and they don't come from the ocean.

The oysters are a staple dish in Denver,

but they're not the only iconic meal the city has to offer.

I have $50 to spend and I'm on a mission to try

some of the best dishes in Colorado's capital,

hopefully without splurging beyond my budget.

The city is known for its walkable downtown,

craft beer around every corner, and some stellar cuisine.

I'm excited to try a couple of things

in Denver in particular,

things I never imagined that I would eat.

One, a rattlesnake hot dog,

and then Rocky Mountain oysters.

Colorado is made up of flat grasslands

and the southern Rocky Mountains,

which makes living easy for large animals

like elk, moose, and deer.

That leads us to the first stop on our journey.

Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs started as a hot dog cart

outside of the Colorado Rockies' baseball stadium in 2005.

Today, they have a restaurant, two locations in Coors Field,

and five street carts.

I ordered reindeer and rattlesnake with pheasant,

and I'm really excited and nervous to try them both.

Both hot dogs cost $7.50 each,

plus an extra buck fifty for the toppings.

The rattlesnake-pheasant hot dog is topped

with roasted cactus, Malaysian curry jam,

scallions, cilantro, and onions.

- We're really lucky in the fact

that we're kind of a destination.

We became popular because we're serving

just this bizarre hot dog menu,

starting with reindeer and buffalo,

elk, wild boar, pheasant,

things that nobody had actually

ever seen before in a hot dog.

Narrator: Even the reindeer was $9 well spent.

That's so delicious.

The chili is so - I'm going to take another bite.

After dropping $18 on some of the best hot dogs I've had,

I made my way to Avanti Food & Beverage

for a local craft beer.

Check off $7 and an amazing skyline view of the city

and I was on my way to take on the meal

I was most anxious to try.

Rocky Mountain oysters are a staple

at one of Denver's oldest restaurants.

Buckhorn Exchange goes through 500 pounds

of Rocky Mountain oysters each week.

- They're cow testicles, or bull testicles,

whichever way you want to look at it.

When they're castrated, the testicle is harvested,

and then we peel it, there's a membrane on it,

and we peel it and slice it very thin and deep fry it.

The large order of Rocky Mountain oysters cost $17.

- They're just super normal and good.

Mmm, it's great.

It's great, it actually is.

It's nicer than a fried potato chip

because it has some substance, some sustenance,

like I feel like I am eating more of a meat.

We ended our day exploring the Denver Central Market.

The food hall is home to a variety of local vendors,

including a fish market, wood-fired pizza bar,

and popular ice cream shop.

After our day full of wild foods,

I settled for something I was used to.

The Italian muffuletta sandwich was topped

with fennel salami, ham, mozzarella, and basil pesto.

On a US-dollar affordability scale,

10 stars being the most affordable,

I'm giving Denver five stars.

I may have splurged on the whole order

of Rocky Mountain oysters.

Considering they are a delicacy in Denver,

they weren't exactly cheap.

And I can say, I forked over a few more dollars

for hot dogs than I normally would,

but they're not your typical sausage,

so still no regrets there.

From my experience, I think it's challenging to try

some of the most iconic dishes in Denver

without blowing through a $50 budget.

Next time, maybe I'll opt for the half order

of Rocky Mountain oysters.