MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Spooky season is upon us, but two Mexican restaurants in Miami-Dade County say their “creepy crawlers” are on the menu year-round.
By creepy crawlers, they mean bugs — lots of them!
There are a variety of dishes at KoKo, a new Mexican restaurant located at 2856 Tigertail Ave. in Coconut Grove — but the most surprising are the insects that they feature on the menu.
“The most common reaction is that when they see that little area on the menu -- the insects -- is, ‘Oh my gosh, you have insects here. Like what?’” said Mariah David, a shift leader at KoKo.
David told Local 10 News the restaurant has chicatanas salsa and gusanos, which are the ant eggs on the menu.
David says the unique food goes back to pre-Hispanic times and is very nutritious.
“Over 20 different tribes used to eat insects,” she said. “It’s a great source of protein. It would be the Aztecs and the Mayans, while Mexicans see it as a delicacy.”
The ant eggs are served in a blue corn tortilla that is made fresh daily— and is buttery.
Local 10 News reporter Alexis Frazier also tried a salsa that was made from ant butts and mixed with Mexican chili peppers and olive oil.
“A lot of people are afraid to try them, but I always offer them,” said David. “You can’t get these everywhere.”
Over in Wynwood, diners will also have a chance to experience true Mexican culture, from the decor to the dishes, at Bakan, located at 2801 NW Second Ave.
“We want to provide the best possible Mexican hospitality experience outside of Mexico. That’s our aim,” said Bakan’s CEO Lalo Durazo.
Durazo also explained how her restaurant features insects in their cooking.
“These worms live in the agave plant that you use for mezcal and tequila,” she said. “We’re also going to have the grasshoppers that are dried and crispy and they’re everywhere in Mexico.”
The “toastada de chapulines” is served on a tortilla chip with black beans, guacamole, goat cheese and, of course, grasshoppers.
Since it is spooky season, diners will also be able to wash their meals down with Bakan’s special Halloween drink that features Mezcal, which is an alcoholic agave spirit, and fresh lime that is served in a skull.
“People should come in open to experience a different type of Mexican experience than what they’re used to in the U.S.,” Durazo said.