Squilla Mantis – Dalian

After 12 breathtaking days in Thailand, I’m finally back to my roots, here in my father’s hometown of Dalian. My roots in Dalian grow deep into the sea, and you can almost hear the roar of the ocean from any corner. You can almost taste the salty air as you savor the breeze that breaks the stifling heat of summer.

When in Dalian, close your eyes and feel the sea air, take in the smells, and hear the bustling of this up-and-coming coastal city. Just make sure to keep your eyes wide open when you taste the wonders of this salty sea.

Three google searches and ten Wikipedia pages later, I finally put a name to it. Some foods truly require more work than others. Are you willing to suffer for yours? Squilla is a shrimp for which you set aside an entire afternoon. Squilla shields itself from your prying hands with armadillo-like greaves that force you to break them away, one by one, down the length of its supple body. Be careful that it doesn’t bite you first – those armored plates are tipped (just the tip) with razor-sharp spikes, making them the pricks of the animal kingdom. Consider yourself warned.

After a few bites you’ll quickly find that squilla is worth the work it commands. I know it’s hard to reconcile with the idea of eating something that bites back, but seriously, open up and man up.