Grænn Kostur

June 20, 2012

After the vegetarian wonderland of Berlin, Cindy in addition to I were prepared for a much less exciting array of dining options inwards Reykjavik. Firstly, it's a pretty small-scale urban essence ( 250k people) in addition to secondly, the whole province is run on fish. With this inwards mind, we'd booked ourselves an bird for our rest - giving us the choice of cooking dinners/making sandwiches rather than struggling to discovery proficient meals out 3 times a day. All of which is non to tell that Reykjavik is a veg wasteland - Happy Cow lists 3 veg-only places in addition to some other one-half dozen or in addition to hence that are veg*n friendly. So, on our outset nighttime inwards town nosotros headed off to banking concern jibe out Grænn Kostur.

Grænn Kostur ('Green Choices' according to Google Translate) is a small-scale in addition to casual place, amongst a focus on good for you lot nutrient in addition to a rotating cast of nearly v dishes. The staff (like everyone nosotros spoke to inwards Iceland) are fluent inwards English linguistic communication in addition to happy to cry for out vegan options, etc. The v options are all pretty homely - things similar spinach bake, a attain of curries in addition to veggie lasagne. Everything comes amongst salads, staff of life in addition to rice.  I ordered the (vegan) pumpkin curry amongst tofu balls (1590kr AU$12).

The curry was a fairly straightforward mix of pumpkin, beans in addition to spices amongst a kokosnoot milk-based sauce in addition to the unfortunate inclusion of raisins. The tofu ball was a fighting to a greater extent than interesting - a lawn tennis ball-sized lump of tofu, pulled together amongst kokosnoot milk, tomato plant paste, oatmeal in addition to spices. It was a piffling on the dry out side but worked okay inwards combo amongst the curry sauce. The salads were unproblematic in addition to fresh, the staff of life home-baked in addition to delicious in addition to the whole repast left me feeling satisfied in addition to healthy.

Cindy opted for the moussaka (1590kr AU$12, vegan if you lot skip the tzatziki). It's a mish squelch of eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, soy mince in addition to spices, slathered inwards a tangy tzatzki.

Cindy described this equally 'share-house vegetarian', which captures the fairly straightforward nature of it - it was squeamish to teach a dish chock amount of veggies afterward spending 10 days inwards Berlin eating fried everything, but at that topographic point was nix real exciting going on. Still, for $12 you're getting a pretty massive plate of good for you lot food, which is difficult to complain about.

Grænn Kostur isn't going to win equally good many converts to vegetarianism - it's rooted inwards a sort of former schoolhouse slightly piece of cake manner of cooking, which may survive partly to produce amongst the availability of to a greater extent than exciting ingredients inwards isolated Iceland. Still, they produce an fantabulous chore of keeping things healthy, fresh in addition to affordable, in addition to are worth checking out if you're spending some fourth dimension inwards Reykjavik.

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There doesn't look to survive a vibrant veg blogging scene inwards Iceland, but tourists Vegan Butthole Explosion in addition to Vegetabull Blog both idea Grænn Kostur was pretty good.

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Grænn Kostur 

Skólavörðustígur 8b, Reykjavik
354 5522028
mains 1590kr AU$12 (small sizes available for 1,190kr AU$9)
http://www.graennkostur.is/english.htm

Accessibility: Grænn Kostur has a unmarried small-scale footstep upwardly on entry in addition to relatively crowded tables - at both touchstone in addition to bar pinnacle - inside. Ordering, payment in addition to nutrient pick-up all occur in addition to a high counter, where the nutrient options are on display (see moving-picture present above).

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On the double-decker to Reykjavik

Wandering around town...

The novel opera house

Visiting Viðey Island

Hamborgara Búllan

June 22, 2012

Michael took every chance inward Republic of Iceland to depository fiscal establishment tally out the local plane life (not a euphemism) as well as add together novel species to his life list. As a concession to me he also booked inward a to a greater extent than mainstream whale watching expedition. We didn't glimpse to a greater extent than than 2 second's worth of whale tail offshore but it was simply almost worth the ticket cost for the hundreds of puffins nosotros stopped past times on the agency out. I reckon the children's mass logo undersells them.

Back on dry out the world nosotros were approached past times an activist inward a whale suit, as well as nosotros had no problems signing their pledge to forgo whale meat piece inward Iceland. We were planning on burgers for tiffin anyway.

Hamborgara Búllan, also known equally The Burger Joint, is simply past times the dock lined amongst tour boats. While it's inward clear sight for tourists (and includes adequate English linguistic communication signage), it also appears to endure pop amongst the locals. Icelanders clearly get got a sense of savor for American manner burgers, hot dogs as well as pizza as well as different the town's favourite hot Canis familiaris stand, The Burger Joint has a veg option.

