Pasar Malam Date: 7-Nov-2023 to 26-Nov-2023
Official Opening Hours: 5.00pm to 12.00am
Address: Sutera Square
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/p8oPvfcy6x2xiFCo7
WARNING: This Food Review will contain Photos and Videos of Insects and Creepy Crawlies being consumed. If you are the Squeamish type, DO NOT view the Photos or Videos in this post. ๐
♂️ If you are Uncomfortable at any Point about this Food Review, just Stop Reading and Walk Away. ๐ถ Do not come Screaming, Shouting, Condemning or Protesting in the Comments Section. Thank You.
This is actually my First Visit to a JB Pasar Malam and I feel it is Well Planned and Well Organized. ๐ The Whole Place is Cleanly Kept and the Grounds are Tidy and Clean. While I don't see any Cleaners on Duty, and I could hardly find any bits of Rubbish or Littering at all. ๐
There are 145 Food Stalls available at this place, not including Stalls that sell Clothings, Accessories, etc. It was located in Sutera Square which is a relatively large open area that is easily walkable from Sutera Mall.
All of the Food Stalls look Acceptably Clean and Hygenic. Stall Owners are very Friendly, Polite and Welcoming, No Rowdy Behaviour at all. ๐ This is a very Family Friendly Event as I can People bringing their Kids along. Overall feels Safe although of course, do take the usual precautions for your belongings.
There were about 4 Portable Restroom Booths onsite and they were located understandably quite far from the Main Site. No Fee for using and I thought they were quite clean too.
As I walked around and took a Quick Glance at Everything, Food Prices start from around RM10.00 onwards, average being about RM15 or so for most items. The Foods here are really the type of Standard Trendy Pasar Malam Foods, which a bit more focus on Vietnam and Thai Foods. Of course Taiwan and Korean Foods are ever present, although I don't think I've seen any Malay or Indian Foods.
I'm sorry I did not actually buy any of the Pasar Malam Foods, but thats not really the reason why you're reading this aren't you? Hahaha!
Where to even Begin?
For the Longest Time, I've always wanted to try Exotic, Wierd Creepy Foods and obviously these are not available in Squeaky Clean Singapore. The most I've ever eaten was a Snake Stew, Snake Parts and a Turtle Stew when I visited Taiwan last time.
I've heard of JB Pasar Malams especially Thai Ones that do sell Insect Cuisine but for almost the Entire 2023 of me visiting JB, I have no such luck at all. Everytime I visit JB, my schedule will always seem to miss out on any Pasar Malams. Due to their Temporary Nature, no one seems to know the exact schedule when they're up.
I want to eat such Exotic Foods so much that one of the reason why I even visited Kuching Sarawak's Food Festival was because I understand this is more likely available there. I think Coconut Worms are a Delicacy there. So you can imagine my Utter Disappointment when I searched ALL OVER KUCHING (well almost), asked everyone I could and the answer I got was that such Exotic Foods are actually very rare even in Kuching.
So you can imagine my ABSOLUTE DELIGHT when I just happen to RANDOMLY saw this particular Pasar Malam appear JUST PERFECTLY on this November 2023 JB Trip. I think I almost SCREAMED WITH JOY!! Literally Overnight, I went from never having the chance to taste a Single Insect Cuisine, to basically eating the Entire Insect Kingdom and more! It really felt as if the Stars are FINALLY ALIGNED FOR ME!! HAHAHA!
It's funny how things happen the way they are isn't it?
OK, enough of my Rants, lets get into the Main Topic of this Post!
Food Stall Name: JK Thai Food (ๆๆๅค็ต็ฒพๆช)
Whatsapp Number: 016-6622517
Small Type of Insects:
RM10 for 1 Small Bowl of 1 Specific Small Insect
or RM20 for a Mix of 10 Different sort of Small Insects
Big Type of Insects (Variable Price based on Size):
Scorpion = RM15.00
Tarantula = RM30.00
Centipede = RM25.00
Giant Water Bug = RM10.00
Lizard/Gecko (Fixed Price) = RM30.00
This is the ONLY FOOD STALL in this Thai Pasar Malam that sells this. By the time you read this Post, the Pasar Malam would have already ended. The Friendly Boss informed that they will be in another Upcoming Thai Pasar Malam in Dec 2023.
