# What's the most exotic thing you've eaten? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 1999, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991 "1999-08-18T13:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/41 "1999-08-20T04:18:00Z")
Jorge: Oo, Pinoy ako 🙂 (About all of the Tagalog i can speak LOL). I’m Visayan though :). Hmm i never had that Ilocano dish. I may have to ask my friend mike about that! I dont think i would eat that dish if i knew what it was in the first place (thanks for the advance warning LOL). ---
**Author:** ![Darwinself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Darwinself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwinself)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/42 "1999-08-20T12:44:00Z")
goats yes and cous cous ??? Should read goats eyes and cous cous. It was served on a huge brass tray and you just dug in. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/43 "1999-08-20T16:08:00Z")
I spose ostrich is the most exotic thing I’ve had recently, although it is becoming more commonplace. I didn’t really care for it though; it tastes too much like spotted owl. ---
**Author:** ![omniscientnot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a5b964/32.png) [@omniscientnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omniscientnot)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/44 "1999-08-20T16:26:00Z")
Cristi: Hey, _Hey_, _ **HEY** _!! It’s my “alter ego” who does those things. I’ll have you know I’m not that kind of guy! (Although, I guess, _something_ could be arranged if you promised me I could be your new best friend too, afterwards :D) ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/45 "1999-08-20T16:34:00Z")
Southern fried squirrel. Tastes just like…well, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Jahender](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d9b06d/32.png) [@Jahender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jahender)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/46 "1999-08-20T18:36:00Z")
Dammit, you guys beat me to the punch. A Portuguese art student named Lorriane… ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/47 "1999-08-20T23:11:00Z")
I got treated to an expensive \* fugu \* fish dinner by a Japanese friend when I was stationed in Asia about fourteen years ago. I didn’t realize it was a deadly poisonous puffer fish that had to be cooked by licensed chefs. If there was any trace of this one organ that produced the poison left in the fish then I would’ve died an agonizing death. Swore to God after that, I’d stick to Long John Silvers. * * * “…send lawyers, guns, and money…” ``` Warren Zevon ``` ---
**Author:** ![mikan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@mikan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 1999, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/48 "1999-08-20T23:43:00Z")
Surely some of you have also tried chicken feet? (Check 'em out next time you go to have dim sum.) A couple things I’ve sampled are ant larva (at a Thai restaurant) and whale blubber. Has anyone out there actually tried whale meat? I hear it’s supposed to be quite tasty, rather like beef. ---
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/49 "2000-06-20T16:08:44Z")
I’ve had buffalo and calmari(deep-fried squid). And sushi. What I really want to try is jellyfish. Has anyone tried this? Do they know a recipe for it or where to get it? ---
**Author:** ![\_oo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e9a140/32.png) [@\_oo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_oo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/50 "2000-06-20T18:20:20Z")
- The \*\* tentacles on a live octopus \*\* when eaten still manages to put suction on your tongue etc, and it is quite hard to chew because of this - sucks to whatever it touches in your mouth. You kind of have to battle with it a little bit. - \*\* Pig blood \*\* tastes better than \*\* chicken blood \*\*. - Never eaten but seen people eat \*\* live scorpions \*\*. Have to be really brave I guess. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/51 "2000-06-20T18:22:42Z")
I had some escargot once on a cruise. ---
**Author:** ![right\_said\_fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@right\_said\_fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/right_said_fred)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/52 "2000-06-20T18:27:31Z")
ostrich jerky moose roast canned, french-fried grasshopper squirrel burgers ---
