sometimes dipped in chocolate. These have a denser, cake-like consistency.

Heilsubiti. This cookie-like treat was a round disc of many different kinds of seeds that were toasted, held together by a lightly sweet candy "glue" and coated on the bottom with dark chocolate. Very crunchy, nutty and a hearty, tasty snack.

Hrisstykki. Basically a light, airy yellow cake with a layer of caramel on top, then sprinkled with puffed rice and encased in dark chocolate. This wasn't too sweet and had the right balance of all components.

Some kind of seeded flat bread. This was a savory crispy flat bread coated with poppy and sesame seeds and baked with a mildly sharp cheese folded inside. A nice snack.

Stuffed croissant. This croissant had cheese and ham rolled inside. So delicious with the buttery flakiness and the savory fillings.

Muffin top. Dense, moist and lightly sweet, this vanilla muffin top went great with coffee. I loved how it was only the best part of the muffin.

Turkey and egg sandwich. Who would have thought a bakery would make such fantastic sandwiches? Each day I tried a different sandwich at this particular bakery. This bread was a rustic whole wheat grain bread that was soft, nutty and had a deep wheat flavor. On the inside was a delicious mix of mayo, hard-cooked egg, turkey and lettuce.

Bacon and Egg baguette. This sandwich was made with a chewy baguette, fried egg, bacon and lettuce. An excellent breakfast sandwich.

Bacon sandwich. This might have been my favorite sandwich because of the soft, paprika-covered bread. Also inside was bacon, hard-cooked egg, lettuce and mayo.

Other Sweet Treats

Iceland is known for their licorice. I'm not a huge licorice fan, but of course, I had to try it. I ended up purchasing a couple bags from a regular grocery store and tasted some from an artisan candy maker just to compare the difference. The difference in taste is minimal; each had a chewy, but not sticky candy with a mild but pleasant licorice flavor. They tasted like they were made from real licorice, like fennel seed or star anise. Not something that I would want to eat all the time, but I'm so glad I tried it. Another notch in the "quality" department.

Kókoskúla. This is a delightful no-bake ball of butter, sugar, chocolate and coconut. Chewy and delicious, this went great with coffee.

Not sure what this was called. It might be best described as an Icelandic cinnamon sticky bun. It was an intricately twisted sweet bread with sugar, cinnamon and chocolate. Buttery, rich, sweet and tasty.

Ice cream. Judging from how rich, creamy and tasty the regular milk was, I was excited to try some ice cream. My travel companion and I found a place by the harbor that had locals spilling out; even though it was 25 degrees outside. So we squeezed in, took a number and chose two flavors. I was not disappointed. This ice cream was silky smooth, dense, satisfyingly sweet, creamy and flavorful.

To the left is caramel pop and to the right is mint.

This was from:
Valdis
Grandagarour 21, Reykjavik 101

Hamborgarafabrikkan (Hamburger Factory)
Katrinartun 2 | Turninn Höfðatorgi, Reykjavik 105
http://fabrikkan.is/
We stumbled upon this place when we saw all Icelanders spilling out the front door. I didn't realize it was a hamburger place until we were inside. Apparently, Icelanders like to eat "like Americans". It was quite good though.


Viking Gylltur (Gold) beer. A very light and refreshing beer with very mild malts and very mild hops. Crisp and clean on the finish. Pairs well with any food.

Animal Park. A patty made from beef and lamb, with double cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, Factory sauce and a perfectly cooked egg on top with fries on the side. A tasty meaty burger without the heavy greasy feeling afterwards. All their burgers are served on a buttery toasty square bun.

The Lamburger. Made with a freshly ground lamb patty and served with garlic grilled mushrooms, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, a Béarnaise sauce and fries. Very moist and juicy.

Prir Frakkar (Three Trenchcoats)
Baldursgata, 14, 101 Reykjavík
http://3frakkar.com/index.php?page=history
This was a tiny restaurant on a tiny street a few blocks away from the main touristy strip. An excellent recommendation from a local who understood my need to eat "real" Icelandic food. The ambiance included dark woods, animal heads on the walls and small sculptures throughout the small space.


Beronia Crianza, Spain. This red wine was a very nice accompaniment to my meal. It was a rather soft Rioja with a mild sweetness on the finish.

Smoked Puffin. Served with finely diced carrots, onion, celery and mustard sauce, this was a very meaty bird that was nicely smoked with a mild wood. Similar texture to duck, but with an amplified meaty flavor.

