Ants seem to the all the rage in the culinary world of late. Recently, Odisha’s similipal kai, a spicy chutney made from red weaver ants was given the Geographical Indication (GI). Now, a restaurant in Mumbai is serving an ant-ilicious cocktail. Thai chef Seefah Ketchaiyo, owner of her namesake establishment, Seefah in Bandra (W) was “inspired by the night markets of Thailand” where you will find stalls selling insects, reptiles and small animals like cockroaches, snails, snakes, scorpions and more. One such delicacy is the small fried black ants that form the garnish on the tequila-based cocktail named, The Antz, served at this restaurant.
A video of a food blogger trying this drink went viral on social media and drew the ire of Insta users. While one user wrote, “Using life for garnishing!... a clear no!”, others were curious and asked: "Did they roast the ants or the crunch was raw texture ?”
Chef Seefah tells us, “We wanted to bring a piece of Thailand’s adventurous culinary spirit to our restaurant in Mumbai. And then we stumbled upon Black Ants and we included it in a cocktail. Our goal is to bring the Thai experience closer to our guests in Mumbai.”
The drink which is their take on a Paloma (tequila cocktail with lime juice and grapefruit-flavored soda served in a glass rimmed with salt) uses the ants as a garnish. “We get these black ants from reliable dealers in Thailand. They are completely safe to eat as they are dried and add an umami flavour to the drink,” explains chef Karan Bane.
{{/usCountry}}The drink which is their take on a Paloma (tequila cocktail with lime juice and grapefruit-flavored soda served in a glass rimmed with salt) uses the ants as a garnish. “We get these black ants from reliable dealers in Thailand. They are completely safe to eat as they are dried and add an umami flavour to the drink,” explains chef Karan Bane.
{{/usCountry}}The cocktail was added to their menu in August last year during their menu revamp. Bane adds, “We’ve had many adventurous patrons try out this drink & they’ve enjoyed it. They’ve been pretty excited to try this drink. Some have come to our restaurant only to try this drink. However, we can make the drink without the ants as well.”
Using ants in drinks is not a new concept as there have been several restaurants around the world who serve it. A bar in Singapore, Native, serves a cocktail with local ants blended into its yoghurt-based drink called Antz. In a double whammy, on top of the glass, larger crunchy black Thai ants are placed on a liquid nitrogen-frozen leaf with basil cubes, that you are supposed to eat in its entirety before taking a sip of the drink.
In Vietnam, there is a traditional drink is made by steeping an entire snake in wine. On the other hand, in Australia, Ant Gin is an indigenous drink made with green ants.