Kids are fascinated by bugs: catching them, digging for them and eating them. Yes, eating them — especially when the bugs are served up as part of a Six-Legged Salsa at the Bug Buffet at Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans. Simply pair them with tortilla chips for the perfect afternoon snack.
So, what do bugs taste like? It depends on who you ask, of course. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the Audubon Insectarium offers up a variety of buggy treats prepared by in-house chefs. Favorite dishes include Cinnamon Bug Crunch — fried wax worms tossed with cinnamon and sugar — and Crispy Cajun Crickets, which some say tastes like barbecue sunflower seeds.
The Bug Buffet is so popular with both children and adults that a line snakes outside the kitchen, even before the program begins. Everyone wants to know what bugs taste like and are eager to try a spoonful of the insects of the day.
For the less adventurous, the Tiny Termite Cafe is adjacent to the Bug Buffet and offers up a variety of sandwiches, snacks and soft drinks. (There’s not one bug on the menu.)
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Tickets to the Insectarium, which includes the Bug Buffet, are $16.95 for adults and $11.95 for kids. Consider booking clients at Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, located across the street in the Central Business District. Kids will love the “Blue Dog” piano in the hotel lobby, painted by famous artist George Rodrigue, as well as the rooftop pool.
The Details
Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectariumwww.auduboninstitute.org/insectarium