The Offer Of The Century (a burger, fries as well as soda for 1390kr AU$10.55) is perchance overstated but yet a expert deal. The bun's sweetness as well as insubstantial, the vege patty comes slathered inward ketchup, mustard as well as mayo, as well as there's enough to a greater extent than sauce for the fries. There's no juice, solely soda. This would simply barely cutting it at Lord Of The Fries but we're guests inward this the world as well as guests at a grill; nosotros don't get got a vege burger for granted.

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Only a few words almost Hamborgara Búllan look on blogs as well as none that I could notice were negative, see: listabrautin (in Icelandic), Seasons, Les tartines de Sidonie (in French), Flowing Strong, as well as aleholi (in French).

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Hamborgara Búllan
Mýrargata Geirsgötu 1, Reykjavik
+354 511 1888
veg burger combos 1390kr AU$10.55
http://www.bullan.is/

Accessibility: There's a pocket-size unmarried stride on entry as well as an interior quite crowded amongst high tables. Ordering, payment as well as pick-up occurs at a high counter.

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Puffins!

See? PUFFINS, FOR REALZ.

A bunch of gannets hooning around

Bird on the streets

Skyr

June 20-24, 2012

There are many things to dearest virtually Republic of Iceland (e.g. run into Blue Lagoon in addition to summertime sunset photos at the terminate of this post), but few of them are vegetarian foods. Veganz earlier leaving Berlin, in addition to kept a neat optic out for Bugles. Preparing most meals ourselves saved us a lot of coin in addition to nosotros suspected that nosotros weren't missing out on much.

This even then allowed us to bask the high criterion of bakeries (light yet chewy bread, melt-in-the-mouth cookies) in addition to skyr. Skyr is a Icelandic dairy production that's prepared similar a fresh cheese but comes off to a greater extent than similar yoghurt. It's thick in addition to creamy, yet patently really depression inward fat, in addition to it's enormously satisfying amongst granola for breakfast.

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The 'night-time' thought from our apartment

10:00pm

11:10pm

12:01am

1:35am

2:45am

Entering the Blue Lagoon...

The Laundromat Cafe

June 24, 2012

We didn't get got a lot of fourth dimension on our concluding hateful solar daytime inward Reykjavik - but plenty for a quick trip upwards Hallgrímskirkja (see photos below) together with a belatedly breakfast earlier nosotros had to restrain on the airdrome autobus together with wing off this weird footling chunk of volcanic rock. We breakfasted at The Laundromat Cafe (another of Marieke's many helpful suggestions), amongst a mix of hungover locals together with bright-eyed tourists.

The weekend card has a adept release of vegetarian dishes (and acre volition create a adept vegan spread if you lot inquire them). I was hungry plenty to larn for the large one, the build clean brunch - scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, grilled tomato, Stori Dimon cheese, chocolate butter, Greek yoghurt with muesli, American pancakes together with fruit, served with rye breadstuff together with a little drinking glass of mango/ginger wellness drinkable (2290kr AU$17.80).

I must acknowledge that reading that description had me imagining a platter of nutrient well-nigh every bit large every bit the table, then the artfully arranged plate of goodies seemed a flake on the little side. Also, at that topographic point was no chocolate butter! Outrageous. Still, this is a pretty dandy spread - a adept mix of sweetness together with savoury that leaves you lot sum together with feeling vaguely virtuous (especially without the chocolate butter!).

My 'health drink' was basically a little juice - it didn't create every bit much every bit the java I ordered to brand me experience salubrious though. Cindy went for a bigger drink, a raspberry smoothie (800kr AU$6), which was every bit adept every bit all the Nordic dairy products nosotros sampled.

She had a to a greater extent than little breakfast though, settling for a serve of the pancakes (790kr AU$6.15).

This was a pretty unproblematic breakfast - 5 thickish pancakes with a smear of butter together with a pot of maple syrup. They were null similar pancakes really, but withal served every bit a decent vessel for syrup. H5N1 few berries or something would get got kicked this upwards a notch.

The Laundromat is a large together with bustling cafe correct inward the middle of Reykjavik. The prices aren't also ridiculous together with the card offers veg-friendly breakfasts, lunches together with burgers. Service is friendly together with pretty efficient - it's definitely worth checking out. They also render an actual laundromat downstairs somewhere, which powerfulness come upwards inward handy if you're non staying inward an storey similar nosotros were.

 

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The Laundromat has to a greater extent than frequently than non positive reviews, banking concern tally out: Foodiemap, dobbernation loves, Christine Wehrmeier, Secret spots together with hidden gems, Stephanie Zwicky (French), Fur Coat, No Knickers, amazingfoodadventures together with le rose & le noir.

 

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The Laundromat
Austurstræti 9, Reykjavik
+354 587 75 55
breakfasts 790 - 2290kr AU$6.15 - 17.80
http://www.thelaundromatcafe.com/en

Accessibility: There's a twain of rattling little steps every bit you lot come upwards in. The interior is large but pretty crowded when they're busy (which seemed to move all the time). Ordering happens at the table, spell payment takes house amongst (not across) a high counter.

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Looking at Hallgrímskirkja from outside...

 ... together with looking at the exterior from Hallgrímskirkja