What does not kill you can be your dinner
Indigenous cuisine tasting plate at Tjanabi: (clockwise) Crocodile tail, Kangaroo chorizo, Kalamata olives, Wallaby salad.
The main course: Emu fillet steak.
I asked the tour guide about indigenous Australian cuisine. “When do we get to sample native food?”
“It’s not on the itinerary,” he explained.
“Why not?”
“Well,” he said, “It’s not very popular among the locals. More for tourists.”
“I’m a tourist,” I pointed out in my most annoying smartass manner.
“Alright, tomorrow while we’re having risotto, you can eat at Tjanabi.”
“Great. What’s that?”
“They serve kangaroo.”
“Wonderful.”
“And alligator and emu.”
“I can’t wait.” You can’t scare me with reptile cookery, I’ve eaten monitor lizard (bayawak) at Balaw-Balaw in Angono. It was excellent. Never challenge a Filipino to a gross-out dine-off, we love our duck embryo right out of the shell with beak and feathers.
“Besides,” I added, “I’ve had risotto. In Rome and Venice. Served by gorgeous Italian men. With no shirts.” Okay, that last bit was improvised.
What does not kill you can be your dinner, in Emotional Weather Report today in the Star.
Saffy’s critique: Not bad, but I prefer kibble.
May 14th, 2010 at 23:46
they all look classy to me, not at all eeewwww-y