Unsurprisingly, bug-filled meals is definitely not that good –

There is totally nothing appetizing about worms, not to mention in a horrible banana pudding. I gagged down what I may. Why on earth would anybody approve this recipe?

After the primary two samples, I used to be shedding hope. While there have been a number of promising dishes on my plate, I knew I needed to energy by the much less appetizing ones first. I took a deep breath earlier than I picked up “Strawberry Crema Con Crickets” from Mr. Puebla Tacos, closed my eyes and took a sip.

Do not be fooled by the luxury identify of Mr. Puebla’s dish. They ought to have named it “Absolutely Disgusting Bug Goop.” I’ve by no means tasted something worse. 

The strawberry sludge had positively not been refrigerated for hours and was in all probability beginning to curdle. Not solely was the cream itself vile, but it surely contained entire crickets: physique, head, legs and all. I can nonetheless recall the sensation of a heat, creamy cricket sliding down my throat, shivers happening my backbone.

Thank goodness CocoCrissi Tropical Icees was handing out “Icee Insects,” a snow cone with a singular cricket positioned on prime as a palate cleanser. This time, I shunned consuming the precise insect. 

The final dish of the day was at Levy’s Jerkstand, with their “Jerk BBQ Worms” and “Coconut Curry Worms.”

Apart from the snow cone, this dish was probably the most appetizing factor I had tried all day. The worms have been very tiny and had truly been cooked. They weren’t noticeable to eat and blended wonderful with the 2 flavors of rice. 

I knew instantly I used to be going to vote for Levy’s Jerkstand as my favourite. However, it was solely my favourite as a result of it didn’t make me gag. The dish was nonetheless not nice. Just flavored rice combined with mealworms. Where is the nuance? The experimentation?

Ultimately, I used to be disenchanted by all of those dishes. I felt just like the meals critic, Anton Ego, from Disney’s “Ratatouille“: confused as to how Cafe Insecta is so fashionable if all of its meals is very mediocre.

You could also be pondering, “Mollie, you ate bugs. Of course they didn’t taste good!” But sadly, the bugs have been the most effective a part of most of those dishes. I hope that BugFest steps up its recreation subsequent yr as a result of, although the concept was there, the execution was not. 

@dthlifestyle | way of life@dailytarheel.com