umm... mmm?

You know what this is?

It's fugu, which any old-school Simpsons fan will tell you is blowfish, the same kind that is poisonous if not prepared correctly, and forces a poorly-animated Homer to do everything he wants to do in life in what he believes to be the last 24 hours of his life.

While I have a penchant for trying many weird foods, I would've thought I'd need to psych myself up for my first fugu experience. I was expected of making it a huge event eating fugu, planning it for weeks to find the perfect restaurant that specialises in fugu and spending an exorbitant amount on trying this weird food.

But I didn't expect it to be served in a set course meal I was having with my dad in Tokyo. It was kinda anti-climactic actually, considering it was just plonked right in front of us and told it was fugu. But hey, I shouldn't really complain considering I got to try fugu!

So was it everything I ever dreamed of and more? Well, it was kinda meh, actually. The fish was cut really thinly, and doesn't have much of a flavour or unique texture to it. Plus, it's served with citrusy-yuzu soy sauce that you're supposed to dip it in, which pretty much is the only thing you tasted when you eat it.

And, I had heard that when fugu's done right, the licensed fugu chefs leave the tiniest trace of venom on the fish you're eating, so it makes your mouth tingle a little bit. Which, if that actually happened to me, would've been cool, but I'm still unsure if it was a placebo effect and I just thought it felt a little tingly. Meh Ah well, at least I've got another food I can say that I've eaten...