The 'lobster' in the name is actually langoustine — a smaller, sweeter cousin of true lobster that Icelanders have simply called humar for generations.
Langoustine tails are simmered into a rich, cream-based broth with tomato, garlic, and a splash of sherry or cognac, then ladled into bowls loaded with extra whole tails. Harborside shacks around Reykjavik's old fishing docks serve it in paper cups or bowls to eat standing up, close enough to smell the boats that caught it.
Why it's made this way: Iceland's cold northern waters happen to be prime langoustine territory, and dockside vendors turned what fishermen once discarded as bycatch into one of the country's signature harbor foods.
Roughly what's in it
340kcal
16gprotein
14gcarbs
24gfat
Estimated per typical street-vendor portion — not lab-tested.