An exciting aspect of traveling
to another country is
experiencing the cuisine.
Today, more and more people are
taking trips specifically to dine on
good food. For example, tens of thousands
of people travel to France and
Italy every year for this very reason.
Iceland
Most people are aware of the magnificent
and beautiful landscapes in
Iceland. It is also a thinly populated
country with little or no pollution.
The air is fresh and the water
clear, two important reasons why
Icelandic food is of the highest
quality. Food, in particular fish and
fish products, are Iceland’s main
exports. Fresh fish, organic lamb
and flavorful vegetables are examples
of Iceland’s foodstuffs.
Reykjavík
Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland,
has become a popular destination
for discerning travelers looking for
something out of the ordinary. In
the capital’s vicinity are magnificent
pearls of nature: hot springs,
glaciers, waterfalls, and mountains.
In addition, cultural life is diverse
and nightlife energetic. Reykjavík
is a “little” big city that is easy to
navigate on foot. It is also known
as SPA City Reykjavík, as there are
seven Thermal Baths and Pools, as
well as outstanding, privately operated
health spas. Reykjavík is therefore
an ideal destination for those
looking to relax, improve their
health and enjoy the good things
that life has to offer.
Nordica Hotel
Iceland’s best hotel is the Nordica, an
extremely comfortable four-star hotel
situated in a lovely part of the city. It
has 284 well-appointed rooms with a
Nordic ambiance. Many of the rooms
have great views. Nordica Hotel has
a 650-seat, particularly well-equipped
conference center. There is also an
Exclusive Executive Lounge, with
magnificent views. In addition, there
are 11 meeting rooms, two boardrooms,
and pre-function exhibition
space. NordicaSpa is the hotel’s spa
and fitness center offering a variety
of services including an exercise
room, jacuzzis, a relaxation pool,
aroma steamrooms, a sauna and
a relaxation room, ideal places to
relax as fatigue turns to well-being.
It is also possible to have various
types of massage and body treatments
as well as beauty treatments.
NordicaSpa is in effect a temple for
relaxation, fitness and beauty.
VOX
The pride of the hotel is the VOX
restaurant, one of the best in
Iceland and Scandinavia, and one
of the most interesting in Europe.
Icelandic and foreign culinary journalists
have heaped the restaurant
with praise. VOX emphasizes the French
style of
cooking,
while
focusing
on raw
materials,
and
Icelandic
traditions.
The freshest
and
best raw
material
Iceland
has to
offer is
key to
VOX’s
success.
The
wine list
is in tune
with the restaurant’s culinary focus,
skillfully selected to ensure that guests
can order wine that seamlessly fits the
food. Emphasis is placed on accentuating
the natural flavors of the raw
materials.
Spices are used sparingly, as
fresh herbs and flavorful stock are at
the center of VOX’s cooking style.
The food is therefore not only delicious,
it is also healthy.
Hákon
Head chef at VOX is Hákon Már
Örvarsson. He has worked in Iceland’s
best kitchens, was chosen chef of the
year, and has won numerous culinary
awards. Hákon Már worked for a time
in Luxembourg, including the Lea
Linster restaurant where he was Chef
de Cuisine. In 2001 he participated
in the famous cooking competition,
Bocuse de Or, which is undoubtedly
the most demanding in the world––a
veritable Olympic Competition for
chefs. In the 2001 competition Hákon
took 3rd place––Bocuse de Bronze,
which put him in the group of the
world’s best chefs.
Hákon Már is a humble yet
deeply reflective master chef. Each
dish that he creates is fully thought
out as though a symphony. His dishes
are in effect symphonies of flavor.
An example would be his breaded
and fried Arctic char with trout roe,
orange rosemary, fennel, kale, and
delightful corn sauce. Another dish is monkfish sautéed in lemon zest
and coriander seeds with Parma ham
flan, glazed root vegetables, white
beans and Cabernet vinaigrette.
As mentioned above, Hákon
Már and his team place key emphasis
on fresh, quality raw materials, while
keeping Icelandic culinary traditions in
mind. A dish based on this background
is slowly cooked filet of lamb in spiced
and flavorful stock, cooked traditionally
with a modern flare, served with root
vegetables and Dijon mustard. The
menu changes according to the season.
An essential factor in the
popularity and success of VOX is
Hakon’s ability to attract a team of
dedicated chefs and other staff who
view cooking as an art form. VOX
is, however, a casual restaurant: the
staff is friendly, the service is unpretentious,
and waiters and chefs
are always available to offer guests
advice and information.
Feel good in
Reykjavík
Nordica Hotel is the right place for
gastronomes and those looking to
take pleasure in what life have to
offer. You can relax and enjoy life
at Nordica SPA, and experience
Icelandic cooking at its best at VOX.
Nordica Hotel
Tel: +354 444 5000
[email protected]
www.icehotels.is
