In Bizarre Foods Reykjavik, part of the Delicious Destinations series featuring Andrew Zimmern, the host and his crew visited numerous restaurants in the city, showcasing a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Here is a convenient list of all the addresses and dishes highlighted in this exciting exploration of Reykjavik’s food scene.
ANDREW ZIMMERN REYKJAVIK DISH – Kjötsúpa
WHAT IS IT?
Kjötsúpa is a hearty stew of lamb and root vegetables. Cuts of lamb shank are browned in butter, along with onion and a mix of herbs (including thyme, rosemary and garlic). Stock made from boiled lamb bones is added, as well as potatoes, carrots, and rutabaga. The mix simmers for at least an hour and fresh rosemary is added when it’s ready.
WHERE IS IT?
Kaffihúsið Álafossi
Álafossvegur
Mosfellsbær, Iceland
Unfortunately, this restaurant has since closed its doors.
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK
Álafoss Café sits next to an iconic wool factory in Iceland. The restaurant has been reported to be already closed.
DISH – Pylsur
WHAT IS IT?
Pylsur is Iceland’s take on hotdog sandwiches. The sausage used is made mostly of local lamb meat with bits of pork and beef. The hotdogs are boiled, not grilled. The sandwich is then topped with crispy fried onion, diced fresh onion and ketchup. It also has a remoulade of mayonnaise, relish, pickles, and some herbs.
READ MORE: STREET CUISINE: MY FAVOURITE STREET FOOD DISHES, FOR THE BRAVEST!
WHERE IS IT?
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
Tryggvagata 1, 101
Reykjavík, Iceland
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur also serves “Clinton” hotdog that only has mustard and hotdog in it. It is named after former US President Bill Clinton when he visited the stand and specifically asked to only have mustard in his hotdog sandwich.
READ MORE: TWO DAYS IN CHICAGO: MY FAVOURITE STOPS AND SPOTS
ANDREW ZIMMERN REYKJAVIK DISH – Saltfiskur
WHAT IS IT?
Saltfiskur refers to cod preserved in salt and prepared in several ways. In Iceland, saltfiskur is traditionally prepared through filleting the cod and rinsing it before being soaked for up to 48 hours. This is done to remove the salt and rehydrate the fish. The fillets are then boiled. They are served with new potatoes and drizzled with butter, lamb cracklings, and rendered lamb fat.
WHERE IS IT?
Salthúsið
Grindavik, Iceland
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK
Salthusid is a rustic, cabin-style restaurant that serves a more updated version of saltfiskur apart from the traditional one. The updated version is inspired by the flavors of Spain and Portugal.
DISH – Humarsúpa
WHAT IS IT?
The Humarsúpa is a French-inspired creamy langoustine soup. The stock is prepared through sautéing vegetables, spices, tomato paste and brandy. Langoustine shells are added and the stock is simmered for 6 hours. French cream and Icelandic butter are added into the stock. Once done, the stock is poured onto grilled lobster tails.
WHERE IS IT?
Höfnin Restaurant
Geirsgötu 7c
Reykjavík, Iceland
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK
Höfnin means harbor in English. At Höfnin Restaurant, a variety of local shellfish like mussels and scallops are added into their humarsúpa.
DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK DISH – Plokkfiskur
WHAT IS IT?
Plokkfiskur is a mash of fresh cod and potato in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Traditionally, leftover pieces of fish are used in plokkfiskur. To prepare the dish, heavy cream, onion and curry powder are simmered together. White pepper and roux are added to thicken the sauce. Boiled cod and potato are added and the mixture is whisked. It is then spooned into a pan and topped with Béarnaise sauce. A sprinkled of mozzarella cheese is added before the dish is broiled until it is light and bubbly. It is traditionally served with a side of rye bread.
WHERE IS IT?
Þrír frakkar
Baldursgata 14, 101
Reykjavík, Iceland
NOTES – DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK
Þrír Frakkar restaurant is known for dressing up traditional Icelandic dishes. They only use cod fillet in their plokkfiskur.
BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK DISH – Skyr
WHAT IS IT?
Skyr is a creamy, slightly tangy dairy product of Iceland often mistaken for yogurt. It is a kind of soft cheese made of milk curds from Icelandic cows. Skimmed milk is heated in a pot until just before the boiling point and it is constantly stirred. It is then cooled to 40⁰C before adding a tablespoon of skyr from a previous batch. This will serve as the starter. After the milk is left to sit for several hours, it is poured into a cheese cloth and drained.
WHERE IS IT?
Þrír frakkar
Baldursgata 14, 101
Reykjavík, Iceland
NOTES – BIZARRE FOODS DELICIOUS DESTINATIONS REYKJAVIK
At Þrír Frakkar, skyr is given a more interesting spin through adding blueberries, sugar and cream. The restaurant also has skyr cheesecake and a crème brûlée that has skyr instead of custard.
READ MORE: ICELAND: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON NO RESERVATIONS
Comments are closed.