Forget tofu and soy milk. Entrepreneurs in South Africa have opened a pop-up restaurant specializing in gourmet food made from raw insects.
The Insect Experience opened in Cape Town last month and has already succeeded in serving dishes such as chickpea black fly larvae croquettes, polenta fries made with mealworm meal, and mealworm biscuits to jittery customers.
According to their website, the pop-up hopes to “bring insects as a food source to the city of Cape Town in a stylish, innovative, and experiential way.”
“Since I started experimenting with [insect-based] powders, mixing food and hiding it in a gourmet way, I’ve found it’s a much easier way to eat,” chef Mario Barnard told South African Business Insider. “We try to present it as visually as possible to Westerners and make it easier for them to eat.”
