Lángos, a deep-fried flatbread, is a quintessential Hungarian delicacy, a Hungarikum, most often enjoyed along the shores of Lake Balaton, and at festivals, but is also great when made at home. However, thanks to Dániel Balogh and his Icelandic partner, Sara Ósk Rúnarsdóttir, this beloved Hungarian street food can now be savoured in the northern island nation, and in a uniquely special setting.
In 2015, Dániel Balogh was working on a riverboat with a Colombian colleague who convinced him to go to Iceland for work, according to hvg.hu, which reported on the story of the Hungarian street food truck named Lángos Factory. A year later, Dániel was already working as a chef in Iceland, but he often dreamed starting his own business one day, rather than being an employee. Three months ago Dániel and his partner launched their venture, with the food truck now serving hungry hikers at the foot of the remote Sólheimajökull glacier.
Why lángos? In their experience, the typical street food in Iceland usually consists of fish and chips, pizza, hamburgers, or hot dogs. They wanted to introduce something new. In an interview with hvg.hu, the Hungarian restaurateur mentioned that he often has to explain what lángos is, as there isn’t anything quite like it in Icelandic cuisine. Due to its appearance, it is often mistaken for pizza, which is why it’s also important to explain why the toppings are served cold.
But the stall isn’t only visited by Icelanders;
at least a couple of Hungarian customers visit each day, too.
According to Dániel, around 1,500 Hungarians live in Iceland, and he is well-acquainted with the local Hungarian community. The food truck has also gained popularity in several Facebook groups, attracting many visitors thanks to the publicity.
Traditionally eaten with garlic, sour cream and cheese, lángos now comes in so many variations that the possibilities are endless. At Dániel’s stall the best-selling options are cheese, sour cream and ham, but the menu also includes traditional, vegan, and langoustine varieties. For dessert, they offer a selection of sweet lángos topped with marshmallows, Nutella, and banana slices. So far, they haven’t received any negative feedback. They focus on quality ingredients, a simple menu, and prices that are affordable for the average local. The classic cheese and sour cream lángos costs 2,100 Icelandic kroner, or about 5,500 HUF.
Of course, starting the business has not been without its challenges. The truck was ordered from Romania, equipped with the necessary furniture and equipment in Hungary, and then shipped from Amsterdam to Iceland. Additionally, the best recipe had to be perfected using Icelandic ingredients. For instance, finding cheese similar to Trappist cheese proved difficult, as did sourcing the paprika used in goulash soup, which is only available in Hungary—goulash is also on the menu at the stall.
The truck operates every day, except when strong winds and storms make it impossible to do so. So far their experience has been limited to the summer season, but they are hopeful that more visitors will come to the island in the winter as well.
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