I was pleasantly surprised by what UNO Cucina Italiana in Reykjavik had to offer. Italian food in Iceland – what could go wrong? I met the owners (a sister duo) during a Martini promotional meet-up during my last week in Iceland and they invited me to return for a plate sampling a few days later. Little did I know, they wanted me to sample nearly everything on the menu — well, at least that’s what it felt like. Whoahh Nellie I was thinking after each dish arrived and yet…..oh so so delicious. Orgasmically delicious. And so, the blend of Italy meets Iceland suddenly felt oh so right.
For some reason, I thought it was going to be an informal, low key casual place given its fun upbeat ambiance. And, the cool thing about UNO is that it is precisely that. Fun, modern, stylish and casual and yet…the quality of the food is far above what you’d expect from “fun, hip and stylish.” Being an Italian bistro, they started us off with an antipasti: artichokes, delicious toasted bread, assorted olives, chili jam (they’re famous for this apparently), pickled chili, prosciutto, chorizo, Italian salami, mozzarella, and Prima donna.
Then there was the incredible goat cheese risotto with peas, tomatoes and radish on top.
Salmon, Arctic Charr, Caviar, Chives, Argula, a little lemon and a little lime. Oh so perfect!
Cod is very common in Iceland and I tried it a variety of ways over the course of a month. Imagine garlic, artichokes, puree, polenta and salsa. Can dinner get much better?
Ah yes, but it does. While they had a slow cooked chicken, a four cheese ravioli and an oxtail with chili, red onion, arugula and blue cheese and that sounded exquisite, we opted for the lamb fillet with peas, beetroot puree, grilled pumpkin and red wine sauce.
Then, out of the blue came a seafood sampler that had both my new buddy from Minneapolis I met on a hike earlier that day….and I, at hello. Can anyone say fresh crab and mussels anyone? It’s a glorious dish of sauteed shellfish with fresh herbs and white wine was served with ratte potatoes, leeks and cherry tomatoes.
Just when you thought you couldn’t eat another morsel, a brownie with hazelnut and raspberry sauce, gelato ice cream with sweet almonds, cream and caramel sauce, and white chocolate with skyr (the Icelandic equivalent of yoghurt), lime and sweet almonds all showed up to greet us.
What an A+ job from UNO!! Kudos to the chef and owners whose energy I loved: Hrefna Ingolfsdottir and Erna Vigdis Ingolfsdottir (below). We give it a strong recommendation and two thumbs up! You won’t leave hungry nor will you be disappointed. Expect nothing short of one food orgasm after another!!
Note: I was hosted by the restaurant, but all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Go here for more on Iceland hotels / top Iceland hotels, and for food in Iceland / Iceland restaurants / top Iceland restaurants.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
