Őskjuhlío is due east of Reykjavik’s domestic airport and seems uninspiring from a distance. However, these space-age towers are well worth exploring, as they are both functional and tourist attractions. Each of the grey containers holds 4000 litres of water at 80ºC for the town’s dwellings, swimming pools, and offices. At top of this building is the Perlan, an expensive and fashionable revolving restaurant.
We decided, having checked out the menu, to throw caution to the wind and eat at the Perlan. The lift took us speedily to the top floor, and we were immediately greeted and escorted to our table. We were seated on comfortable chairs at a table with a crisp white tablecloth, sparkling glasses, and substantial eating irons. The setting was right, as was our view. Set out below us was the whole of Reykjavik, and above us (at 9:30 pm), the glorious Icelandic sun glinting on the countless panes of glass in the Perlan’s dome.
I had no hesitation as I chose the "gourmet menu" of Whale carpaccio with ginger- and chilli-spiced pear compote; grilled lemon sole with baby pak choi; Guillemot with sage spiced figs, vegetable terrine, and peas puree; skyr with gin jelly; and cassis ice cream. It was a veritable feast, and my mouth is watering as I relive the gastronomic experience through this journal. It was certainly not cheap (5590 KR), but my wife opted for a less-expensive alternative of a fillet of lamb in a pecan-nut crust with a rosemary sauce, glazed carrots, and garlic confiture (3980 KR).
A meal at the Perlan is a dining experience, and the waiters are extremely attentive in their smart dinner suits (don’t look at their foot ware, as this may detract a little from the image!). Our bright-blue water goblets were regularly topped off with cold spring water (at no charge), and if we’d have fancied wine (at crazily exorbitant rates), the wine list was gargantuan. As the dining area slowly revolved, 90 degrees every 15 minutes, we were able to appreciate the tapestry of the town. A sudden downpour momentarily interrupted our vision, but our reward was a superbly defined rainbow arching over whole of the area.
But back to the food! The dark red whale meat was so finely cut that it was no more than paper thin, but the combined taste was exquisite. The second course was a superb contrast, with the light and fluffy sole combining with the crunchiness of the bed of sautéed vegetables, and the full flavours of the peppers, onions, garlic, capers, and celery working well together. The piece de la resistance was the guillemont – a very rich meat virtually liver-like in appearance and not for the faint-hearted. The dessert was light and crisp to the palate, a perfect finale for a rich and flavoursome meal.
Expensive? Yes, but well worth the experience.