Lamb. I cannot emphasis enough how Iceland's pure water, "green" mindset and exceptional treatment of animals equates to phenomenal meat dishes. This lamb was perfectly grilled, tender and juicy without being "gamey" or tough. Served with mushrooms, potatoes and pepper sauce, this was an excellent dish.

Horse Tenderloin. Grilled and served with mushrooms and a béarnaise sauce, this piece of meat was meatier, more tender, juicy and succulent than the finest piece of beef steak I've ever eaten. Iceland has an overabundance of amazing horses bred specifically for food, and this makes beef seem completely boring and bland by comparison.



Saegreifinn
Verbud 8 Geirsgotu, 101 Reykjavík
http://saegreifinn.is/?page_id=1333
This was a tiny counter-order restaurant that has probably the best lobster soup in the world. Icelandic lobsters are on the small side and they grow much slower due to the coldness of the water. The meat is no-chewing-necessary tender and very sweet. This place had various offerings of skewed meats, fish and veggies as well, but I couldn't get past the soup. Also, for equivalent to $7, you can't beat a nice soup lunch.


Bread. Every order of soup is served with some warm, toasty bread and some fantastic butter.

Lobster soup. This is mostly a broth soup with a few chunks of lobster and vegetables. The broth is so savory and complex with hints of spices and thickened a touch with cream. Amazing soup.

Höfnin
Geirsgötu 7c, 101 Reykjavík
http://www.hofnin.is/
This lovely restaurant right on the harbor was elegantly decorated and had exceptionally professional service. This is the kind of place that changes your plate after each course. Along with this atmosphere came food that was prepared from chefs that had years of training. All the food was worth every penny.

The table bread was warm and served with whipped butter. Always a nice start.

Duck and Langoustine. An herb-baked piece of lobster tail with seasoned, buttered bread crumbs draped over a piece of duck confit with roasted celery root and orange sauce. Soft, buttery lobster and tasty duck.

Arctic Char and Scallops. Oven baked fish with springy seared scallops were artfully presented on a plate with cauliflower puree, potato puree, bacon chips and cauliflower dressing. Delicious, light and beautiful to look at.

Pork Belly and Gnocchi. A heaping portion of lightly smoked and slow-cooked pork belly were piled on top of a vegetable ragout and pillowy gnocchi. Micro greens and pickled shallots garnished this fantastically prepared dish.

Tapas Husio (Tapas House)
AEgisgardur, 101 Reykjavík
http://www.tapashusid.is/?language=English
This restaurant fuses Icelandic cuisine with Spanish tapas. This might have been one of my favorite places I visited while on this trip just because of all the variety offered. Each and every dish was fantastically prepared with the freshest ingredients and very nice presentation.


House Rosé. Light, crisp and fruity with a clean finish. This was a nice wine that paired well with all the food I tried.

Focaccia. This was a denser focaccia then what I'm used to, but still very soft and moist. Sprinkled with a flake salt and served with a side of a light olive oil and a seasoning mix, this would have been great to use for sopping up sauces, but there wasn't any left by the time the food starting arriving.

Deep Fried Wolf Fish. Served with dill sauce, dulse (a type of seaweed), and cucumber, this was a fresh piece of fish that was flaky, tender and light tasting, despite being fried.

Cauliflower Soup. This was on my "try to recreate" list of foods I had in Iceland. Even my non-cauliflower-loving boyfriend enjoyed this soup. It had a subtle but noticeable taste of cauliflower without being overwhelming. It was also creamy as most of the cauliflower was puréed and, of course, made with Icelandic cream, which is fantastic. Garnishing this dish was smoked cod, estragon (similar to tarragon) pesto and fresh lemon juice. Loved loved loved.

Beer Glazed Pork Belly. Pork is one of my favorite foods to eat and this was no exception. Perfectly grilled, glazed with a teriyaki sauce and served with a creamy sauce that had bell peppers and leeks. Delicious.

Minke Whale. This was a juicy, brawny plate of what could be considered super-charged beef. But it was a fantastic plate of grilled whale served with sautéed cabbage and an "Icelandic" BBQ sauce.

Guillemot. A tiny fried bite of this seabird was meticulously plated with horseradish, turnip and goat cheese and garnished with a roasted cherry tomato, black sesame seeds and dill. It was one bite of a tender, mild-tasting bird with every ingredient well thought out and balanced.

Arctic Char. Another skillfully plated dish of fresh, tender fish topped with a savory sponge cake, toasted almond slivers, pickled red onion and mustard sauce.

