Growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina didn’t exactly expose me to adventurous food. It wasn’t until my 20’s that I was given the opportunity to try pig anus and cod sperm sack. Seriously, I’m not lying — just attend a Blind Pig offal dinner and you’ll see.
Although I’ve tried some obscure foods, eating through the Philippines is in a league of its own when it comes to “strange” foods. To my surprise, most were actually delicious! Please allow me to introduce you to the top four strangest foods I ate during my adventures in Cebu.
Chicken Intestine
Larsian sa Fuente is one of Cebu City’s most famous barbecue spots. Imagine 10 or more street food vendors set up around the perimeter of a paved lot with carts full of skewered raw meat and seafood. The massive grill sits in the middle of the food carts while Filipinos and tourists alike crowd around at tables, all using plastic gloves to eat barbecued meats with steamed rice. Eating at Larsian sa Fuente is an experience I’ll always remember because this was the first time I ever tried chicken intestine. I imagined intestine to be quite chewy but it wasn’t at all. The grill charred the ends of the intestine, which added a crisp texture as well as a delicious, smoky flavor. Plus, the ketchup based barbecue sauce was a nice addition. I’d definitely eat chicken intestine again.
Balut
For those of you who aren’t familiar with balut, it is a developing duck embryo (fertilized duck egg) that is boiled and eaten in the shell. Balut is commonly sold as street food in the Philippines and often served later in the evening. Although I was slightly terrified, I knew I had to try balut during my trip to Cebu. It was only appropriate for me to visit the street corner vendor who was selling balut out of his styrofoam cooler.
After ordering the balut, we sat on the street and cracked open the top part of the egg. We poured a little vinegar inside the egg and began sucking out all of the juices, which was quite delicious. Once I started peeling back the egg shell, my stomach turned. Hidden inside the shell was a baby duck — black feathers and all! There was absolutely no way I could eat the duck. However, I did try the remainder of the balut, which tasted similar to a chicken egg’s yolk after it has been boiled. Would I do it again? Sure. Maybe next time I’ll have the guts to actually eat the baby duck!
Dugo
While traveling in the Philippines, I discovered that Filipinos do not let any part of an animal go to waste. Next to the house I was living in for the week I visited Cebu, a family raised chickens and sold dugo each evening to the locals as a quick dinner or snack. Dugo is essentially barbecued chicken blood and is often served with steamed rice. The rice is packaged in coconut leaves making it easy to eat and without having to wash your hands. I think I would have liked the dugo more if I didn’t know it was chicken blood. Something about eating congealed chicken blood just wasn’t settling to my stomach, which is surprising considering I love blood sausages and stews made with pork blood.
Chicken Feet
At the same vendor who sold dugo, barbecued chicken feet were also readily available and served on a stick. Now chicken feet, I can totally get behind! These were delicious. It’s just like eating a chicken wing but with less meet. Similar to the chicken intestine, the flavor of the chicken feet was excellent because of the ketchup based barbecue sauce and smoky flavor from the grill.
Although all of the “strange” food wasn’t for me, at least I gave it a shot. I also realized that the food really isn’t weird — it’s just my American mindset that makes me think so.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite travel quotes by James Michener, “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”
I firmly believe that food defines a culture. I appreciate what you share in your posts. When I travel, I also like going to a country’s markets/supermarkets to get a feel for how natives eat.