Although the effects of the Icelandic financial crisis have touched the lives of most Icelanders heavily, it has also been the inspiration for many brilliant ideas – one of which is the Icelandic Bar. There you’ll find genuine traditional Icelandic food with a modern twist, served in an environment free of the excess and immoderation of pre-crisis Iceland.
The Icelandic Bar, probably the first and only gastropub in Iceland, is situated right next to Iceland’s parliament and when the owners witnessed the powerful protests outside the parliament building in 2009 they knew it was time for a change. It was time to stop focusing on wealth and extravagance and start thinking about where Icelanders come from and what makes them a nation.
“When we started thinking about it we realized that in the downtown area you can find restaurants representing almost all parts of the world – except for Iceland. So we decided to put the spotlight back on the Icelandic cuisine,Már Halldórsson, Head Chef at the Icelandic Bar.
Don‘t let the name mislead you, the Icelandic Bar is a restaurant with a menu consisting of everything from traditional homemade ryebread with lamb pâté to full three course meals. All the materials are of course Icelandic and chosen especially by the chefs. You‘ll find gratinated salted cod, horse tenderloins, minke whale steak,Icelandic meat soup, fish stew, puffin and all the courses most Icelanders know from their grandmother‘s kitchen. There are also more modern courses such as sandwiches, steaks and hamburgers (including reindeer hamburgers.)
Adventurous types are in for a treat, as courses such as the fermented shark with Icelandic Brennivín and the Surprise main course will surely send your taste buds on an adventure ride.
The kitchen is open from 11:30 to 23:30, but the bar is open till 01:00 during the week and up to three a.m. in the weekends. So you can stop by during the day and enjoy a cup of coffee and some light snacks, such as traditional Icelandic fish jerky with butter and then can enjoy a full meal in the evening and finally drink and enjoy the local‘s company through the night.
Or any combination of the three.Visit www.islenskibarinn.is for further information
