Besides grasshopper tacos at Oyamel, Washington chefs don’t usually delve into the insect world for inspiration. That’ll change next week during a pop-up “pestaurant” at the Occidental. On the menu: grasshopper burgers, chocolate-covered ants, barbecue mealworms, and more.
The meal (or daring snack?) is the creation of Ehrlich Pest Control, which hopes to raise awareness of pests and their nutritional value. According to the company, your multi- or no-legged friends can be low-fat sources of proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Though chomping down on insects may be less appetizing than, say, taking a vitamin, Ehrlich will give DC Central Kitchen $5 for every person who eats one bug, or $20 for each person who competes in a cricket-eating contest. There’s no word on how Jiminy and his brethren will be prepared, but hopefully it’ll be in the dead style.
If culinary pest control is your thing, stop by the Occidental’s patio on Wednesday, June 4, between 11:30 and 3.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
