One of the most exciting (and terrifying) parts of traveling on a tour is tasting the unique foods wherever you go. Of course, sometimes eating things you’re not used to can take a lot of courage. It also takes a solid stomach, because you never know how the food will sit in your system afterwards. This is especially true with street food, which is cool to see, but better from a distance.
If you take a tour to Asia, one of the most popular destinations for street food in the entire world, you’ll have the opportunity to taste some pretty exotic things. Though, we won’t blame you if you chicken out!
Cambodia: Grilled Frog
Don’t get us wrong; Khmer food is completely authentic and delicious, and must be tried by anyone who comes on a tour to this country. But, when it comes to street food in Cambodia, it gets a bit more interesting. You’ll find the normal stuff, like barbecue chicken or pork skewers. But, you’ll also walk by and notice vendors cooking up all kinds of bugs like cockroaches and tarantulas, and even more bizarre animals like frogs. Yes, an entire frog grilled on a stick. It gets a bit chewy…
South Korea: Beondegi
If you’ve ever seen grubs in a cartoon before, those pretty much sum up beondegi. Beondegi are silkworm pupae, and are found in South Korea at street vendors who cook them up in a large pot of boiling water. The smell is a bit strong and they taste essentially like wood, but the locals love eating it. And, when we say love, we mean eating an entire cup of these in one sitting. Are you down for the challenge? Make sure you try it on your tour here!
The Philippines: Balut
Fancy some fertilized bird egg? Balut is a duck or chicken embryo, which is boiled and eaten inside the shell. It’s cooked when the egg is between 14 and 21 days old, though, you’ll find in The Philippines that people have their preferences as to what age they believe the embryo tastes better. Perhaps it could be compared to a hard boiled egg, though anyone who is actually brave enough to try it wouldn’t give it that comparison. It can also be found in other parts of Asia well.
China: Fried Scorpion
Most of us wouldn’t get near a scorpion, let alone put one in our mouth. Though, they are much less threatening that way. In major street food destinations in China, like Donghuamen off of Wangfujing, you can find these babies cooked up alongside other creatures like starfish and bats. Supposedly, it tastes something like popcorn with a hint of suspicion. If you work up the courage to try it on your tour here, let us know how it tastes.
Do you think you’d be able to try one of these Asian street food snacks? And, remember, if you need some advice when it comes to choosing your street food, a tour guide will certainly help!