I would recommend messaging them at 016-6622517 if you want to verify with them again tho. Unfortunately my December 2023 JB Trip Schedule will not be able to hit this Upcoming Thai Pasar Malam so I won't be reporting on it. If you are interested to try their Insect Cuisine, you might want to mark this on your Calendar.
Details of this Food Stall
Its run by what looks like a Malaysian Chinese Man and his Thai Wife. They speak Perfect Mandarin and some English (probably) and it was easy to converse with them. Both of them are Very Friendly and especially his Wife was very knowledgeable about this. Most of the Extra Information I have written are actually from her.
As you can see in my Attached Photos, they have ALL SORTS of Insects and even a few Geckos/Lizards available for sale. After you buy them, if you want to eat them on the spot, they will help you to season with some type of Salt and Pepper Seasoning, Air-Fry and Heat them Up. You can ask them to put lesser seasoning as I did as I wanted to taste more of the Original Taste. They won't pound of mash or cut the thing for you, although I would recommend to remind them that if you want to eat them whole. (Especially the Lizard)
There seems to be 3 categories of Items for Sale:
1) The 1st Category is what I classify as "Small Insects"
These are small ones like Crickets, Mealworms, Coconut Worms, etc laid out in Individual Trays.
2) The 2nd Category is what I classify as "Big Insects"
These are sold individually on Wooden Skewers and are the Tarantula, Scorpion, Centipede etc. The price for them while I've listed seems to be based on Size, so if you buy these, the price you pay may be slightly different from what I've bought.
3) Lizard/Gecko is the 3rd Type and these are Fixed Price at RM30.00 each.
There seems to be only 1 species of Lizard.
Personally, I doubt they would take each and every individual insect and make sure they're processed properly. Really, if you are the type that insists on your Food being 100% Hygenic and Clean for Consumption, you're not the Right Type of Audience for such Cuisines. This is really meant more for "Rubbish Eat, Rubbish Grow" type of Folks.
Review of the Actual Insects / Lizard
As I'm not a Zoologist or Entomologist, I have absolutely no idea what some of these Insects or Species they are, so I am just going to put in a Generic Easy to Understand Name. Also because there are too many of them (especially for those Smaller Insects), I will only choose a few specific ones to describe their taste.
Lizard / Gecko
This is the Biggest Sized Item for Sale, and I'll be perfectly honest, I was legit scared when I first saw it. I am actually quite freaked out I am if I see Live Reptiles/Amphibians, especially Frogs/Toads. Although I have absolutely no issues eating Frog Legs. Hahaha!
Holding this Lizard up close and looking at its Cold Dead Eyes is really Freaky NGL. It is completely Dry and according to the Thai Lady Boss, they are Sun-Dried for Hours. The way they present this is also Grotesquely Beautiful being Flayed and Eviscerated on a Wooden Skewer. The Skin looks very Beautiful with its Spotted Markings and Skin Texture. The Whole Thing is so Beautifully Done, that I totally appreciate the work and effort in doing this.
When I held it up to my Mouth, you have no idea how Psychologically Freaked Out I felt. My Brain was Screaming all over the place warning me not to bite it. This is really a Mind Over Matter sort of Situation. The fact that this thing is so big, and I had to take time to eat it.
Still, I took my time and when my Teeth chomped down slowly, the first thing I felt was it was Crispy. What followed up was a Surprisingly Softer Bite Texture as my Teeth reached its Dried Meat. I then bit the Wooden Skewer which surprised me a little, and as I couldn't bite further, I wrenched and tore at the rest of the Head and took the Entire Thing off as you can see in the Video like a Freaking Zombie. Talk about a "Splitting Headache" for the Lizard eh?
