in need of some extra protein?

last week, i visited a restaurant in santa monica called typhoon for my friend’s birthday. she specifically wanted to go there because of a few exotic dishes on their menu. here they are:

CHICKEN STUFFED WATERBUGS
deep-fried thai style

SINGAPORE-STYLE SCORPIONS
shrimp toast

TAIWANESE CRICKETS
taiwanese stir-fried, raw garlic, chile pepper, asian basil

CHAMBI ANTS
potato strings

THAI-STYLE WHITE SEA WORMS
deep-fried thai style, baby lettuce leaves, ginger, chile pepper, peanuts, lime, tamarind dipping sauce

the ants were mixed with little potato strings, so i couldn't even taste those. the crickets tasted like popcorn. and the scorpion dish only had 2 portions, so i didn't get to try them. they had a wide variety of pan-asian dishes on their menu as well, and everything (bizarre and otherwise) was pretty tasty. i even tried the frog legs and they actually tasted good!

the restaurant is located right on the santa monica airport, so you can watch the planes take off while you eat your insects.

we had a great time and really enjoyed the food, as well as the ambiance. so if you’re looking for a dining adventure, definitely give this place go!