Cafe Paris

On our first night in Rejkyavik we agreed to meet at Cafe Paris after a couple of hours of exploring the city on our own. We'd spotted it immediately—a short walk along Bankastraeti from our hotel near busy Ingollstorg Square—a bright cafe that went through to the larger and park-like Albingishusial Square.

We were determined to eat locally, and Ezra made a quick decision for a lamb-steak and lobster turf and surf. I considered the “fermented shark”, a traditional dish prepared by marinating a shark in uric acid, burying it in the volcanic soil of Iceland for up to six months, excavating and eating it. I passed—also on pepper Minke Whale steak...neither of us, of course, eat endangered species. I paused over a couple of turf choices (reindeer burgers and tenderloin of horse)...but too much Santa and Trigger for me.

My choice was an item on the menu called Islensk Kjotsupa Med Lambakjoti Og Braoui (translated as Icelandic lamb goulash with brown bread). Now, I'm a big goulash guy—do a pretty good Hungarian goulash myself—so it was an automatic. Also, the nations of the North Sea—particularly the island nations (and I include Denmark here)—where sheep outnumber people, are very good at keeping their animals, and also at preparing them.

But this goulash was unlike any I've ever encountered.

The dish was served in a deep bowl—a clear lamb broth floating a few carrots, chives and potatoes, and large chunks of lamb. The kjotsupa more resembled a Welsh cawl than a goulash, except that the cawl is served with a slab of mature cheddar cheese as well as the brown bread. The lamb though, was superb. Traditionally, Welsh lamb had been raised for its wool; it's only in the past decades (after an invasion of New Zealand lamb that the Welsh turned to their sheep as a serious foodstuff). Icelandic lamb is free-range and never fed additives or drugs: The meat was tender, juicy beyond the broth—a lamb taste of blown grass and sea air.

And the bread was in-house (all the baked goods we ate in Rejkyavik were so)—warm, fragrant and delicious.

Although the meal was simple, it was satisfying...and redolent of the spare landscape that is Iceland, the Riviera of the Sub-Arctic.