Iceland is a place of extremes … and those extremes don’t end with the scenery! You’ll also find it in some of the food that’s available. That being said, I did eat some of the strangest ingredients of my life during our stay in Reykjavik. In fact, the unique options, plus a great travel deal through Icelandair, are some of the reasons we chose to make the trip. (Don’t worry, you’ll enjoy amazing “regular” food too!)
The best part about this is that we found most of it on ONE appetizer plate in ONE restaurant! You won’t need to search all over the city, if that’s not your thing. But, if these are on your Foodie Bucket List, check out Sweet Pig, or “Saeta Svínid” in Reykjavik. The restaurant offers an appetizer plate with all of the following (except for the goose and the hakarl) for about $26. If that option isn’t available, it also offers a 7 course tasting menu with these options, plus several more. And it starts with a shot of Brennivin, or Black Death!
Puffin
Those cute, colorful, little birds hadn’t returned to Iceland for the summer yet when we visited in early April, so we didn’t get to see them.
They aren’t just a big tourist draw. Like most things that are grown or live in Iceland, Puffin are also a source of food.
Since the birds were out of season during our visit, the appetizer at Sweet Pig was made of frozen puffin. It was smoked with a berry liqueur.
I was surprised with the taste. In my opinion, it had a similar taste and texture to that of a mild beef jerky. Just not quite as tough.
Whale
I had a slight moral issue eating whale, but it’s not illegal to do in Iceland. And apparently the type of whale we ate isn’t endangered (at least that’s what we were told.)
The way it was served on our appetizer plate looked to be medium rare. The taste was rich and meaty and reminded me of steak.
Arctic Char
This isn’t as unique as some of the other options on this list, but it is one of the first times I’ve had the option to eat Arctic Char. We ordered it twice while in Iceland. The option on the appetizer plate at Sweet Pig wasn’t my favorite. It was lightly cured, and served cold — resembling sushi.
I liked the Arctic Char we ate during the Iceland foodie tour MUCH better. It was warm and the highlight of that portion of the meal. It’s really just all about preference.
Horse
This was another tough one to swallow, especially after we stopped to see the cute Icelandic horses while on our tour of The Golden Circle.
The appetizer plate was actually the second time I ate the horse while in Iceland. This option ended up being served as a carpaccio.
I liked the other horse, served on the foodie tour better. It was smoked. Again, all about preference.
Goose
If it swims or flies in Iceland, the people there know how to prepare it.
We had some interesting goose faux “kabobs” on the Iceland foodie tour as we ate our way through Reykjavik. This was served smoked … and the chef added a fantastic raspberry sauce!
Hakarl a.k.a Fermented Shark
Rotten shark. It’s probably what you’ve heard is served in Iceland. Does it taste as bad as it smells? Almost. Chef Anthony Bourdain called it the “the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing” he’s ever eaten.
Hakarl somehow became the national dish of Iceland, even though many locals I spoke to don’t love this dish either.
What exactly is hakarl? It’s the greenland shark. It actually contains a large amount of ammonia and is poisonous when fresh. The ammonia is what you smell when it’s cooked … and taste when you eat it.
When it’s prepared, hakarl is placed into a hole in the sand for up to 3 months. Then what remains is cut into strips and hung to dry for several more months. During this time it apparently develops a brown crust. Luckily for anyone who’s going to try to eat it, the crust is removed before it’s served. If you want to apply the “When in Rome” logic here, you’ll be able to find hakarl in many restaurants, at least in Reykjavik. You will probably know it’s on the menu before you ever look for it. If there’s a powerful — and potent — smell in the restaurant, the chef is likely serving this delicacy!
I think it has the consistency of sushi or tuna steak, depending on how it’s served. Personally, it tastes like cat food smells.
Yup. I tried it.