10 Weirdest Foods I've Had While Traveling

One of my favorite parts about traveling is trying new foods. I am always adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. In fact, I have not yet encountered a food I have not been willing to try. Seeing a food that I have never tried on a menu, especially one that is weird or different than what you are used to finding at a restaurant in the United States, I am immediately tempted to order it. Some of these foods are not always the most pleasant, but it is always worth the experience!

1. Cuy (Peru): Cuy is called guinea pig in South America. In the United States, I have only seen guinea pigs as pets. Going to Peru, it was unexpected to see cuy being sold at many restaurants. After all, it is a traditional dish there. I went to a restaurant in Aguas Calients, Peru and ordered cuy. It came out with all limbs including the head. The flavor was definitely not for me. Whenever I see one in a pet store, I cannot help but be reminded of how they taste.

   
   

   Rating: 2/10

   Order Again: Absolutely not! 🚫

2. Rocky Mountain Oysters (Colorado): Initially hearing the word "oyster," you think of the salt-water seafood. Rocky mountain oysters are very far from seafood. They are bull testicles. When I went to Colorado, I knew I had to try them. I had three different types on my plate at the restaurant bar in Severance, Colorado -- rocky mountain oysters (bull), black hills oysters (buffalo) and lamb fries (lamb). They were slightly chewy, but really good!

   
   

   Rating: 7/10

   Order Again: Yes 👍🏻

   

   
   

3. Alpaca (Peru): Going to Peru, you see alpacas everywhere! I took multiple photos of them and it was ironic going to a restaurant in Cusco, Peru to eat one. It tasted like a lean steak, and I loved every bite of it.

   
   

   Rating: 8/10

   Order Again: 100% 💯

   
   
   
   

4. Reindeer Sausage (Alaska): In my travels to all 50 states, I found an interest in finding speciality foods that you do not often find, and given Alaska's location, it had no shortage of those new foods to try. I had my first taste of one of these speciality foods for breakfast in Anchorage. With my eggs, a side of reindeer sausage came on my plate. It has a gamey taste, but it did not turn me off enough to try it later on the same trip with a reindeer sausage on a bun in Seward.

Rating: 6/10

Order Again: Maybe 🤔

5. Escargot (Everywhere): Honestly, I do not remember the first time I had escargot. However, it quickly became one of favorite appetizers after my first time trying it. Each time I go to a French restaurant I make a point of ordering it. Many people are turned off from escargots as the thought of eating snails grosses them out. They look and sound intimidating, but I highly recommend them to anyone.

   
   

   Rating: 10/10

   Order Again: Of Course 🏆

   
   
   
   

6. Yak (Alaska): Going to Alaska, you find several different types of game meat. Outside of Denali National Park, I had a yak burger at a restaurant. It tasted gamey. I did not enjoy the taste and prefer sticking with beef, though, I was not sure if it was the restaurant that made me not enjoy the taste.

   
   

   Rating: 5/10

   Order Again: At a Different Restaurant 👌🏻

   
   

7. Sheep Tongue Souse (Bahamas): During my trip to The Bahamas I tried multiple different types of food. My favorite was the sheep tongue souse I had at the Fish Fry. It was warm, brothy and my favorite meal I had in The Bahamas!

   
   

   Rating: 8/10

   Order Again: Always 😍

   
   

   

8. Alligator (Louisiana): Louisiana is home to multiple different types of food with many influences that are a must try while visiting the state including po boys, gumbo and crawfish. The one I was most interested in trying was alligator. I had an appetizer of the alligator bites from a restaurant in New Orleans. The alligator was fried. What did it taste like? Chicken, of course!

   
   

   Rating: 6.5/10

   Order Again: Depends on The Mood 🙌🏻

   
   

9. Black Pudding (Ireland): Trying a traditional breakfast is a must in Ireland. It comes with eggs, toast, sausage, Irish bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and black pudding. Going to Ireland, I knew I had to try the traditional breakfast. Black pudding is not what you find in a little pudding cup in the snack aisle at the grocery store. It is blood sausage made from pig's blood, oats and spices. It tastes like it is high in iron. It was not my favorite, but I am also not the biggest sausage fan.

   
   

   Rating: 4/10

   Order Again: Sure, why not? 🤷🏻‍♀️

10. Gopchang (Maryland): A popular Korean BBQ food is intestines or better known as gopchang, which are the small intestines of a cow or large intestines of a pig. Ellicott City, Maryland is home to several Korean restaurants including a Korean BBQ restaurant where I had gopchang for the first time. I had other dishes that I never tried while there, but this one sounded the most interesting and non-American. Gopchang had the texture of half-cooked noodles. I was not a fan.

    
    

    Rating: 3.5/10

    Order Again: In South Korea 🇰🇷