In Dutch the saying “eten wat de pot schaft” means to eat whatever is being served without complaining. This is ever so relevant while traveling. Many cities and provinces I visited have their weird food specialities which I simply had to try once. Some items are grossly hyped and named next to the country’s greatest sights; you can get them at every tourist restaurant. Others are traditional dishes only served by grandmothers in small villages out in the countryside.
I haven’t tried some of the famously absurd food yet (like snake, monkey-brains or dog) but simply because I haven’t come across them on my path yet. Here is a list of 8 weird food and drinks I did try on the road.
1. Guinea Pig (Cusco, Peru)
Verdict: This Cuy (as the Peruvians call it) contains hardly any meat. Grossly overpriced and overhyped
2. Yak butter tea (Lijiang, China)
Verdict: (as expected) dominantly buttery, not much other flavor
3. Fried maggots (& coffee) (Qingdao, China)
Verdict: Contrary to popular belief, this was actually a pretty tasty snack with a nutty flavor and full of proteins
4. Spaghetti with Moose balls (Fairbanks, Alaska, USA)
Verdict: Very tender, dense meat. Recommended.
P.S. these are not the moose’s actual testicles
5. Japanese roll cakes (Osaka, Japan)
Verdict: It’s not so much the flavor or texture (spongy & sweet) but the presentation that stands out. There are thousands of designs in every imaginable color.
6. iSnack 2.0 vegemite (Melbourne, Australia)
Verdict: Although vegemite itself already has a peculiar taste they made it even more weird by giving it a rather unappealing name. I came to the understanding that this was part of a product-naming competition and, well, the internet happened
7. Deep fried crickets and other insects (Chang Mai, Thailand)
Verdict: Deep frying insects doesn’t add to the taste; it just makes it more salty, crunchy and generally overhyped..
8. Gangnam Style pistachios (Seoul, South Korea)
Verdict: Why, just.. why? (They taste like regular pistachios)
Honorable mentions
These foods and drinks didn’t make it to the top 8 but deserve an special mention.
Chinese Borsjtsj (Tiger Leaping Gorge, China)
Verdict: Whoever has been to Russia knows that this doesn’t look at all like borstjsj. It didn’t taste like it either..
This lady’s “scallop sashimi” (Hong Kong)
Verdict: It was a limp experience.
Chicken fingers (Beijing, China)
Verdict: This is literarily a chicken’s finger, nail and all. Chinese people like to chew on the skin and suck the spice out of the nails. I don’t get it.
Hello Kitty ice cream with sprinkles on top
Verdict: The desert in itself wasn’t all that weird, it was more the container they served it in that bruised my manhood..
Hahah, great list! Although the Thai insects were probably one of the most disgusting thing I’ve ever tried. I can still remember the green bits popping from the inside…
Have you tried natto while in Japan? Many people hate it by I absolutely loved it! Would like to know your opinion.
Nice list. I’ve tried a lot of the things here, the insects go great with a cold beer but there’s NO way I’d ever try a maggot…something about those slimy buggers that make my stomach just turn! 🙂