# What uncommon food items have you had? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058 "2016-08-07T18:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/21 "2016-08-08T14:43:26Z")
I have had my share of unusual food, but the nastiest most unappealing dish I ever had was at my current place of employment and made by a world renowned French chef. It was “Beef Tendon Salad”. I have googled it and found that its roots are asian. I do not know if what I had was incorrectly prepared or a deviation of the typical recipe but in my opinion a bowl of rubber bands covered in soy sauce would be the rough equivalent of this particular dish. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/22 "2016-08-08T15:11:35Z")
I guess mine would be bison and gator. Not that those are particularly uncommon but this is coming from a person who in the other thread mentioned I’ve never tasted coleslaw. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/23 "2016-08-08T15:17:02Z")
Durian Beef lung Squirrel Dove Quail Deer/venison Venison heart Frog legs Bear Poke Salad Escargot Stinky tofu Some sort of fish brain (Indonesia) Paella (not sure this counts) Chicken gizzards, etc (not sure this counts, but they’re getting rarer) I grew us as a little country boy and we had bounty-a-plenty from this good earth. I sure do miss my great aunt fryin’ up a messa gizzards on a Saturday evening. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/24 "2016-08-08T15:18:43Z")
Depends on values of uncommon, but I’ve had blood sausage, eyeball tacos, surströmming, cicada, durian, beef tendon (many times, especially in pho), fried fish sperm (milt), raw pork (mett), uni, fried alligator (a local Southern/creole/bbq restaurant has it as a special sometimes–it’s really not all that weird; everyone at the table had it), turtle, etc. If it’s dead, I’ll eat it, so I’m sure there’s plenty of stuff I’m forgetting that people might call uncommon. (Looking through other’s lists, I’ve had escargot many times, ostrich, kangaroo, all sorts of offal, elk, venison, pheasant, quail, ants, etc.) The only one that I would hesitate at eating again is the surströmming, although, if offered, I’d probably give it another go. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/25 "2016-08-09T01:37:30Z")
I eat [balut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balut_(food)), but that’s pretty common around these parts. Some other things I’ve eaten: oxtail beef tongue tripe pig ears pork knuckles chicken feet chicken heart, liver, gizzard goat monitor lizard mantis shrimp snails multiple species of tropical fish that I can’t even name durian jackfruit lanzones (aka langsat - mentioned in OP) rambutan lychee longan mangosteen star apple custard apple [nata de coco](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nata_de_coco) [macapuno](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopyor_coconut) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/26 "2016-08-09T06:49:08Z")
Trying not to double too many people above: Pronghorn antelope - good, not that different from venison. And many other game animals that I consider more common. Alligator - expensive chicken, try it once. Frog’s legs are better. Kangaroo - interesting/good Jellyfish - flavorless & chewy Durian - underwhelming as hell. Smells kind of bad, but not as terrible as I was led to believe. Tastes like papaya or something. Hearts of any kind - OMNOMNOM My 2 year old has eaten more than most adults. Hmm… I should check if the grocery store down the street has [huitlacoche](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut), check that off my list. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/27 "2016-08-09T07:51:28Z")
Bloodworms. In Vietnam. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/28 "2016-08-09T08:40:43Z")
Silkworm Larvae Camel Alligator Dragonfruit Bison Escargot Octopus Calamari (the last two barely count as “uncommon,” I think. Although I did find a tentacle in my french fries, once. A bit crispy.) [Pepsi White](http://www.mikesblender.com/pepsi%20white%20pour.jpg) I missed the chance to eat kangaroo (the grill was fresh out). ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/29 "2016-08-09T09:41:36Z")
Wild grapes. They’re growing all over our (Ohio) property. They’re about the size of peas. Very tart but delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/30 "2016-08-09T13:54:51Z")
Lychee Rambutan Rattle Snake Alligator Mochi Ice Cream Daifuku ---
**Author:** ![jerseymule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jerseymule/32/3155_2.png) [@jerseymule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerseymule)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/31 "2016-08-09T13:56:07Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Fried crickets. If a prawn screwed a deer, the offspring would taste like fried crickets. I had a cricket taco at a Mexican restaurant. This was the type of restaurant that fancied itself “upscale.” I thought the crickets had very little flavor; mostly I tasted whatever type of sauce they had on them. The restaurant did not stay in business too long, although their guacamole was very good. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/32 "2016-08-09T13:59:17Z")
Rattlesnake (in AZ, where it’s really not that uncommon) Alligator (in NOLA, where it’s really not that uncommon) Raw Horse Meat (in Japan) Bubble Bee Larvae (think “maggots”; in Japan) Fugu (blowfish; in Japan) Fugu is the stuff that kills you if they don’t prepare it correctly. But I have to say it was, hands down, THE best sashimi I have ever had. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/33 "2016-08-09T14:10:21Z")
A chunk of these were in Japan… Land Animals: raw horse meat, chicken hearts, chicken feet, beef tongue, ant eggs, scrapple, pigs’ feet, alligator, liquor with a whole snake in the jar, blood sausage Marine Life: eel, eel liver, sea cucumber, mantis shrimp, loach, shirako (fish spooge), sea urchin, geoduck clams, marinated squid guts. Plant Life: Huitlacoche (corn smut), mangosteen, durian rambutan, starfruit, burdock. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/34 "2016-08-09T14:34:01Z")
Noting that I’m not an adventurous eater, by any means: Haggis (made by a friend of mine; it essentially tasted like a very rich stuffing) Kimchee (my cousin had been a Marine, stationed in South Korea, and married a Korean woman, bringing her home with him to Wisconsin) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/35 "2016-08-09T15:45:22Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Fugu is the stuff that kills you if they don’t prepare it correctly. But I have to say it was, hands down, THE best sashimi I have ever had. I’ve never had the chance to try it and would probably pass if I did, but my suspicion is that fugu, _per se_, is no tastier than any other sea fish… but a chef of that skill could make people line up and pay dear for tilapia. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/36 "2016-08-10T02:04:55Z")
Ones I haven’t seen listed: - jellied pig’s blood - fried silkworm pupae - boiled roadkill (moose) - duck blood noodle soup - smoked duck heads - goose feet ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/37 "2016-08-10T16:52:24Z")
My friends and I had an exotic meat party years ago- kind of standard stuff in that realm - kangaroo, boar, emu. Since then- Horse - basashi in Japan Whale jerky - same Possum - in Australia Desert Apples also in Australia. They are about the size of a blueberry but have the crunch and flavor of a good apple. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/38 "2016-08-10T19:11:43Z")
Bison isn’t all that uncommon around here. I had beefalo once when I was a kid but I can’t remember how it tasted. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/39 "2016-08-10T19:17:49Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Bison isn’t all that uncommon around here. Damn edit timeout! Rocky Mountain oysters aren’t all that uncommon around here either. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058/40 "2016-08-10T20:17:15Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Bison isn’t all that uncommon around here. I had beefalo once when I was a kid but I can’t remember how it tasted. If Walmart sells it, I’m not inclined to count it, either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-uncommon-food-items-have-you-had/762058.md?page=3)