A disturbing dinner indeed

So I was invited to a dinner in Korea Town. The reason for the choice of restaurant was a particular fish that the served with the barbeque on request. I wasn't given the details, but I was assured it was very tasty.

Enter the dish in question - pieces of freshly filleted fish on a large plate (an eel type fish). A glass of green alcohol was sitting beside the head of the fish which was sitting at the head of the dish, at it were.

It took a few seconds to register that the head (and a small portion of the neck) was moving. It became the talking point of the table, and some pictures were taken. The fish was put on the BBQ, and the head was STILL alive!!!. I took the green drink and motioned towards the fish head...the waitress nodded. So I put the poor buger out of it's misery.

Not much you can do in that situation. To swoon like a manchild would've made me look like a fool, as would walk out. Can't say the fish wasn't fresh, that's for sure.

Originally posted by @huckleberryhound
the head was STILL alive!!!

Originally posted by @rookie54
bite the head first...

Originally posted by @huckleberryhound
The head wasn't eaten.

Looked it up, not unknown in places like Korea and Japan.

Originally posted by @huckleberryhound
I took the green drink and motioned towards the fish head...the waitress nodded. So I put the poor buger out of it's misery.

It's fishy but true,
I think the movement is only reflexive,
I never want to see it or think about ift

Originally posted by @rookie54
was the green drink poured on the fishhead, or did you have it drink the poison???

Originally posted by @coquette
It's fishy but true,
I think the movement is only reflexive,
I never want to see it or think about ift

Originally posted by @huckleberryhound
So I was invited to a dinner in Korea Town. The reason for the choice of restaurant was a particular fish that the served with the barbeque on request. I wasn't given the details, but I was assured it was very tasty.

Enter the dish in question - pieces of freshly filleted fish on a large plate (an eel type fish). A glass of green alcohol was si ...[text shortened]... made me look like a fool, as would walk out. Can't say the fish wasn't fresh, that's for sure.

Originally posted by @huckleberryhound
The head wasn't eaten.

Looked it up, not unknown in places like Korea and Japan.

Originally posted by @drewnogal
My dad did a lot of fishing and eels were a regular part of our diet. They were eaten a few
hours after being caught with a hook and I remember the cut up pieces flexing on the plate
the moment they were salted. This was after they had been skinned and gutted.

We all like to think that the creatures we eat are humanely farmed and slaughtered
but the reality is that most of them have a pretty miserable time and we know that.

Originally posted by @huckleberryhound
Quite common for fish to be bludgeoned on the head at the local wet market, and scaled before purchase. And I can tell you a story about a donkey I saw walked to market but didn't walk home. Cultural difference is what it is, but in future I will politely decline fish at BBQ just in case.

Originally posted by @wolfgang59
If the dish you had is what I think it is it is a fairly modern invention and involves
[b]deliberately keeping the fish alive by wrapping the head in cold cloth while
the body is cooked. It is just for "entertainment" - does nothing for the cooking.[/b]

YouTube

I recall as a boy scout that a snake once crawled into our camp. We caught it, skinned and gutted it, cut it into chunks, and fried it. The cut-up pieces turned themselves over in the pan. Pure reflex no doubt. Tasted like chicken. No green poison though.

Originally posted by @moonbus
I recall as a boy scout that a snake once crawled into our camp. We caught it, skinned and gutted it, cut it into chunks, and fried it. The cut-up pieces turned themselves over in the pan. Pure reflex no doubt. Tasted like chicken. No green poison though.