Fine Dining

Trying to eliminate poultry from your diet due to Bird Flu concerns? Head over to Cambodia and try the latest taste sensation: rat.

According to a recent wire service article, eating rat has become a regular staple for discriminating Cambodian diners. “Rice paddy rats eat only rice, so they are very tasty,” insists Chea Thouen, a rat meat vendor in Battambang. “Everybody enjoys a good rat, especially deep-fried and served with a good wine.”

One man, who grew up during the horrific Khmer Rouge era (1975-1979) and was forced to eat things like rats just to survive, says that he has since acquired a taste for the little rodents. “I think rats now taste even better than they did 30 years ago. They are better fed nowadays.”

Another rat meat vendor, Bun Khuny, sells a good portion of his products to local crocodile farms. “Crocodile farmers buy as much as I can provide,” he said. “They say their crocodiles like rats better than fish or snakes, and they get fatter on rat meat than on any other food. Who can argue with crocodiles?”