**Author:** ![SouthernStyle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@SouthernStyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouthernStyle)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/53 "2000-06-20T18:31:47Z")
I’ve tried about half of what’s been posted and I’m curious about half of the rest. “But I aint gettin’ nowhere near no damned Lutefisk!” SouthernStyle ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/54 "2000-06-20T19:25:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > How in the world do you eat LIVE lobster and octopus? I mean, I can see raw, but LIVE? > > I’ve seen chefs prepare lobster sashimi (that’s raw, live lobster). It’s pretty vicious. They take the lobster and cut off its tail. The tail flops around for awhile, and when it weakens, they skillfully cut it open, pull out the meat, cut the meat into thin strips, and put it back into the tail to serve. The top half of the lobster (the head) is also on the dish, alongside the tail. There have been many instances where the head crawled off the dish as patrons were eating. > > As for live octopus, I’ve never seen it at a restaurant. But I’ve gone fishing with some of my friends who like to spear octopus. After the catch, they drop the octopus in boiling water, which does not kill it but weakens it greatly, pull it out quickly and cut it up and dip it in hot sauce. The tentacles are still wriggling as you chew on it. > \*\* This strikes me as needlessly cruel, not to mention bile-raising. Why is it so cool to eat an animal while it’s still alive? Who came up with this practice? What’s wrong with eating an animal that’s mercifully dead? Maybe I just have a weak stomach, but I’m with jazzmine: > [@](#): > > \*\* > ooo…i don’t feel so good… > > ick > \*\* ---
**Author:** ![SouthernStyle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@SouthernStyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouthernStyle)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/55 "2000-06-20T19:38:00Z")
For most animals I’d agree with you, but lobster is clearly an exception. Any marine biologists wanting to throw in here would be welcome, but it’s my understanding that a lobster doesn’t have enough of a brain to really even acquire self awareness. Almost all lobsters eaten “in the wild” are eaten raw, while still alive, and “one bite at a time”. SouthernStyle, ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/56 "2000-06-20T20:30:02Z")
Whether it’s cruel or not, chopping the lobster up while it’s alive is a common practice in regular restaurants. One place where I used to work would take the live lobster, pin it down, split it through the middle and scoop out the insides. Then the chef would fill the middle with stuffing. Meanwhile the lobster is still moving. Then it would get put into a hot oven, claws slowing waving bye-bye, to slowly bake to death. Makes boiling seem down humane. ---
**Author:** ![Niggle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Niggle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niggle)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/57 "2000-06-20T20:41:47Z")
I lived in Asia for a couple years and had some interesting food experiences… - Chou Dofu – This is a tofu that is fermented. Smells like week old gym socks. - Cow Stomach – crunchy and yummy… - Snails – loved 'em. Garlicy and buttery. \ I ate many dozen. - pidgeon – just like chicken… funny… - Frogs legs – ditto above. - Thousand-year-old-egs – they take duck eggs, wrap them in clay and straw and burry the things for as many years as possible. Thy yolk turns green. Interesting, anyway. - Snake. Not sure what type it was. Very good. - Pork Fat. Just the fat. Apparently it has more flavour. I didn’t actually know what I was eating, as it was a cold white block inside a mooncake. I almost choked when the family I was staying with told me. I thought it was preserved fruit, of all things. - Blood Tofu. Made in the same way as normal tofu, but with blood instead of ground up beans. It was quite good. - Deep fried grasshoppers. Reminded me of popcorn. No kidding. - Several types of veggies which I had not seen in any other countries. Weird shapes, some quite bitter. Sorry, but I don’t know the english names, and the chinese names are foggy as well. They were quite good though. One that does come to mind is lotus roots. Cut open they look like pig noses. 🙂 Crunchy and tastless. I must’ve had other animals and veggies that were weird, but it’s very likely no one told me what I was eating. Oh well. Outside of asia there’s the usual squid, octi, etc etc. I consider that stuff fairly normal fair though. Anyone good some good suggestions for exotic foods? I’m always ready to try something new and weird. BTW, Hi to all of you I haven’t introduced myself to yet. I’m nigel. I’ll be around. 🙂 -niggle ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/58 "2000-06-20T20:41:48Z")
Cow foot with peanut sauce - Southern Sudan Monkey, porcupine - central Africa Hippo - southern Africa Enfitfit - not recommended [raw innerds and intestines with garlic/onion/lemon] Ethiopia Cow marrow - west Africa anything served at Denny’s restaurants. Blahk, retch, heave. Can we go back to discussing chocolate? ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/59 "2000-06-20T21:15:34Z")
I’m somewhat of a picky eater, but my dad was a Green Beret in Vietnam, and ate with the locals sometimes: Dog–kinda stringy, but good Snake–good if you boil it to get rid of the snake oil Monkey Rat–tastes just like squirrel He always carried a small bottle of Tabasco sauce for these occasions. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991/60 "2000-06-20T21:25:59Z")
Guinea Pig is a tasty dish. And as far as exotic goes, you can’t beat the gamey tang of human flesh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-exotic-thing-youve-eaten/6991.md?page=4)