Once I've taken off its Head, my Brain was again screaming at me that my Mouth is full of bits of the Lizard's Head Matter, Eyes, Tongue, Brain etc. This "Brain-Scream Feeling" however passed quickly as my Mouth continued to Chomp. The more I chomped, the more my Brain relaxed and the more I felt that this actually wasn't so bad. It sort of tasted like Dried Cuttlefish, especially the Dried Meat pieces that I tasted. Oh yes it is Very Dry as are most of the items I ate.
I'm not kidding when I say it tasted like Dried Cuttlefish, because it really does. Actually I describe the taste like a Peanut Flavoured Dried Cuttlefish with a very Slight Tease of Salty Sweetness from the Seasoning. Most of the Lizard actually taste like this. Peanut Flavoured, Very Dry and Crispy. There are however, a few special exceptions.
Lizard Skin
This one is very interesting. When its Freshly Air-Fried, the Skin is actually very Crispy and actually looks no different from a Fish Skin. If it gets colder however, it will become very Fibrous, Hard to Chew and actually taste like Hard Plastic. Wierd! If it gets colder, you can go back to the Stall and ask them to Re-Airfry it for you.
Lizard Tail
Despite how thin it is, this has a surprisingly Juicier Meaty Bite Texture with a very Slight Sweet Taste. A Very Welcome Change in Flavour considering how most of the Lizard's Body was very Dry. Don't miss this part out if you eat it. The Thai Lady Boss also say this is one of the parts she enjoy most from the Lizard.
Overall, I must say the Lizard is the Most Horrific Looking out of them but once I got over the Initial Shock, I realized that various parts of its body has a Slightly Different Bite Texture.
Scorpion
Compared to the Lizard, I didn't even flinch when I took down this one. Hahaha Maybe my Brain already decided to give up on me after I ate the Lizard? Or perhaps it didn't felt as horrific looking? Bite Texture is Very Crunchy, abit like biting into a Very Crispy Hard Cracker is how I'd describe it. There is also a very Slight Aftertaste of Almond which caught me a little off guard.
I had thought it would taste Sour, because I always thought Poisonous Insects would taste Sour due to their Poison? If there were any Meat in the Scorpion, I couldn't taste it, not even in its Pincers. its really just its Shell. Very Dry. Maybe the Meat dried up after being Baked? I think the Lizard taste nicer.
Remember that Scene in the Movie "Mummy 2" when Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson took a Scorpion and ate it? Scorpion tasted exactly how I thought a Scorpion would taste when I saw that scene, except its not Juicy or Sour at all. Also, because of how Cool a Scorpion is usually portrayed in Pop Culture, eating one sure looks Freaking Metal AF! Hahaha!
Tarantula
To be honest, I'm not exactly sure if this is a Tarantula because its not as big sized as the Tarantulas that I normally see in Nature Shows. Maybe its another variation? To me, I think it is a Tarantula though. This tasted Flaky, not Crunchy. When you can bite thru, the Whole Body disintegrates, sort of like eating a Very Flaky Cookie. Other than a Roasted Peanut sort of Taste, I don't taste anything else from it.
The Abdomen of the Tarantula is the Most Special however, as I distinctly felt like I bit into a Literal Piece of Peanut. It even taste very close to a Peanut. The Abdomen is the most Distinct Bite Texture of the Tarantula I feel. Occasionally, I could taste the soft bristles of it's Leg Hair. Very very Flaky Creature. Also Very Very Dry. Again, my Brain wasn't screaming at all, maybe i've gotten used to it. Tarantulas are also very Cool in Pop Culture, but I didn't think this one felt very special for some reason.
Centipede
This taste the same as Tarantula, more Flaky than Crunchy. The difference is, I tasted some Almond aftertaste in this one, same as Scorpion. Seeing that Scorpions and Centipedes are Poisonous Creatures, I'm assuming their Poison tastes like Almond? I'm not sure. It was quite adorable eating this though because they're so long, it feels like i'm eating a Mini Meat Skewer (่ไธฒ) with no Meat.
The inside of the Centipede is Hollow or maybe the Meat cooked off during Roasting? According to the Lady Boss, Big Centipedes are not easy to Catch and in most Food Stalls, this is considered a Premium Item to Eat apparently. Compared to most Centipedes i've seen in Real Life, this one is a Real Big Chonky Boy!
