Reykjavik, Iceland, one of the coldest, cloudiest, wettest, windiest cities I have ever been to. Yet despite the inclement weather, the quaint, sleepy city is outrageously beautiful. The food, which showcases mostly Nordic fare, is just as beautiful as the city itself. Although part of Europe, Iceland has never been covered by the little red book until last year. In it, the committee decided to award its first ever macaron to the city to an establishment called Dill. This is quite an achievement as Ragnar Eiriksson took over as head chef only in 2015, when Gunnar Gislason, one of the original founders of Dill, left to NYC to open Agern in NYC, which I have covered earlier. Needless to say, reservations were extremely difficult to attain (think booked out 2 months in advance). Luckily, as there were cancellations at the very last minute, the restaurant offered me and LT an early seating. As the meal was to celebrate a special occasion, I was all the more happy that the restaurant was able to accommodate us.
"Canopic" jars of preserved plants
Located inside a dimly lit barn, Dill sits squarely in the heart of the shopping district near Laugavegur, Reykjavik's version of New York's Soho. Painted in drab olive green, the restaurant's door is easy to miss as there were no signs. The restaurant's only exterior adornment are jars upon jars of pickled plants that line the window shelves. Inside, the restaurant is very dark as there are barely any electric lights. Instead, a singular window panel offers natural light. At night, open flame candlelight helps diners find their ways across their plates. All these design element help contribute rusticity to the dining atmosphere.
As with many other establishments in Iceland, alcohol at Dill, be it beer or wine, is expensive as it has to be imported. The selections are rather paltry as well. The choices for wine, in particular, are severely lacking. The list features mostly Old World stuff from makers of natural wines like Didier Dagueneau. As we were not in the mood, we passed on the tipples. The food menu is rather simple, as well. As we were both not that hungry, we opted for five courses instead of seven. As we were deliberating over the options, the first of the amuse-bouche arrived. All these bites are quintessential Nordic cuisine.
The 157th menu iteration
Snacks - Monkfish; Malt and Wolffish; Rye and Smoked Roe
(from left to right) - Monkfish, Malt and Wolffish, Rye and Smoked Roe
The monkfish was thinly pounded and then dehydrated. As the picture suggests, the sliver of flesh is exquisitely crispy. Flavor-wise, the fish is smoky and boasts a saline kick. The fermented garlic adds a counterpoint of sweetness to add balance and complexity to the bite. Quite delicious.
Frankly, I have forgotten which component is the malt, and which is the wolffish. Either case, I remember the bite yields unabashed smokiness. Other than this savory note, there are green herbal flavors too. Texture-wise, this bite is chewy given the white threads (I think that is the wolffish?). These threads remind me of my favorite childhood snack from Hong Kong - dried shredded squid, minus the MSG. The bottom brown layer is interestingly crispy too.
This is probably the strongest of the trio. The bottom sliver is crispy and delicate. Like the two previous bites that precede this, the flavor profile is smoky and saline. I particularly appreciate the luxuriousness of the roe cream. Great technique there from the chef as there are no lumps. It is very much like bottarga cream. Being a sucker for roe, I love this very much.
Roots - Radish with Preserved Rose; Parsnip with Herbs and Breadcrumbs; Beetroot with Tarragon Powder; Salsify with Dill
Shriveled like a raisin, the radish spots a beautiful fuchsia color which pairs beautifully with the pastel pink dots of rose concentrate. Flavor-wise, this dish is very much like the Japanese yellow-colored pickled radish takuan (沢庵漬け). The rose gel adds a razor sharp point of tampering acidity.
The dehydrated parsnip is surprisingly chewy, a texture that is very much akin to the Starburst fruit chews. The flavors of damp earth and mud are particularly concentrated. It is as if I am eating a fresh parsnip straight out of the ground. The herbs add a complex dimension to the bite. In all, however, I am not a fan.
The dehydrated beetroot tastes like yet another gummy. The texture is chewy and the vegetable sticks to the teeth upon mastication. The preparation process significantly concentrates the beet flavors. I get plenty of sweetness, earthiness and even some anise flavors as well. Very nice.
