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Bugs up: Cape Town restaurant serves insect menu

Thursday July 25 2019
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Mario Barnard, chef at Gourmet Grubb, works at his food stand specialising in using insects in cuisine on July 17, 2019, in Cape Town, South Africa. Mopane worms are a traditional snack in South Africa, but a Cape Town restaurant is set to crawl into the history books as the first to serve a full menu of bug-infused delicacies. Barnard uses mostly dried, ground up worms or pupae, which he sources from people producing them to feed exotic pets. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH | AFP

By AFP

Cape Town,

Mopane worms are a traditional snack in South Africa, but a Cape Town restaurant is set to crawl into the history books as the first to serve a full menu of bug-infused delicacies.

The Insect Experience, which opened its doors this month, is offering an alternative food source to the city's mainstream culinary experience.

The restaurant was opened by Gourmet Grub, a company that has already introduced Cape Town to dairy-free ice cream made from insect milk.

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A dish of Wild mushroom and herb croquets with Mopani Humus at Gourmet Grubb, a food stand run by chef Mario Barnard specialising in using insects in cuisine, in Cape Town. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH | AFP

Co-founder and head of product development Leah Bessa has been investigating insects as a viable protein substitute.

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"In general insects are really high in protein and fat, comparable to red meat in their protein and fat content. The insects we use, the black soldier fly larvae, are much higher in zinc, iron and calcium than beef," she said.

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A picture taken on July 17, 2019 shows a dish of Basil Pesto Taglietelle, made with ground Black Soldier Fly larvae, and garnished with Mealworms, at Gourmet Grubb in Cape Town, South Africa. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH | AFP

According to Bessa, the insects are also high in dietary fibre and have no carbohydrate value.

The bugs are bred by two local farmers and delivered straight to the restaurant.

Mealworms and mopane worms are some of the creepy-crawlies that chef Mario Barnard has included in his dishes.

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Mario Barnard, chef at Gourmet Grubb, works at his food stand specialising in using insects in cuisine on July 17, 2019, in Cape Town, South Africa. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH | AFP

In 2015, he went to Thailand and for the first time experienced dishes made with tarantulas and scorpions.

"I knew then that I wanted to hide insects in food, incorporated into little gourmet dishes, to introduce to South Africans," Barnard said.

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A picture taken on July 17, 2019 shows a dish of Mopani Polenta Fries with smoked tomato chutney at Gourmet Grubb in Cape Town, South Africa. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH | AFP

The restaurant serves mopane worm polenta fries, and black fly larvae chickpea croquettes paired with a mopane hummus and topped off with a sprinkle of dried mealworms.

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A picture taken on July 17, 2019 shows a dish of Meal worms, an ingredient and garnish at Gourmet Grubb, a food stand run by chef Mario Barnard in Cape Town. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH | AFP

For dessert, it offers a deep-fried dark chocolate black fly larvae ice cream.

"I chose these dishes for introducing insects to people because they're already familiar with them -- everyone knows polenta fries and croquettes," he said.

One customer told AFP: "It's delicious, it's flavourful and spicy, it's everything you want in food."

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