And Iceland's National dish is...(Drumroll)...Hot Dogs!

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While researching for popular local cuisines in Iceland, I definitely did not expect hot dogs to be on the top of that list. Hot dogs are pretty much sold and eaten everywhere in Iceland, and they’re cheap too! They’re different from American hot dogs in that they're made from Icelandic lamb, beef, and pork. Toppings often times includes raw onions, crispy fried onions, ketchup, a sweet brown mustard sauce, and another mayo type of sauce with relish.

There was a line no matter what time of day we were there 

There’s one particular hot dog stand in Reykjavík that claims they serve the best hot dog in the world. More impressive is the fact that their claims are backed up by multiple articles featuring it, celebrities and food bloggers traveling there to try it, and just the mere fact that the tiny stand always has a long line curling around the corner day in and day out even in the dead of winter. Without a doubt, I had to try this place.

Right near the harbor sits Baejarins Betzu Pylsur, a tiny outdoor hot dog stand with one single wooden bench for dining. I'm not kidding, there's only one bench for you to sit down and enjoy this meal. There’s only room for maybe 2 employees inside the stand, but throughout all the times we visited, there was only one person in the back working quickly and efficiently, scooping all the condiments onto the tasty looking dog.

For a mere 380 ISK, or around $2.87 USD, you can treat yourself to one mighty delicious dog, or maybe two, or three, or six. No judgements on eating habits for a surprise birthday winter wonderland getaway. [:

 

The first bite of the hot dog was absolutely amazing. It was still warm and it immediately felt comforting to taste the toasty yet soft bread and savoring the fusions of flavor. The meat is smooth and tender and even snaps when you bite on it, the sauces are perfectly blended with a kick of sweetness and tanginess, and lastly the raw and fried onions are an amazing combination to compliment the texture of both cold and crunchy along with fried and crispy.

 
 

Is the hot dog really that tasty? Is it worth it for me to fly to Iceland just for a hot dog? Well no, I wouldn't fly to Iceland just for a hot dog, there are so many other aspects this country has to offer, don't offend them! But with that being said, it was tasty enough that we visited the stand 4 more times throughout our 4 day trip and each of those times we already ate our full course meal beforehand. Is it the best hot dog in the world? Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a bread girl. I love eating bread more than anything else. Hands down the best hot dog bread I've ever had was at Pink’s Hot Dogs. Their bread + dog made such an impact on me the first time I had it that I still have dreams about it. Every time Harrison travels to LA for business, I always ask him to bring me back Pink's on the plane and he always (probably a smart idea) says no. But seriously, if I had Pink’s hot dog bread, with an Icelandic dog and toppings, that would be the perfect hot dog in my book. 

And now I need to end this post because I feel like I've written the word hot dog too many times.