The final bite boasts the strongest flavors of the four. Much like the previous 3, the salsify is dehydrated and possesses a gummy-like texture. That said, this bite does not stick to the teeth. Instead, it disintegrates into sizable chunks upon chewing. Earthy notes are particularly pungent and the zing from the dill is quite strong. To be frank, I do not know what to make of this. The cooking technique is there to enhance flavors. But I would not call this an enjoyable bite.
Celeriac, Mussels and Dulse
Arguably the best dish of the night. And probably the only dish that is of mention. This preparation is fantastic and the execution is flawless. I particularly like the ingenuity of the chef behind this. The star to this dish, hidden from the photo, is the cucumber tartare at the bottom. The salted cubes of courgettes are crunchy, a texture that contrasts so well with the precisely-cooked chewy mussels. The cucumbers, which are briefly pickled, are accurately seasoned to serve as the perfect partner to those saline muscles. The slivers of celeriac provide textural support while the dulse seaweed add pinpoints of umami. This is a solidly executed and well thought-out dish.
Sunchokes in Different Textures
There is a lot going on in this dish. There are sunchoke puree, smoked sunchokes, pickled sunchokes and fried sunchoke chips as garnish. The puree is smooth without any fibers. This shows good execution and exquisite use of the ricer by the chef. Much-needed acidity is provided by the skyr in the puree and the pickles to cut through the richness of the puree itself. I also appreciate the textural interplay between the porridge-like puree and the crunch from the pickles and the chips. The dill oil on the side adds the extra kick of spice to truly elevate this dish. Nonetheless, although the execution of this bowl is flawless, I do find it lacking in creativity. Presenting the same ingredient in different formats is a rather trite ploy as the flavors are quite one-sided.
Dried Salted Cod, Fermented White Cabbage and Onions, Chive Oil
The star of this dish, much like the mussels dish previously, is the accompaniment. The fermented white cabbage and onions are absolute showstoppers. These vegetable shreds are supple and feel like noodles due to the fermentation process. Yet at the same time, the slivers are crunchy and springy too. Fermentation also adds acidity in the vegetables which helps stand up against the butter in the sauce and the oils in the fish. Tender, supple and sporting a pearlescent interior, the cod itself is expertly cooked. Regrettably, the seasoning needs improvement. Fish itself was on the saltier end. Also, the onions and chive oil add too much astringency for me. I wish these flavors could be toned down a little. Nonetheless, this was tasty and a well-composed dish showcasing archetypal Nordic flavors.
Beef Brisket, Parsley and Whey
Weakest dish of the night and by a big margin. Although the ingredients are astounding fresh and packed full of flavor, the execution is faulty and imagination is lacking. The brisket is dry and this is a shame, as the bovine flavors are very concentrated. I also do not see the need of a red wine vinaigrette as it does not add much to the complexity of the dish. The saving grace may be the parsnip puree as its earthy and sweet profile acts as a fitting complement to the beef. Execution faults aside, I also do not see much creativity in this dish. Serving a hunk of beef that is sous vide, braised, and then seared is too trite, especially for a Michelin-starred establishment. This main course leaves much to be desired.
Rutabaga, Cream and Crowberries
For me, this is the second best dish of the night and this dessert is a proper conclusion to a very tasty meal. Deliciously sweet and accented with vanilla, the rutabaga creme is fluffy, airy and ethereal. The rutabaga in the cream adds an earthy undertone to the sweetness. Meanwhile, the pickled rutabaga adds a chewy, earthy and even somewhat bitter counterpoint to the sweet dessert. The macerated crowberries, on the other hand, add popping textures and acidity. If anything, these pearls remind me of salmon roe. The star in this dish is the toasted yeast. They not only add crunch, but they actually taste like Kellogg frosted cornflakes, a morning staple that brings me immense joy and comfort. This is a well-designed dish that is light, whimsical and truly enjoyable.
Dill, much like my visit to Agern earlier, is thoroughly enjoyable. Chef Eiriksson duly brought his technique and attention to details onto every dish of the evening. As with many other restaurants showcasing Nordic cuisine, Dill presents the best produce through sourcing locally. It all seems to be part of the Nordic story that Chef Eiriksson tries to tell us: the sparsely populated island, the earthen-colored crockery, the beautiful Scandinavian nature, etc. It all comes together on every ingredient on the plates. And to me, this is a story well told. (03/28/2018)