In An Octopus's Garden

For an early birthday treat I visited a restaurant by my school that I walk by every day. Like most seafood restaurants in Seoul, it has many aquariums decorating its front window full of sea creatures that they will kill and cook up for you. But for this venture, there would be no chef needed, because I was there to eat live octopus.

The octopus was brought to our table cut up, but very much still wiggling. It looked like a bowl full of caterpillars. It had been covered in sesame seeds and oil was brought to our table for dipping - whether it was for flavor enhancement or lubrication I'm not sure.

It is very important to do a good job chewing the little guys because there suction suckers on their tentacles are very much still operational and every once in awhile people have been known to choke when a resourceful tentacle holding on for dear life lodges itself in someone's wind pipe.

When I had one in my mouth it suctioned one end of itself to the inside of my gums and the other end to the outside of my gums, leaving it laid across my teeth. I bit down and it realeased itself from my gums, but continued to wiggle until it was swallowed. The texture was unlike anything I have ever tasted. It was real rubbery and didn't have a whole lot of taste, but it was a fun experience.

I don't know how often I will be going back, but I documented my first taste with a video my friend shot for me. I posted it on YouTube and this is the link that should take you there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZz0tPDFOJY

Love from Seoul