Humarhöfnin, Höfn, Iceland

I am a big fan of prawns and lobsters, so of course I would love langoustines! What are langoustines? They are essentially small lobsters but skinnier and lighter in shade. Langoustines were first found off the coast of Norway, the majority of the ones caught today come from the cold waters of the northern Atlantic and the North Sea, particularly off the west coast of Scotland in the Moray Firth and toward Iceland. It's no surprise that Humarhöfnin in Höfn, an Icelandic fishing town in the southeastern part of Iceland, specializes in langoustines. Mark and I had the honor of tasting their new summer menu prior to its launch and wow, what a treat!

For starters, we had Smoked Dried Mutton (from Skaftafell National Park) with feta and basil pesto and Beetroot Gravadlax (a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill) with pickled cauliflowers and rye crumbs. The mutton reminded me of this smoked venison I had in Norway long long time ago so the taste was pleasantly nostalgic. I love how it was paired with fresh greens and ingredients. As for the Gravadlax, the fish tasted light but fresh and the pickled cauliflowers were tasty. The rye crumbs, on the other hand, were good on their own but the pairing seemed a bit off since they were overly crunchy and dry next to the super soft salmon.

Next up... Entrée! We had the infamous Arctic Char (infamous because everyone told me to eat some Arctic Char when I go to Iceland) with Icelandic barley, quinoa, lovage skyr foam, and asparagus. Seriously, every single Arctic Char dish I had in Iceland was sooo fresh! Last but not least, langoustines of course! Whole langoustine and tails with roasted parsnip, pistachio sautéed kale, and curry beurre noisette. I was surprised at how much the curry flavor brought out the sweetness of the langoustine! So so so flavorful!

After having all these delectable dishes paired with white wine, it was rather soothing to enjoy this warm rhubarb compote dessert with hazelnut crumble and citrus skyr. It was so warm and gooey and delicious! Mark loved it so much that he kept looking for something similar the rest of our trip! Thank you Humarhöfnin for welcoming us to your beautiful restaurant and sharing your summer menu with us!