The Gullfoss restaurant is on Pósthússtræti, across the street from Hornið and Bæjarins Bestu. In spite of its modest neighbours, Gullfoss should by no means be considered cheap or everyday for us commoners: the restaurant is well suited for fine dining, for big or small parties.
The atmosphere at Gullfoss is good. The interior design is warmer than in many Icelandic restaurants and its minimal rustic feel is surprisingly charming. The black and white of every other eatery in town is nowhere to be seen. Instead, guests can enjoy the relief of a completely echo-free environment. The menu is classic, with a fine blend of traditional Icelandic produce and Southern European ideas brought together in a formal French style. I started the meal with a delicious monk fish carpaccio. The blend of monk fish, assorted greens and pink grapefruit was a fresh reminder of spring and a perfect companion to the meat that followed. Of course I tried my companion’s lobster, which was good, but I liked the monk fish better. The main course was beef tenderloin and an open duck breast ravioli. I’m a big fan of beef and I was very excited to try Gullfoss’ take on the tenderloin. Although the meat was cooked perfectly, I would have preferred the dish a little lighter and with more vegetables. The duck was a pleasant surprise and I was very jealous of my companion for ordering it. A much lighter meat than the beef, it was served in an open ravioli with delicious caramelised red onions. The combination had me begging my friend for more bites to taste – the sweetness of the red onions complimented the duck perfectly. For desert we had the “Choco Shock” and Crème Brûlée. The former is a must for every chocolate lover. The dish incorporates many different chocolate desert styles and together they melt into a fantastic chocolate orgasm. The always classic Crème Brûlée was well done too, especially in combination with the blood orange sorbet. Gullfoss is pricey – the main courses range from 3,200 to 4,700 ISK – but for an upscale restaurant the quality of the food easily justifies the prices.
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