Words by

Catharine Fulton

From the makers of the NLFÍ Rehabilitation and Health Clinic in Hveragerði to the health-loving folk of Reykjavík, Krúska—the newest health joint on the market—is sure to be a contender. Firstly, for those who don’t know what Krúska means, it’s a blend of ground wheat that was the staple food item of Iceland’s pioneering vegetarians, providing nutrients when the only produce on the market was onion and potatoes.
Krúska, the restaurant at Suðurlandsbraut 12, has a lot more to offer than ground wheat… though it does sell bags of the stuff in one corner of the store that doubles as a health-food grocer. And it’s not just vegetarian fare this place is selling, either; on the day of my visit I was presented with a selection of salads, turkey wraps, chicken salads, and fish balls in addition to the vegetable quiche (1390 ISK) that I settled on. My lunch date chose the fish balls (1490 ISK).
It’s a good thing the food we ordered is healthy, because the serving sizes were massive. My slice of quiche, full of potatoes, carrots, greens and egg and topped with a crisp sesame seed crust, covered half my plate and the other half was heaped high with fresh green salad, drizzled with a light, Eastern tasting dressing. The quiche itself was quite tasty. I’m not sure how the chefs managed to make a quiche taste light, but they succeeded. Along with the surprisingly and pleasantly light and airy texture of the quiche was a disappointingly light amount of spice. The dish was flavoured with curry, but I would have appreciated more saturation of the flavour throughout to up the ante of the meal.
The salad accompanying the quiche was fresh and crisp and I would put that dressing on everything I eat if I had the recipe. Rumour has it that Krúska may be offering up some healthy cooking lessons in the fall. If this turns out to be true, I’m there!
My date’s fish balls were awesome. We had a lengthy discussion while she ate them about how we never make fish balls in our own homes, though we’re both quite big fans of the dish. If I could make fish balls as moist and delicate as Krúska I’d be making them every night, I think. These balls were nice! My date’s fish balls were sided by the same green salad that I enjoyed and a generous helping of couscous, mixed with dried fruits, both of which she enjoyed immensely.
Though the servings were plentiful and our stomachs were full, my date and I still ventured on to share a slice of chocolate cake for dessert (510 ISK). The thin, unleavened cake was über moist and rich and was joined on the plate by a dollop of whipped cream and a medley of stewed berries. A sweet (and still healthy, as far as I’m concerned) end to a satisfying meal.

• Krúska Suðurlandsbraut 12
• What we think: Good and good for you!
• Flavour: Delicious!
• Ambiance: Bright and summery
• Service: So sweet and friendly!
• Rating: 4/5