NoleNomad

Thus far there has been nothing too exotic for me, but I did mistakenly order Steak Tartare instead of Steak Diane in Paris. I wasn't thrilled with the raw chunk of meat I was served, but I ate it. I don't know if it was horse or beef, but my wife says the latter. I think that's because she suspects me of having Mad Cow Disease.

ZippityDoDa

I'm an adventurous eater when traveling & will try most anything local within reason. Strangest food I tried was in China: grilled chicken feet (kind of crunchy & rather bland -- wouldn't recommend it). Of course, I SAW lots of foods there that I wouldn't try (i.e., dog livers).

travelingmad

A full/complete brain, with its two lobes. In the middle of nowhere, north of Angola.

Don't know if it was cow, buffalo or dog.

I'm quite sure I asked for chicken. Guess not.

And no, I did not eat it. My brain refused to let my mouth open.

tekwriter

When I was 16 on a summer study program near Bordeaux, I lived with a wonderful French family. They owned a butcher shop, so we often had great steak, lamb and pork. But they also liked the "other" parts of the animals, so I got to try tongue, brains and organ meats. I don't recall liking it very much because you could so tell that there was a cow tongue or brains on your plate! They were very gracious in offering me an alternative meal if I didn't like food, but I didn't want to offend.

I also tried squid cooked in its own black ink in the Basque country. I think I got sick that night after dinner!

Jake1

Not only the most bizarre but least appetizing was in southeastern Korea. Some in that part of the country consider well ripened skate layered with over ripened kimchi to be real comfort food. We were on a family trip around the country, and my brother-in-law decided we should all try some (after several beers and sojus).

The well ripened skate smelled to high heaven--very, very strong ammonia smell, just like you were sniffing it out of the bottle. And I love kimchi, but part of this dish was to let it get really overripe and sour. ACK!!!! Well, I guess it was OK for the experience, but not so much for the taste buds. Definitely an acquired taste that I doubt I'll ever acquire.

It took several beers and shots of soju to get my tastebuds back to normal.

Zeus

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

global_guy

Hakarl, fermented shark in Iceland, was thoroughly inedible and smelled even worse. Of course with a name like fermented shark I might have guessed! That being said I DID pass up on other Icelandic treats like Hrutspungar (sour ram's testicles), Svid (scorched sheep's head), and Hvalrengi (Soured whale fat..as though regular blubber wouldn't be bad enough).

I have seen, both in Asia and in a couple North American Chinatowns, Balut which has to be the single most terrible foodstuff on the planet. "Fertilized duck (or chicken) egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell" according to Wikipedia; a mass of gelatinous flesh, beak and feet according to me.

ekscrunchy

Dog satay in Sumatra. Chicken penis in Saigon.

These and many other tasty tidbits were recounted in a thread a while back..

Nikki

I guess it's all relative. I grew up eating tongue regularly, we'd get it along with the corned beef and pastrami, and it never occurred to me that anyone would find it strange.

That's probably how the Vietnamese feel about chicken penis.

vjpblovesitaly

Not let's not let this turn into one of those "what's better penis or tongue threads"!!

vjpblovesitaly

oops! I meant "Now let's not"

FainaAgain

"Chicken penis in Saigon." - how many of those needed for a full meal? Must be expensive! What made you try it?

plafield

Donkey in Florence and we just enjoyed pigs ears croquettes in Paris. I've eaten almost all parts of many animals (brains, sweetbreads, liver, kidney, heart, feet, cheeks etc) and I grew up on tongue too, and don't think of it as weird at all.

I think the only thing I would truly balk at is eyeballs and anything that smelled like feces or rotting fish.

GiuliaPiraino

Not too adventurous, but none the less....

Verona Italy: Donkey pizza, and donkey tartare, hence my silly email address LOL I had some horse too, it's not bad. I don't think I'd order it again, but it's not bad. The donkey wasn't bad either, but again, it didn't make my eyes roll to the back of my head like other Italian delicacies!

ekscrunchy

Faina I tried it because it was on the menu at a local place and we were feeling adventurous. Believe me, you would not know what you were eating!

But last night I went to a Chinese place and watched my friends eat pork kidney..I would not try it!

SemiMike

Grilled eel testicles in Tokyo! Not too bad at all. I do get a kick out of my Japanese colleagues: wherever we eat, there is always some food described as "good for the eyes," "good for the digestion," or (my favorite!) "good for the man"

travelgourmet

Pig ears, chitlins, lamb fries (testicles), horse, haggis (I really like haggis), some funky seafood in Hong Kong, chicken feet, tongue, a bunch of other stuff.

Steak tartare is a personal favorite, and my wife's favorite dish.

travelgourmet

Couple of others: shark's fin soup, head cheese, squid ink, and most variety meats.