I can say without hesitation that Argentína is the best place in the world for a red meat-loving person to have a special celebration. Reykjavík has some great chefs and all sorts of nifty sauces, but with all the discussion of fish and lamb, a lot of people have lost focus on the joys of BEEF well-matched with a South American wine. Look, yes, there is great fish in Iceland, but just because you’re on an island, that doesn’t mean you have to eat like you’re recovering from a heart attack. Once in a while, eat some damned cholesterol. (And, by the way, beef in Iceland is also a local product. And it’s grass-fed. So it’s nowhere near as unhealthy as that corn-fed nonsense you get in America.)
Okay, so I’ve made my case for beef, but that ain’t the half of the situation behind what makes Argentína the place to be. The real reason to go to Argentína comes down to three letters: J F K. That’s right, if John Fitzgerald Kennedy were alive, lived in Reykjavík and wanted to take a lady out, he’d be sitting in the dimly lit booth right next to you, sampling the wine, listening to Frank Sinatra on the sound system, and snacking on the filet, or maybe the astounding seared tuna appetizer, or the beef carpaccio with foie gras paired with a Spanish red that suited the combo perfectly.
Regarding price: the staff here can only afford to eat at Argentína once or twice a year. However, there are specials, including a discounted meal for the theatre crowd. The four-course meal we sampled runs about 7000 ISK, with 2900 ISK for the ESSENTIAL four-wine special.
Argentína
Baronsstígur 11, 101 Reykjavík.
Tel. 551-9555.
www.argentina.is.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
