New Japanese Foodie Trend: Dirt!

If you’re one of the rare few with the finances and the passion to travel the world and sample all of its culinary curiosities, mark Japan on your map.

Because that’s the only place in the world you’ll be able to eat a plate of dirt.

Yeah, eating dirt is the new foodie trend in Japan. Chef Toshio Tanabe serves something called “soil cuisine” at his Tokyo restaurant Ne Quittez Pas. He says that soil adds a natural flavor and vital nutrients to everything on the menu, from soup to sorbet.

What’s more, customers are booking reservations months in advance to try a scoop.

In an interview with Modern Farmer, Tanabe said that he himself has been eating soil for 25 years, but finally decided to take it mainstream with his first soil menu this year. So, in case you can’t remember being a toddler, what does dirt taste like?

“It is very hard to put into words. I would not say it tastes earthy, but actually like the Earth itself. Many people immediately use the word earthy to describe it, but that’s because of their image of soil. Either way, most people find it delicious and some say it has no taste at all.”

And it’s not like he just digs up fresh dirt from behind the restaurant. He purchases soil taken from 10 feet underground and run through a litany of tests in a lab to remove impurities, pollution and lead.

“Soil is a pure living thing, a collection of microorganisms. Anything bad about it, pollution or radiation contamination, is generally caused by humans.”

He promises you’ll just love it.

“I always feel good after eating it. Today our brains have been programmed to think that soil is dirty, but that’s not true. Soil is natural and nutritious.”

What do you think? Ready to try a plate of dirt?

[Image: Shutterstock]