By Doug Toyryla

I have a fairly adventurous palate. Growing up overseas has given me a taste for things that your “average” American most likely wouldn’t eat. Therefore, I love searching out some of the funkier dishes that I can find, just to give them a try.

First up, is Sumo Japanese Steakhouse in Manassas, VA. I love this place. I’ve been a fairly regular patron of theirs for several years, and I always seem to find something great on their ever-changing “specials” menu.

I have two specific “funky food” recommendations at this place. First, is the way they serve their amaebi (raw sweet shrimp). As a side accent to the body & tail meat, which is INCREDIBLY fresh, they will deep fry the heads, and serve those on the side, drizzled with a tiny bit of sweet soy sauce. It makes for a crunchy & delicious addition to the dish because of the large amounts of flavor retained in the head fat & tiny brain. If you’ve never eaten the head of an animal, do yourself a favor & try it. It’s amazing.

Second, is their uni. Uni is normally thought of to be the roe (egg sac) of this animal. However, it’s actually sea urchin gonads. I know what you’re thinking; “But Doug, how could you even THINK of putting that in your mouth??”. Trust me. The flavor is incomparable to anything I’ve ever tried. The best way to describe it is having a creamy texture, but an almost pungent & very nutty flavor. Ask the chef how it is on the day that you go in, and he’ll tell you whether or not it’s a good day for it. It’s usually served over rice or a cucumber, with a little bit of ikura (salmon roe), which adds a nice little salty accent.

Try this place if you love funky foods, or are just a fan of REALLY good sushi.

http://www.sumojs.com

Second, is La Mexicana Bakery & Taqueria. There’s one in Alexandria, VA as well as one in Manassas, VA. This place has some of the best Latin American fare I’ve had in a very long time. I also have two funky food recommendations for this place. The first one, is something that you don’t normally see a lot: Tacos de Lengua (Beef Tongue Tacos). These are SO good! Again, I can hear you saying, “But Doug! I wouldn’t eat anything that can taste me back!” For any of you who have never had beef tongue before, you could liken it to the best piece of pot roast you’ll ever eat. It’s tender, irony, and wonderfully seasoned. The tacos are served on your choice of corn or flour tortilla, and come topped with cilantro, onion, radishes, lemon, and either a red or green hot sauce (your choice).

The other delicious funky dish they have is a Mexican classic: Menudo. Not the band, but the soup. This stuff will definitely cure what ails you. Made with tripe (the lining of cow or sheep stomach), hominy, cilantro, and a red chili broth, this is a great winter (or hangover) dish. It’s like comfort food to me, and I get it whenever I can. It’s served with onion, oregano, cilantro, dried chilis, lime, and either corn tortillas or crusty bread on the side. If you’re looking for a spicy pick-me-up, or just want to try something new, you really should go and order this. It’s fantastic.
http://www.lamexicanabakery.net

Remember, food is different throughout the world, and people have been eating this stuff for centuries. Just because something looks weird, doesn’t mean it’s not delicious.