For the adventurous meat eater, a roast chicken sandwich or beef steak is old hat. Luckily, there are plenty of restaurants, cafes and street stalls around the world where it is possible to tuck into far more exotic animals. Whether it’s emu, bear or springbok, the carnivores amongst us have a whole zoo’s worth available to eat.
Puffin
Where? Reykjavik, Iceland
These adorably cute birds equal lunch in Iceland, where they are plentiful and are caught by energetic chaps with nets. For those wanting to go the whole hog, the Laekjarbrekka restaurant in Reykjavik has a Puffin Feast option that includes two courses of puffin. Expect a salty aftertaste.
Bear
Where? Tallinn, Estonia
The Olde Hansa restaurant in Tallinn is one of those lovely quaint places where the staff humiliate themselves in peasant dress, and everything is harking back to a bygone age. But for the curious carnivores amongst us, the highlight has to be tucking into roast bear. It’s a somewhat unusual variation on the traditional Sunday lunch.
Guinea Pig
Where? The Peruvian Highlands
To those in the Peruvian mountains, guinea pigs are the equivalent of fried chicken. They’re greasy, eaten with the fingers and very, very popular. The best place to try a guinea pig is on a street-side stall.
Llama
Where? Idaho, USA
Jersey Bob’s Llama Ranch is what happens when you decide to become a llama farmer in the middle of nowhere. It specialises in llama rides, but there’s also a butchery on site, where visitors can watch llamas become ex llamas. And then they can buy the meat at wholesale prices to make burgers with.
Kangaroo
Where? Sydney, Australia
Recent research has shown that switching from eating beef to eating kangaroo could help the environment, due to the reduction in methane emissions. Luckily, kangaroo steak has a gorgeous, gamey taste – and it works quite well on pizza too. The Australian Heritage Hotel in Sydney has roo pizzas on its gourmet menu.
Springbok
Where? All over the UK
No, not a South African rugby player – it’s a type of antelope found in Southern Africa. And, whilst they’re not exactly the first thing on the menu, springboks can be eaten. You don’t have to go to South Africa to do it, either – the Walkabout pub chain serves springbok burgers across Britain.
Horse
Where? Ljubljana, Slovenia
The burgers are pretty tough and not all that tasty, but Slovenia’s unusual equivalent of McDonalds has great novelty value. There are Hot Horse outlets throughout Ljubljana – just don’t think of Desert Orchid when you’re chowing down through the mustard.
Dog
Where? Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Though the thought of sinking into a nice, tasty St Bernard isn’t exactly culturally acceptable in the UK, in some parts of Asia there is no taboo. South Korea tries to dispel the dog-eating image, but Vietnam is not so worried. The Hai Mo restaurant in Ho Chi Minh city is a classic example – it prides itself in using dogs bred at special farms in the countryside, and has dishes like bamboo shoot dog soup and sour dog curry.
Whale
Where? Reykjavik, Iceland
For extra going-to-hell marks, why not fly in the face of international opinion and munch on a whale burger? It’s possible at the Geysir Bistro and Bar in Reykjavik. The lobster mayonnaise is lovely, but the burger itself is something of an acquired taste.
Emu
Where? Sydney, Australia
Not all of these random meats are all that nice, but emu is lovely. With roughly the same texture as a good roast ham, it has a tangy, rich taste to it. A great place to try it is right at the top of Sydney – the Sydney Tower Restaurant has emu as part of its extensive carvery.
This article was originally written for AOL UK.
Copyright David Whitley