Giant Water Bug
If you play Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch you will surely know this one! I knew its name immediately when I first saw it! Hahaha! Everytime go fishing in-game will always catch this Stupid Thing. Well, at least now I get to know how it tastes like! It's actually Soft and Chewy, and the taste reminds me of a Nut that I can't recall. Perhaps Chickpea? Texturally, this one feels the most like eating an Insect as how I'd imagine it because its much softer and not as Crispy or Flaky to the Bite.
Coconut Silkworm
This was the thing that I wanted to try so badly in Kuching Sarawak and yet I ended up trying it in JB. It's body is Airy and Deflates immediately when you bite into it. This was quite surprising as I thought it would taste Fleshy. It tastes exactly like a Pistachio. Very Chewy and not at all Crispy or Crunchy.
Cricket
This is also Soft to the Bite. Again it reminds me of a Nut that I can't remember the name of. It's a different Nut Taste compared to Giant Water Bug. I remember its the sort of Nut that you would normally find during Chinese New Year.
Horned Beetle
I was surprised to find this, and didn't know its Edible. The Head of the Beetle is Crunchy and its Soft Body is comparable to the Bite Texture of the Cricket. This one taste like Peanut.
Bamboo Worm
Bamboo Worms are the most common sort of Insect that you'd find in a Insect Cuisine. I think they're also the type that people feeds to Fishes? They're Soft and Flaky and Collapses Easily. I describe this like a Very Flaky Popcorn Peanut.
There are alot more Insects and I think the Post will stretch too long if I were to describe them all. Hahaha! Basically, almost all of them taste Very Dry. Eating Insects is Very ๅฃๅนฒ. According to the Thai Lady Boss, they are actually meant more to eat with Alcohol, more like ไธ้ ่ Snacks. If you want to give this a try, remember to hydrate alot. These are really Very Dry in the Mouth.
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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts
I'll be honest. Spending a total of RM130 + (RM20 for the Insects I Dapao), total RM150 (S$43.00) for everything is not Cheap at all. But then again, spending S$43.00 to eat things that I can NEVER hope to ever eat in Singapore, I personally feel isn't that bad. And it was ALOT of things to eat. I probably ate the Entire Insect Kingdom, some of the most Venemous ones in the World and even 1 Big Fat Lizard too!
Insects are actually a Good Source of Protein and some Cultures actually do eat them Regularly. But lets be honest here, we're eating this only for the Shock Value, not their Nutritional Value aren't we?
Eating this though, made me acutely realize on how I eat a Meat Product. Especially for a Meat Product that has the Animal's Head still attached with it's Eyes staring back at you, there is this Psychological Barrier you need to overcome. It's true what they say "The Eyes are the Window to the Soul". It is Hard to look an Animal in the Eye and eat them. For the Insects like Scorpions and Tarantula, I ate them without even flinching compared to that Big Lizard. To me, I think my mind thought of them as ... maybe a Crab or a Prawn? I don't know how to really describe this.
This is perhaps why in Supermarkets when you buy any Meat Product, they're already designed and pre-cut in such a way and pieces packed nicely that tricks your brain into not thinking of them as an Animal anymore. Even for Whole Chicken Carcasses in Singapore, the Head is usually not sold along with it.
Actually eating these made me actually appreciate Food even more, and even appreciate my standing as a Human Being. Whatever your Personal or Religious Beliefs, you cannot deny that We Humans are the True Apex Predator of this World. No Creature however Large, Fearsome or Venomous, are as scary as we Humans. With enough time and effort, EVERY Creature comes under our control. We have such total control over them, we can even selectively breed them for our own Consumption or Pleasure. Some Deep Thoughts to ponder about, so I'll leave it at this.
Eating this Post-Covid is also a very Touchy Subject because Some Westerners have this assumption that Asians all eat such Un-Conventional Foods. I can assure you that such Foods are actually quite hard to find (at least in Singapore) and not all of us eat these regularly. And so thats it. If you are ever curious how a Lizard, or Creepy Crawly taste like, I hope my Description of them helps!
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