EXOTIC BANGKOK Street Food

Bangkok's nightlife has a reputation for being wild and rowdy. But at the same time it's relaxed, safe, enjoyable and great fun! Rapidly establishing itself as Asia's capital of cool, Bangkok's diverse nightlife scene features everything from excellent live music and good jazz clubs to ultra cool bars, trendy clubs and great restaurants - and go far beyond its once-upon-a-time sleazy and naughty image. Also have a look at our What's On guide to get the lowdown on exciting events and happenings during your stay in Asia's coolest capital.

Bangkok offers many exotic attractions – from beaches, to women, and dishes. Here’s a look at some of the exotic goddies you could try while in Bangkok. Sukhumvit is in Bangkok's red-light district notorious for being home to more than its fair share of girls and neon-lit go-go bars, you find makeshift push carts where peddlers fill small plastic bags with the crispy critters of your craving.

Leaping from the rice paddies to the deep fryer are crickets, grasshoppers, scorpions and silkworms are among the varieties of insects fried and seasoned with salt, pepper, curry leaves, pandan and birds eye chili.

The crickets that are yet to be grilled or deep-fried lie in semiconscious states on banana leaves or bowls. The wriggling of the creatures is a good sign suggesting it’s fresh from last night’s catch and that no pesticides were used in the capture.

Crawling into Your Cuisine…. the Arachnids, in Ubon, Thailand, there’s a scorpion-based Viagra substitute for men. Tarantula tasters say it tastes like chicken wings in special sweet plum sauce. They also say that pulling the legs off without squeezing the pus out of the abdomen can be tricky. Some gourmets say the abdomen is the sweetest part, with the texture of a soft goat’s eyeball and tasting just like cold duck. (Phua Chu Kang say...best in Singapore and JB some say Batam)

Once you pop one of these hoppers in your mouth, you cant stop. Closely related to crickets are the grasshoppers, much like their kin, grasshoppers are typically deep fried in oil and then seasoned in chili powder. fried to a crisp, the grasshopper’s crunchy skin cracks and pops in your teeth.....tastes even better than chicken but it aint chicken.

Let’s face it though, not everyone has an appetite for it. It takes a wild adventurous streak, not to mention cultural, considerations, to turn those tree, garden, and rice paddy creatures into a stomach-churning buffet.

coming up next ......... (Bangkok Dangerous)