Taiwan's Viral Godzilla Ramen Brings The Movie To Your Bowl

Seemingly larger than life and definitely larger than the cities that people live in, Godzilla famously filled the big screen by dramatically emerging from the sea.  Now, it appears a smaller version of the creature emerges from a bowl, thanks to a menu item in Taiwan that's created a viral buzz among movie fans. Located in Douliu City, Witch Cat Kwai restaurant is whipping up a Godzilla-inspired meal that contains actual crocodile meat. Served as a soup, this dish also contains fish paste, black fungus, dried bamboo shoots, quail eggs, baby corn, and pork — it's quite the combination.

Crocodile meat isn't the easiest to obtain, which is why only two soups are available each day. According to Chien, Witch Cat Kwai's owner, this dish is sold for the USD equivalent of $50. Even with the high price tag, the crocodile-laden delicacy has created a spark on social media. When Witch Cat Kwai shared the creation on Facebook, fans came out of the woodwork to spread the news to family and friends. "Let's eat after work," one user pleaded to another. Bookings to enjoy the ramen at Witch Cat Kwai are completely full until late August.

In order to eat crocodile meat, the reptiles in question can't be listed as a protected species. Along with the struggle of keeping the meat stocked, the restaurant's owner, Chien, says the process to prepare it is quite tedious, taking as long as three hours from start to finish. To create the flavor, two hours alone are dedicated to braising, but before this can be done, it must be cleaned, alcohol scrubbed, and seasoned.

You may be asking yourself if it's possible to eat the rest of Godzilla at a restaurant. Turns out Witch Cat Kwai isn't the only eatery known in Taiwan for serving up crocodile meat. Where only a leg is used for the ramen, Hai Wang Shing restaurant has expansive offerings to accommodate the tastes of many crocodile eaters. "There is a variety of ways to cook crocodiles," owner Kao Ching-chuan said. "Everything from head to tail and the internal organs is edible, and at international culinary competitions, we win major awards every time." And they do mean everything; this restaurant whips up the innards, tails, claws, meat, and hide.

So, how does it taste? According to Chien, "A lot of (customers) say crocodile meat tastes like that of chicken but is more springy, soft, and elastic." If this is true, it sounds quite similar to what alligator meat tastes like.