Ever look at a plate and think, “There’s no way that’s food.” These dishes are wild, squirmy, fermented, or slightly deadly. But hey, they’re local delicacies somewhere. Ready to explore (or reject) a few new dishes? Let’s take a weird little food tour.
Balut, Philippines
What you are looking at is a fertilized duck egg with a half-formed embryo, beak, and feathers. Balut is slurped straight from the shell and chased with a pinch of salt. It’s a snack in the Philippines but for newbies? It’s a questionable choice wrapped in a shell.
Hakarl, Iceland
It smells like bleach and tastes like revenge. Hakarl is a rotten Greenland shark buried and hung out to dry until it reeks of ammonia. Icelanders say it’s an acquired taste. Outsiders say it’s a biological weapon disguised as food. Either way, it’ll haunt your sinuses.
Casu Marzu, Italy
This Sardinian cheese has live maggots. The maggots wriggle through the soft cheese, helping it ferment into a runny, illegal mess. Although it’s banned in many places, locals explain how it’s extra “flavorful.” What a way to describe cheese that looks back at you!
Fugu, Japan
Licensed chefs only — because getting fugu preparation wrong could be deadly. Despite the danger, adventurous people still line up for those very thin slices. Each bite risks exposure to a poison that affects the nerves. Sounds intense? It is. This harmless-looking fish has a built-in threat.
Surstromming, Sweden
If your neighbors start gagging while eating, it’s probably surstromming. This canned, fermented herring smells like garbage soaked in vinegar. Swedes eat it with flatbread and potatoes, preferably outside. Why? Because cracking a tin indoors is a hate crime against your nose.
Escamoles, Mexico
Ant larvae, harvested from agave roots and lovingly dubbed “insect caviar.” Escamoles are buttery and way more high-end than they sound. They’re sauteed with garlic and eaten like it’s no big deal. And honestly, it’s better than half the stuff in trendy restaurants.
Sannakji, South Korea
Tentacles still squirming? That’s the point. Sannakji is live octopus arms, freshly chopped and still wiggling on the plate. Chew carefully because those sticky suckers don’t go down without a fight. It’s part meal, part tough battle, but somehow still considered a regular meal.
Tuna Eyeballs, Japan
As big as a tennis ball and staring right back at you, tuna eyeballs are boiled and seasoned for texture lovers. It’s chewy and gelatinous. Also, it’s full of omega-3s if you can get past the “glaring into your soul” thing.
Century Egg, China
Black yolk and a flavor somewhere between earthy and ammonia—century eggs are regular eggs aged in clay and salt for weeks or months. The result is a preserved treat that looks cursed but is surprisingly loved in congee or on its own.
Witchetty Grub, Australia
They look like fat little marshmallows and taste like… nutty eggs. Indigenous Australians have eaten witchetty grubs forever, raw or roasted. They’re high-protein and weirdly satisfying. Still, watching one squirm before you eat it? That’s a mental hurdle you won’t forget.
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