[Caution] Inspiring photos and menus will appear in the article. Please be careful. In addition, please browse at your own risk.

Nong Inlay, located about a 1-minute walk from the Waseda Exit of Takadanobaba Station on the JR Yamanote Line, is a restaurant that mainly serves Myanmar's ethnic minority "Shan" cuisine. It features fermented foods such as shan-style mustard pickles, salted shrimp, and shan miso, as well as a slightly spicy seasoning that uses plenty of herbs and spices.


Among the attractive menus such as curry, noodles, and salads, the "Exotic Zone" menu is of particular interest. In addition to Shan dishes, you can also enjoy a little stimulating "insect-based dishes" at this restaurant. There is a rich lineup of "stir-fried silk moth pupa", "stir-fried cricket", "stir-fried cicada", and "bamboo bug". In addition, "stir-fried frog thigh meat spice" and "stir-fried dried frog" are also offered. The price is 900 yen each (excluding tax, the same applies below).


I was worried, but this time I decided to order the "bamboo bug" that was written as "maybe the easiest to eat".

■ Now, the Tasting

It is natural that the plate that was brought in is a bug. If you look closely, you can see that the thin body is lined with small black dots, and the part that seems to be the head is attached to the tip. It is an insect that usually lives in bamboo.


I was a little nervous, but when I brought it to my mouth ... Yeah, that? This is fine. I had imagined a soft texture, but the inside was crispy and fragrant, and I could enjoy a crispy and light texture.


There is no juice, the inside is hollow and crispy and crispy. I chewed it for a while, but I can hardly feel the green odor, probably because of the saltiness. If you eat it with a blindfold, you may think that it is a fish bone cracker or a thin "Katsuebisen".

I was nervous at first, but once I ate it, I wasn't surprised. I threw it into my mouth just like a snack (there are individual differences). The point is that it's a matter of getting used to the appearance, and the taste itself can be said to be rather good.

■ Other than exotic menus

Pay attention to other menus as well as insect dishes. The spicy noodles "Miche (800 yen)" using Shan's miso and round rice noodles, which I ordered, and the "meat and rice skinless sausage (800 yen)", which is steamed by fermenting meat and rice. Both are delicious! It has a taste that is easy for Japanese people to eat while giving it a foreign flavor.

Miche is a cup of rice noodles that are chewy and spicy, and a rich soup that spreads the spiciness. The soft texture of rice noodles goes well with the soup.



The slightly spicy meat and rice skinless sausage is a strong seasoning that the beer goes on. The texture of the slightly hard and chewy meat is addictive.



Takadanobaba "Nong Inlay" where you can easily enjoy Shan food and insect food. If you are interested, please take a look.

■ Nong Inlay Address: 2-19-7 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo