Along with climbing the Great Wall of China my #2 goal on this trip was to eat something new and weird (to me). I had heard about “snack street” in Beijing where there is a long row of vendors selling everything from scorpion on a stick to starfish. This was definitely a highlight of this trip!
So, I was very excited to finally get a taste of one of these delicacies! But, I wasn’t sure what to choose. Ben and I walked up and down the line of vendors two times taking in all the options before deciding…
Bugs!
Scorpions, centipedes and more.
Crickets
Shrimp and silk worms.
Some guy looking at me like I’m crazy.
One of the rare booths with a few sweet options. This one has porridge, fried banana and fruit.
The prices were about 10 to 30 yuan per item, depending on how rare and fancy. That’s about $2.50 to $5.00 US.
There are also a lot of the usual Chinese food options like dumplings and noodle bowls. 
Crabs
Intestines
Snake was something the vendors seemed to be pushing a lot as we passed by. I’m not sure if that’s because it was a novelty item or what. But, I heard it had a lot of scales or bones or something and would be difficult to eat.
Starfish
We started with a beverage as we wandered up and down the street.
Like I mentioned, there were not a lot of sweet or dessert options but I did spot a churro looking treat!
Testicles
Finally it was time to bite the bug bullet if you will and make a choice. Ben ordered a stick of silk worms. The guy grabbed the stick and put it in a huge pan of hot oiled to fry it up.
I am about to eat a bug…
I did it! It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad either. It had a very mild burnt nut flavor (but that could be from the oil?). The weird thing about it was that it was mushy on the inside, but the outside was very hard to chew, almost plastic-y.
But, we weren’t done there. Ben wanted to try something else. He got a stick of crickets and ate those. I passed as I have a one bug limit.
I had been watching what the locals were ordering and it seemed like a lot of people had squid on a stick. So, I ended with that. It was seasoned with what tasted like Old Bay and actually pretty good!
We stayed around for a while and ended up heading home past dark. This was my second favorite part of the trip!!
Question: What food would you try?
What food would you NEVER EVER EVER try?
I love this post! Seems like you’re having a great time 🙂
Ah! So jealous, I’ve heard so many things about those street markets. Hope you’re having a wonderful time because I’m really enjoying your pics! Is the boba there much different from southern cali?
Careful when eating some things that taste like Old Bay (or awesomely salty), as those foods most of the time contain MSG! As an American who lives in Dongguan, China, there are a LOT of weird foods (which are mostly ok to eat), but just be careful about street food. Glad to hear you’re enjoying China!
I’m a long time Canadian follower of your blog who is currently living Guangzhou, China. I’m loving your holiday posts. I’ve eaten spicy scorpians, dried duck feet, and mystery meat on more than one occasion that I would prefer not to think about.
I would not eat any of that, even for money…well maybe a million dollars but that’s my price. I have a feeling China would be the ultimate slim down plan for me!
I completely just gagged
Hmm…maybe they were pushing the snake coz it’s winter and snake meat/blood is supposed to keep you warm?
I would definitely NOT try those silk worms, they look so gross!
I was at that same market in Bejing 2 years ago. I couldn’t stomach the smell to try much. I played it safe & ate nuts. I bought the most incredible freshly made peanut butter there!
I reckon I’d try anything once 😉
I think i would try all of those.. except the testicles. Uhm thanks but no thanks!
I will never never never eat snake! OMG
So brave of you to try the bugs! I don’t think I could do it.
I am wimpy! I would have had the churro or a fried banana! I wish I could be more adventurous with eating but…I think I would have puked. I could never win on Survivor!
Oh man those bugs make my stomach turn — I hope I could have the guts to try something crazy like that if I were visiting such a different culture!
Ha Ha! I thought this was an April Fools! But I guess not…..
When I read what you ate before you told us what you ate I was like, “eww silk worm” and then you choose that! Ha. I pretty open to anything. I like to try new things and if others are eating it and it is apart of their culture why not go for it?! 🙂
I am so not an adventurous eater. I can’t even eat at Panda Express. lol. I would starve there.
oh gosh if I were there I would probably try something crazy because “once in a life time” brain would take over but ahhh bugs gross!!
Oh well done! I am currently living in Oaxaca where chapulines (fried grasshoppers) are a delicacy. I made the mistake of really looking at mine instead of just popping it into my mouth and chewing it up. Now I can see when I see chapulines are their beady eyes and many legs. I don’t think eating them is something I can do now – regardless of how nice they are meant to taste
You ate a bug when you had a chance at testicles? What were you thinking?
Snake!? Wow I don’t know if I could be brave enough to try that! BUT I would think snakes dead are better than alive RIGHT!?
It is always amazing to me to see other people’s culture. I would love to go and experience it in person one day!
You very courageous girl, time decided to try all this! I think, I could eat practically everything if it is covered with chocolate 😉 Crickets in chocolate – easily! But I never could eat that badly smells.
That looks insane!! Love all the pictures of the different options (ps thanks for taking pics for us to see everything!) I don’t think I could ever do penis or balls. Seriously. Nasty.
I tried snake before, but would have gone with the crab/shrimp options at the market. Your brave :-).
The thing I would never eat is shark finn, which is actually a problem when I go on business dinners in Asia. Cients are always offended, because it’s a specialty and something they offer to their guest of honor, but they just don’t understand that a lot of Westerners don’t support animal cruelty…
I would try the shrimp but no way would I eat the testicles! Or any of the other stuff actually. You are adventurous. Good for you. Your trip looks amazing.
I would have tried a tiny bit of any of those things. Maybe not the intestines…. The rest of it looked a little scary but I’d nibble (and possibly get grossed out but you never know until you try!)
How interesting, I always try and eat something new when I travel. I have yet to bite the bullet and try rotten shark which is what they are always pushing on tourist here in Iceland. Maybe one day and several shots of Brennivín later I will take on the challenge.
ahh, the only way I’m eating a bug is if someone will pay me for it. kudos to you for being adventurous!
Hi! I have been reading your blog for about two weeks now and really like it! Love this post..makes me want to go to China, I am all kinds of adventurous when it comes to food! Although I draw the line to some of the above posted treats 😉 Enjoy the rest of your trip and thanks for sharing with us!!
you are so adventurous! I’m not sure if I would be so daring!
I never would have eaten a bug (or half the stuff you took photos of)! I used to be a vegetarian so I’m pretty weird about what meat I eat. Now that you’ve eaten that stuff, you should start a new blog called “Bizarre Foods with Monica.”
Not sure I could eat the bugs. I know it is a huge source of protein for Asian cultures but it just king of freaks me out. Maybe I would try it just to say I did it I guess or if on a dare or if someone were paying me. No way could I eat snake. I have a fear of snakes. And if they knew I ate one of them, I think I would be in trouble.
I am really impressed that you ate a bug. Kudos.
I would have been the one gagging in the corner:)
Sorry, but I probably wouldn’t have eaten any of that except the shrimp part. Bugs and snakes? Yuck! Not for me! 🙂