Lamb. Served with lightly sautéed vegetables, this piece of lamb was delicate, fork tender and drizzled with a savory sauce.

Salted Cod and Langoustine. Served in the small pot it was cooked in, the salted cod was soaked to remove the excess salt, and the langoustine was buttery soft. Bacon and barley were also in the mix and all was topped with thick and velvety hollandaise sauce.

Lemon Skyr Cheesecake. I would not normally think a cheesecake made with yogurt would be something that'd I'd enjoy, but this was really good. Served with a scoop of berry gelato, pieces of pound cake and raisins of all things, this was a light dessert that was satisfying on the palate. It was ever so slightly tangy from the yogurt and mildly sweet, but still rich and creamy.

Noodle Station
Skólavörðustígur 21a, Reykjavík
This closet-sized restaurant was quite misleading. It was right on the touristy strip, which I would normally avoid. But the aroma from the broth of their soups beckoned me. It had a very sparse interior, with just a few simple "Ikea-esque" tables and chairs. One may even label this place with the favored tag, "hole in the wall". The low price point was also compelling. With only two options on the menu, chicken or beef, my companion and I opted for one of each for a money-saving meal. We were actually so satisfied, we went back again two nights later.


Chicken. The soup base was full of flavor and the chicken was pull-apart tender, moist and absorbed all the seasonings from soaking in the soup. The rice noodles were flash cooked in boiling water to order and the accouterments were added, assembly-line style. Right before serving, the option was given for spicy or not spicy. The spicy wasn't really spicy, but it did add flavor. Also added right before serving was fish sauce, sugar, roasted peanuts, bean sprouts and green onion. This was umami overload and I loved it.

Beef. This meat was also fall-apart tender, and the soup base was very "beefed" up and full of flavor. This is the type of broth I would love to recreate at home, but I probably wouldn't even come close.

Micro Bar
Austurstraeti 6, Reykjavik
This tiny little microbrewery/bar had hundreds of beers, most in bottles, from all over the globe. They also had Icelandic craft beers on draft as well as Icelandic spirits. The bartenders knew their stuff and were willing to pass on their knowledge and give out a few free samples for a couple of appreciative and inquisitive travelers. A small space with comfortable stools and an interesting wall mural, this was a great place to spend a couple of hours after dinner.






Tasting Flight. Top row from right to left, then bottom row from right to left:

Gestur: Initially sharp on the palate, sweet in the middle with notes of apple and a clean finish.
Skadr: A Saison. Mildly hoppy with a slightly buttery finish.
Godinger Brown Ale: Served at room temperature. Smooth on the palate and very mild flavored.
-11- Whezl: Crisp, clean and very light. Would go well with any food.
Kaldi Jag: Also very mild, similar to the -11- Whezl.
Godinger Stout: Hint of coffee and hint of hops. Slightly bitter on the finish.
-11- Pale Ale: Sweet aroma, crisp with a clean finish.
Paske Kaldi: Rich red color alludes to a hoppy red but it's misleading. Light to medium-bodied with a clean finish.

Other beers
Fridays at any local liquor store is completely packed with folks stocking up for the weekend. Not all stores are created equal as far as what's available. We were able to find these Icelandic craft beers in bottles at a mall about a 25 minute bus ride south-west of Reykavik.

Paska Bock. Dark reddish brown in color, this had a mildly malty aroma, and was medium-bodied with subtle bitterness and a smooth finish.

Einstök Icelandic White Ale. A gold-medal winner at the 2013 L.A. International Commercial Beer Competition, this beer is brewed like a witbier, with orange peel and coriander. Like all Icelandic beers, this is also brewed with pure Icelandic water which makes it refreshing and highly drinkable.

Viking Islenskur Urvals Stout. First produced in 2008, this was the first Icelandic Stout. It has a dark, roasty aroma, with hints of espresso and dark chocolate. Not as heavy as the Stouts we're probably used to in the U.S., but still very enjoyable.

Gæðingur Pale Ale. A slightly sweet, unfiltered beer, this was very light but still packed a good amount of body and flavor.

Reyka. This Icelandic vodka was available at most of the bars I visited. Distilled with pure Icelandic water and hand crafted in small batches, this is probably one of the smoothest vodkas I've ever tasted. It just disappears in anything you put it in. This is also available locally in the U.S. I would highly recommend it.

I will be permanently left with the wonderful memories of all the food I had in this spectacular country. I hope to recreate a few things at home, which I will post in the preceding weeks ahead. Take a chance; go to Iceland!