Table for Two #15: Kol Restaurant

Rachel of Hello, Chelly and I decided to do a special Iceland edition of Table for Two for the month of March! We had the most amazing trip (check out my recaps for more - part 01 / part 02 / part 03) and we got to eat at some pretty delicious places. It took us both a while to narrow down which place we each wanted to feature for this post, but I finally ended up going with Kol Restaurant and Rachel decided to feature Prikid. 

Full disclaimer: Kol Restaurant was the most expensive restaurant we chose to eat at during our trip to Iceland (and that's saying something since Iceland is a pretty expensive place to visit). So, if you're looking to eat on a budget, this restaurant choice might not be for you. However, every single cent spent on this meal was worth it - for taste, for ambience and for the satisfaction of our hunger.

Kol Restaurant is located just a couple minutes walk away from Hallgrímskirkja, which means it's easy to find and in a very central spot. When you step into the restaurant, the host will offer to take your jackets before leading you to your table. The interior of the restaurant possesses warm lighting and dark furnishings that evoke a sense of coziness that invites visitors to come inside, spend some time and really enjoy the luxury of a meal and a cocktail (or two).

We were lucky enough to come in before things got busy and got seated right by one of the windows looking out on the street. It was a cozy little corner spot that allowed us to have some privacy, but also gave us the chance to observe passersby. Once we'd gotten comfortable, we perused the menu to decide on what we'd like to eat and drink. 

We started off by sharing the Icelandic scallops (sautéed scallops, almond praline, dill mayo, pickled shallots, langoustine bisque), which were perfect to whet our appetites with. We each ended up choosing a different main course. I went for lamb sirloin (blueberry polenta, root vegetable purée, 20 months aged Tindur cheese, salsify, pistachio crumble, red onion compote, lamb glaze) and Rachel chose beef x 2 (tenderloin of beef & braised ox brisket, pepper polenta, mushrooms, almonds, sweet potato and black garlic purée, leek, tarragon foam, leek crisp). I have to say - all three dishes were exquisitely plated, the portioning was spot on and the food itself was so delicious. My mouth is watering just recalling that lamb! We pretty much cleaned our plates out, and that's definitely a sign of an excellent meal.

Dessert and cocktails were our next step, and we decided to share Simply the Best, which is a selection of different Kol desserts, as well as ordering Banana Flip cocktails (banana infused rum, demerara, cream, egg, chocolate bitters). I forgot to ask what each dessert was, but we really enjoyed two of the three - something that resembled chocolate brownies with sorbet, and the other something chocolatey with a caramel surprise. It was a really good way to get to try different dessert items to share though!

All in all, visiting Kol Restaurant was an excellent choice for splurging on a meal during our trip. I'd go back for another visit (and for more of that lamb, let's be real), and would highly recommend it if you want someplace special (and are willing to spend a bit) to commemorate an occasion or your visit! You can find Kol Restaurant on Skólavörðustígur 40, and here's their website for more info.