Back from Iceland this past Saturday…unfortunately, we had mostly mediocre food on this trip. I think we simply chose poorly, prioritizing feeding the 3-year-old spring onion over everything else (the kid lost weight on this trip…and he’s already a skinny mini to begin with…he’d rather play than eat).
Wed [Boston]: We ate at the Legal Seafood in Terminal E before boarding since we are flying on WOW Air, where you have to pay for everything (but it was a fine experience). We actually had a decent meal (B had salmon poke and I had shrimp dumplings) and a manager even came through, checking on everyone’s food.
Thurs [Reykjavik]: Our first day in Reykjavik and we find ourselves at IKEA for lunch! The Airbnb is < 10 minutes away and we wake up starving after getting into KEF at 4:30 am, picking up a car, driving 45 minutes to Reykjavik, then passing out in one big bed together. No joke, there is quite a bit of online talk about the great deal on food at IKEA…and this one has wine and beer. We’ve never eaten at an IKEA stateside, so we have nothing to compare it to, but the food is tasty enough and the portions are huge (I got veggie croquettes with couscous, and green beans, while B got some chicken-fried steak concoction and spring onion picked off our plates and freshly-squeezed OJ). B gets a beer and I refrain. I think the whole shebang came to ~$25 USD. We also pick up a really nice loaf of bread for breakfasts (the bakery is on the ground floor right as you walk in, with big plate glass so everyone can see the bakers…I guess it must be a point of pride for this IKEA). B knows I detest shopping at IKEA but even I admit it’s fun to browse when not under the pressure of actually buying stuff and hauling it home.
-Later that evening, we hit Bryggjan Brugghus as we did on our last trip for happy hour. Reasonably priced wine, house beer, and the most addictive shoestring fries - that was spring onion’s dinner. B was happy and celebrating because he saw the Northern Lights from the plane somewhere over Greenland!
-Dinner is at home - fettuccine with soy sausage and tinned tomatoes all purchased from the local Bonus. Wine was purchased at duty-free as all the locals and prepared tourists know to do.
Fri [Reykjavik]: Breakfast in - the bread IS really good, especially slathered with Spanish garlic aioli that we bought at IKEA for < $4 USD. Lunch was a HUGE disappointment. We braved the whipping wind and horizontal rain to go to Laundromat Cafe (the kids’ play space is a major draw and we missed out last trip)…only to find that it had closed just 10 days prior. There was a lease dispute. In its’ place was a refined almost Viennese-like cafe which was too sedate for spring onion. We settled on an American lunch of burgers and beer across the street. Dinner of leftovers.
Sat [Akureyri]: We flew to Akureryi, our first time visiting. It’s way more chill than Reykjavik. We can already tell we’ll like using this town as our home base for the rest of the trip. First couple of nights we stay the Icelandair Hotel because B is enticed by their included breakfast (that man loves a free b’fast!). And the buffet is plentiful and varied. Plus, we’re right across the street from the geothermal pool. Our first dinner is again a disappointment. Akureryi Fish Restaurant gets a lot of positive write-ups but our meal was mediocre. I got the fish soup, which had almost no seafood and B’s fish and chips were quite greasy. It was empty when we walked in around 6:30 pm - we should’ve known. B heads out to see the Northern Lights but spring onion needs his sleep so I have to pass. But that’s ok - I’m thrilled that one of us got a chance to see them (and fortunately, its our family photographer who experiences them).
Sun [Akureyri, Dalvík, Ólafsfjörður, Siglufjörður]: We drive up the coast, drink in the landscape, and have decent sandwiches at Aðalbakarí (bakery) in Siglufjörður. One more night at the hotel, we take advantage of HH, get some bar snacks and then think about dinner. We decide to check out Greifinn, again because it advertises a play space that parents can monitor using an phone app. Ugh…it is really crowded and the play space is cramped, yucky, and filled with naughty kids (which has not been our typical experience in Iceland). We decide to go to Hagkaup and pick up Thai ramen cup noodles, which spring onion devours. Plus, we have a lot of supplementary snacks.
Mon [Akureyri, Mývatn]: The Airbnb is awesome with a well-stocked kitchen. This will be home base for the next 4 days. We drive out to Mývatn, which is only ~1.5 hours away and awesome. We stop for lunch at Vogafjos, which is a working dairy farm. We both get tomato and cheese sandwiches (B’s with ham) and spring onion has a grilled cheese sandwich. There’s an actual small salad garnish with their own mozzarella. Lovely setting and spring onion enjoyed feeding the cows after lunch (you can look out at them from a big window inside the restaurant). We consider dinner at the cafeteria at the Natural Baths but decide to head home. Dinner was more pasta - with Linda McCartney soy ground “meat,” chickpeas, and tinned tomatoes.
Tues [Akureyri, Mývatn]: Drive out to Mývatn again, get lunch supplies at the small grocery store in town (more bread, garlic cheese, strawberry yogurt/skyr rice cakes, bananas). Dinner was leftover pasta.
Wed [Akureyri]: Lunch at home of this-and-that followed by skiing. Dinner at home was veggie shepherd’s pie using the soy ground meat and mashed potato topping.
Thurs [Akureyri]: We try the pizza buffet at Bryggans after learning that a large pizza is $42 USD, while the buffet is only $17 USD/person and spring onion is free. To me, it’s mediocre but B likes the pizza and the focaccia is good but not replenished at all so I nab the last few pieces. French fries are good but do not make a good lunch. Cool, old building.
Fri [Akureyri]: Last day in Akureryi, we grab lunch at the bakery, Bakaríið við Brúna, near the mall. We should’ve gone there sooner…the breads look awesome. We get only a half loaf of sourdough since we’re flying out later that day. B gets some spicy tuna spread while I try a pretzel (just ok) and leftovers. Spring onion loves his date bar.
Sat [Garður]: We are spending our last day in Garður, which is only ~15 minutes drive from KEF but feels a world away. After swimming at Vatnaveröld (Waterworld, which spring onion absolutely loved), we head out to Garður by 6:30 pm and hope that the one restaurant out there, Röstin, is open. We had a couple of situations where places were closed due to winter hours. We see a tiny house with a double-decker British bus parked in the yard (!) and think, maybe this is the place? There’s a pleasant-looking dining area in the front room but it is empty. B gets out, walks around the house, looking for signs of life. None. $#!t. Well, we drive towards the lighthouses to check them out, resigned to visiting the N1 petrol station for food. What do we see but a sign for Röstin! And there are cars and an “open” sign in the window! Hooray! Through the very strong wind, we walk to the best meal of this trip. There is an interesting-looking museum on the ground floor (closed at that hour). There are only 2 other occupied tables, but the owner is working hard, running around to wait on tables, check on the kitchen, and takes the time to chat with the guests. With a nice view of the water and lighthouses, we share the fish and chips (I love the spelt batter) and the plokksfiskur, a fish stew gratinee with potatoes that is very different from the version B had on our last trip. Accompanied by dark bread and both dishes had cabbage slaw. We had several Úlfur IPA Nr. 3 between the 2 of us that was superb. Came to ~$80 USD which is a steal in Iceland. This lovely meal, cooked and served up with love and care erased all the memories of mediocre meals we had out. B has already started looking at flights this year! Didn’t take many food photos…And taking photos at Röstin just didn’t feel “right.” I’ve become less-and-less a fan of taking food photos and more of just savoring the moment. Except when you are at IKEA. 
