After a relaxing plunge in Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon we marched ourselves over to the stunning Harpa Centre for dinner at Kolabrautin. The food in Reykjavik never ceased to amaze me and Kolabrautin took the idea of connecting local food to terroir to a visually arresting climax. Standing outside of the Harpa Centire is a jaw dropping experience especially at night when colours shudder and shake like a swarm of fire flies. Our awe of the buildings design continued once we were inside. I could not get over the honeycomb windows, hexagonal mirrored ceiling and streamlined staircase which doubles as a lounge. The focal point of the lobby leads you to the entrance of Kolabrautin’s bar. The bartender grabbed our coats and ushered us through the stunning restaurant to our seats which directly looked over the harbour. Sarah and I were silent while our menus were placed before us and once the server had left we both bulged our eyes at each other. It seemed like each of the restaurants we ate at continued to fulfill our fantasies…never a dull moment.
Our server was attentive and educated us about the menu throughout the next few hours. The bar offers up an excellent selection of well crafted cocktails so do go ahead and order as many as you can handle. We started with “The Fourth Floor” (in reference to the fact that the restaurant is located on the 4th floor of the Harpa Centre) which was a perfect punch celebrating the raspberry. We sipped on our cocktails while the sun slowly set across an orange and red horizon. As soon as it arrived, we dipped our bread in olive oil and sprinkled with a Moroccan spice mix. We took a good look at the menu and once our final decisions had been made we advised our server and relaxed staring out at the many ships that sat in the harbour. We also stared up at the mirrored ceiling and waved…the ceiling is slanted in all directions so it is actually possible to look directly above your head and see what the people two tables over are eating.
Absolutely every dish that graced our table was a favorite but my fondest memories are of the meatballs and rib eye steak with veal sausage. That particular plate was absolutely stunning, like a beautiful piece of art I didn’t want to eat it at first…I just wanted to take a picture from every possible angle so it was properly documented before I savagely destroyed it. Both desserts were an enchanting marvel with a focus on celebrating Iceland’s unique landscape and my love for chocolate! The perfect finish was when the chef came table side to create “Kaffi Og Rjomaostur” which when finished resembled Iceland’s famous volcanic and glacier dotted landscape. Kolabrautin is a Reykjavik must for any foodie. The chef’s creative menu provides one visual masterpiece after the other.
We enjoyed:
The Fourth Floor
raspberry infused vodka, orange juice. lemon juice, sugar syrup, creme de frambois, raspberries, mint, champagne
Devil’s Share
bourbon, ginger, lime juice, maple syrup, orange, bitters
Luscious Lucy
bison grass vodka, apple juice, lemon juice, ginger, maple syrup, strawberries, ginger ale
Honey Smash
bison grass vodka, lemon juice, strawberries, mint, honey
Ginger Mojito
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Cellery Root
jerusalem artichokes, shallot vinaigrette
Ravioli
filled with ricotta and spinach, carrot, citrus, grana padano
Moroccan Spice Meatballs
potato gnocchi, onion, pistachio, tomato sauce
Beef and Veal
rib eye, sausage, mushrooms, pasta, potato, parsnip
Kaffi Og Rjomaostur
cream of mascarpone, crispy cocoa, cinnamon and coffee cake, coffee ice cream
Sukkuladi Og Karamella
chocolate mousse, caramel cake, milk sorbet, liquorice marshmallows
