{"id":1588,"date":"2018-08-24T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2018-08-24T07:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cyclefoodfun.com\/?p=1588"},"modified":"2018-08-27T11:55:07","modified_gmt":"2018-08-27T09:55:07","slug":"caution-not-for-sensitive-foodies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclefoodfun.co.za\/?p=1588","title":{"rendered":"Caution – not for sensitive foodies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My visit to Bugs Cafe – Siem Reap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just a short walk away from the Night Markets and the buzz of Pub Street is a smart cafe’and tapas cocktail bar.\u00a0 The menu is varied and interesting – certainly nothing I have ever tasted before.\u00a0 Everywhere you go in SE Asia, mostly at street markets, you are offered insects, bugs and spiders to eat.\u00a0 I have shied away from these because they just did not look eatable, never mind edible.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 a French Chef in Siem Reap changed my mind because he cooked and presented the delicacies in a manner that is familiar to me thus making them easier to swallow – yes pun intended!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Bugs Cafe Siem Reap<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I was very doubtful and rather nervous about eating here but I knew that at some point on my journey I would at least try so this seemed to be the right place and time.\u00a0 First things first, order a beer (no-one should eat on an empty stomach) and then peruse the menu.\u00a0 I had a chat to the owner who is also the chef and he recommended the “Discovery Platter”.\u00a0 I followed his advice. (\u00a0I chose the Tarantula Donut instead of the Feta and Tarantula Samosa)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Menu Item – Discovery Platter<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Discovery Platter<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The two “Wild Spring Rolls” (just below the red sweet chili sauce on the right) included red ants and termites mixed into the normal spring roll filling. They tasted just like spring rolls should so that encouraged me to be a little more adventurous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clockwise, you can see the “Tarantula Donut”.\u00a0 I took a deep draught of my draft beer and tentatively picked at the Tarantula.\u00a0 I started with the legs, the batter was deep fried and the legs were crispy which was like eating french fries that I dipped in some of the sweet chili sauce. “Not bad” I thought.\u00a0 The Chef told me that the abdomen has a strong liver flavour and advised that I eat it with some of the vegetables from the skewer.\u00a0 I made sure that I wrapped it in the green pepper, shut my eyes and took a bite… and, surprisingly,\u00a0 it was tasty.\u00a0 Quite earthy and the texture was much\u00a0 like chicken liver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The “Silkworm and Tarot Croquettes” dipped in the sauces\u00a0 were nice, it was like eating a chili-bite or an Indian bhaji.\u00a0 They went down well because they were really quite similar to food I often eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I ordered the “Crickets and Silkworms Wok” to be stir fried in a chili\u00a0 sauce.\u00a0 This was the most flavoursome dish of them all, an excellent stir fry.\u00a0 The crickets were slightly crunchy while the silkworms were soft and not chewy as I thought they might be.\u00a0 It would go down well with some steamed rice as a stand-alone meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I turned my attention to the “Insect Skewer” which has 2 Locusts, a Scorpion and a Tarantula with tomato, onion and green pepper.\u00a0 But first I ordered another beer!\u00a0 Now, with some Dutch courage, I felt brave enough to try these.\u00a0 The locusts were crunchy without much flavour.\u00a0 A bit disappointing.\u00a0 I was worried about a leg hook sticking in my tongue or throat!\u00a0 I had eaten a tarantula already so this one went down well.\u00a0 As it was smaller I ate the abdomen without the additional vegetable, I just dipped it in the sweet chili sauce.\u00a0 The scorpion was probably the least tasty of them all.\u00a0 It was just crunchy.\u00a0 The Chef told me I could find white meat much like lobster in the claws.\u00a0 It was so tiny that it really was not worth the effort.\u00a0 You cannot eat the claws anyway, they are far too tough.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then the meal was done.\u00a0 I thought I would still be hungry afterwards but it was rather filling.\u00a0 I could not find room for the cricket cheesecake with passion fruit coulis that I had my eye on initially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did I enjoy the insect repast?\u00a0 You be the judge….<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Tasty and filling<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other buggy items on the menu.\u00a0 <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

(Yes they do sell insect-free dishes for the less adventurous)<\/p>\n\n\n\n