# octopus? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 1999, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018 "1999-10-07T18:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/1 "1999-10-08T05:52:00Z")
I was in the grocery store and saw a teeny can of octopus!!! What kind of recipe calls for this? Why not a huge can? There is a great book called inconspicuous consumption that lists weird foodstuffs,like Saurkraut Juice. Theres many brands. Has anyone here drank kraut juice? Eaten octopus? ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/2 "1999-10-08T05:55:00Z")
There are man asian recipies the call for octopus. Personally i’d go for fresh over canned though. * * * Just add water, it makes it’s own sauce! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/3 "1999-10-07T18:02:00Z")
It tastes like chicken,right? 😉 * * * Try and run between the raindrops! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/4 "1999-10-07T18:05:00Z")
Would you deny those who live alone the pleasures of octopus scampi? Especially when that may be the reason they live alone? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AuraSeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AuraSeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraSeer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/5 "1999-10-07T18:07:00Z")
Octopus is considered a delicacy in (parts of) Italy, and it definitely does _not_ taste like chicken. It has a definite fishy taste-- moreso than most actual fish-- and I find the texture to be somewhat rubbery. * * * Laugh hard; it’s a long way to the bank. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/6 "1999-10-07T18:15:00Z")
I have had octopus. There is a great restaurant here that will serve octopus on their Ceasar salad, rather than anchovies. Since I can’t stand those salty little buggers, I always get the octopus. * * * “The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.” - _Humphrey Bogart_ ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/7 "1999-10-07T18:19:00Z")
You can try octopus at nearly any sushi bar; ask for “tako”. It is usually sliced thin, but if you are lucky, you can get little baby octopi, about 2" across; they look like tub toys, and you eat them head and all (yum!)\> * * * TT “Believe those who seek the truth. Doubt those who find it.” --Andre Gide ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/8 "1999-10-07T18:23:00Z")
Fresh octupus is OK (not as good as squid, though). I had the marinated kind once and it was disgusting. Can’t imagine it would be any better canned. * * * “Had I been around at the creation, I would have given some useful hints for the better ordering of the universe.” - Alfonso X ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/9 "1999-10-07T18:24:00Z")
I was in a Japanese restaurant, and ordered the sashimi plate. Most of it I could identigy, except for this one chunk. I wonered if it was octopus. Picked it up, and saw a suction cup attached to the side. Yup, octopus. Much to my surprise, it was really good! If you like seafood, then by all means, try octopus. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/10 "1999-10-07T18:25:00Z")
The best squid I’ve ever had came from some Spanish food restaurant between 34th St and Times Square. The best octopus I’ve ever had came from El Bodegon in DC. I’m under the impression that they probably don’t have a lot of “natural” taste, that most of what you taste is really the seasonings that go along with it. I’ve bought (once) canned octopus, and all you could really “taste” was the oil that it was packed in. The texture can be really rubbery, but not always. It can be really good. BTW, in an unrelated subject, no one knows the origin of the word “squid.” ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/11 "1999-10-07T18:45:00Z")
Those teeny octopi are great in martinis, instead of olives. ---
**Author:** ![lvick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d07c76/32.png) [@lvick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lvick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/12 "1999-10-07T19:45:00Z")
I had octupus tacos in Baja last year that were way good. It was a small roadside stand in La Paz, so I’m pretty sure they were fresh, I wish I had some right now. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/13 "1999-10-07T19:50:00Z")
The marinated octopus served in many restaurants in Detroit’s Greektown is yummy! However, I once tried the sushi version and was disgusted…couldn’t get the thought of those suckers sticking to my tongue out of my head. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/14 "1999-10-07T20:24:00Z")
Hey auraseer, love the TMBG sig line * * * Just add water, it makes it’s own sauce! ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 1999, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/15 "1999-10-07T23:45:00Z")
I ate canned octopus once as a kid, on a dare. As I recall, it tased like oily rubber bands. The fresh stuff can be great. There’s Korean dish I love w/ octopus that’s wonderful. Oddly enough, the sucker things don’t bother me, but the taste buds on tongue do. Go figure. I prefer squid, but they’re somewhat alike. They both can get rubbery and nasty if they aren’t cooked properly. If you have a chance at the fresh stuff, well made, give it a try. Do not repeat favorite lines from “2000 leagues under the sea” or “Hunt for the Red October” in the restaurant. “Captain! Some…THING…has its tenacles around the sub!” OOOO-ga, OOO-ga “Dive, all dive!”… Veb ---
**Author:** ![torq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@torq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torq)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/16 "1999-10-08T00:09:00Z")
I had octopus soup once in Taiwan. I didn’t know what it was until the second dip of the ladle, when a 4" diameter octopus floated to the top of the serving bowl. It didn’t taste bad, but because I carefully avoided scooping out any actual octopodes (broth and veggies only) I don’t really know if I like them or not. On the other hand, I know that I do not like squid. I’ve had it dried, boiled, and in calamari… the only one of the three I’d ever consider having again is calamari, and I’m not in any particular hurry to do that. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/17 "1999-10-08T01:54:00Z")
Ok, thank you, I am going to throw up now. 😛 (this thread is especially hard to take when you’ve been a vegetarian for 13 years) * * * **\>^,^\<** “Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…” OpalCat’s site: [http://opalcat.com](http://opalcat.com) The Teeming Millions Homepage: [fathom.org/teemingmillions](http://fathom.org/teemingmillions) ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/18 "1999-10-08T02:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Oddly enough, the sucker things don’t bother me, but the taste buds on tongue do. Go figure. I can’t eat anything that I can identify as though it came from a person (tongue, brain, etc.) Especially tongue. It seems to me like kissing somebody, and deciding to have a snack instead. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Heath\_Doolin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Heath\_Doolin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heath_Doolin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/19 "1999-10-08T02:51:00Z")
Meatloaf (What you did not know? Surprise!) ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 1999, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018/20 "1999-10-08T10:11:00Z")
- - - A friend of mine once brought back a package of squid-jerky from Japan as a souvenier. It was a little squid about 9 inches long flattened and vacuum packed between two sheets of clear plastic, just like beef jerky. It was mostly almost completely transparent; the thicker areas were a translucent milky white. - MC [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus/9018.md?page=2)