Bisdak Babbles

I wasn’t that adventurous on food during my first stay here in 2001-2002. But this time, I’m braver at trying out food and drinks that I considered weird. Here’s a list of food and drinks that I find interesting. Most of these are now my favorites.

1.) Green tea ice cream
As you open the cover, you could “smell” its bitterness. But you have to reject the assumption that it is green tea, so it is bitter. After all, this is an ice cream so, it should contain milk and it should be sweet.

I may have been used to drinking green tea but my first spoonfuls of this ice cream was not so pleasant. I continued eating anyway and didn’t notice eating all up. It’s not bad at all! I think it tastes like avocado shake. Now, it’s one of my favorite ice cream flavors.

2.) Green tea cake
Its appearance might scare you away, especially if you don’t really like green tea. Well, who would think that a green-colored cake actually tastes good? I did not think so, too. But curiousity got the best of me, ate up a slice and helped myself to one more slice. It’s more bitter than the green tea ice cream, but more delicious… I think.

3.) Raw pork
I love eating sashimi/kinilaw (raw fish), but raw pork? I finally tried eating raw pork during a team party. With my eyes closed, I gobbled a slice. Surprisingly, raw pork tastes like raw fish!

4.) Raw chicken liver
Ok, raw pork was tolerable, but raw liver? Images of aswang flashed before me as a plate of blood-red raw liver was placed on the table. Again, I got really curious so I helped my self with a slice. Would you believe me if I tell you that it tasted like raw fish also? If not for those aswang
images that kept on appearing on my mind, I would have helped my self to another slice! It was delicious yet, I almost threw up. And I don’t think I would try eating it again…

5.) Okonomiyaki
Vegetables, bits of octopus, mixed with egg, then cooked in a pan, flavored with mayonnaise, topped with bacon and sprinkled with nori - sounds delicious, right? Okunomiyaki is now one of my favorite Japanese foods, especially from Maru, a small restaurant near our apartment. I
even eat this with rice. ^-^

6.) Nattō (fermented soybeans)
I haven’t met a foreigner who wouldn’t say “no” to nattō. Others would immediately cower at the sight of it. I was “challenged” by our boss to eat nattō and I think it is “bearable” if eaten piece by piece. But mixed with raw octopus and other raw seafoods? The combination was sticky, smelly… revolting! I haven’t tried eating it with rice, though. The Japanese claim it tastes good. Perhaps I would also get used to that combination…

7.) Mentaiko (marinated roe of pollock)
Mentaiko in yakisoba, mentaiko omelettte - delicious! I’ve first tasted mentaiko omelette at a Japanese restaurant where our manager usually treats us. It was really delicious that I learned how to cook it! Spicy mentaiko, egg, and mayonnaise: mouth-watering!

8.) Dates
Grace of Sandier Pastures sent us dates from Iran! She’s based in Dubai but she said that she loves the dates from Iran. Well, I have to agree with her. The dates are really sweet, tastes like really sweet mashed potato. I could barely eat up three pieces simultaneously because it’s too sweet. But after taking Grace’s suggestion to eat dates with milk, I couldn’t stop eating it (if not for the already full stomach)!

9.) Arabian chocolates
Grace of Sandier Pastures sent this interesting chocolates with the dates. These chocolate bits are coated in a way that they closely resemble stones, thus the name “stone chocolate”. I was a bit wary when I popped in a piece. To those who love the chocolate “curly tops”, you’ll also love Arabian chocolates. ^-^

Thanks for the desert treats, Grace!

10.) Mongolian tea
Bitter tea is ok, but salty tea? Mongolian tea does not come from fine tea leaves, but from the more course parts of the tea plant, and it is prepared with salt! Sometimes, other ingredients like noodles and rice are put into it.

Twice, I mistook it as green tea and pushed the button for this one in the vending machine. The first time was barely bearable. I was able to convince myself that it was just a cup of soup. But on the second time, I just threw away everything.

11.) Pocari Sweat
I thought this tastes like medicine, but I was wrong. It’s sweet and a bit sour. Some people say it tastes like human sweat. But to me, it tastes like buko juice! Is my tastebud still working fine? I wonder…

12.) Ginger Ale
I’ve always avoided trying out ginger ale but the 20-yen per cup vending machine at the office lured me to try it. I thought it tastes like “salabat” (ginger tea), but I was wrong again. I think it tastes like 7-Up or Sprite.

13.) Skal
Milk-based soda, anyone? If the vending machine runs out of Pocari Sweat, I go for Skal. If you grew up in a rural area in the Philippines, you would find Skal delicious. Remember those times when you were sick and then your grandmother or lola would prepare a special drink - Royal Tru-Orange/Mirinda Orange with egg? That’s how Skal tastes… refreshing! ^-^

There are still lots of interesting food and drinks out there and I think I already have the guts to try them. Perhaps I could now force myself to eat balut when I go home to the Philippines.

*Images of okonomiyaki, mentaiko and Pocari Sweat were from Wikipedia.