As far as we can tell, this is no joke… it’s just a big, juicy double-decker serving of NOPE.
Known for including some seriously unsettling items on their menu (their motto is “We never met a meat we wouldn’t eat”), Bull City Burger & Brewery in Durham, North Carolina still manage to shock the public every April, their “Exotic Meat Month” — which has included items such as real alligator, lizard and snake dishes. But it’s their bug-themed items that seem to make the most headlines, not to mention causing the wildest social media uproar.
Martha did it yesterday, Randall did it today, and now it’s David D’s turn to give it a shot!
David D. ticket # 907656 give us a call and claim your tarantula burger. 🕷️ pic.twitter.com/rZh5cvTHKB
— Bull City Burger (@BullCityBurger) April 6, 2018
While we’ve covered stories about edible creepy-crawlies before [including Nicole Kidman’s four-course bug meal and these TRUTH OR DARE cricket-topped potato skins], this is the first time we’ve seen a hamburger topped with a gigantic, whole spider.
Eighteen zebra tarantulas (Aphonopelma seemanni, a common species in South and Central America, common worldwide as a pet and a food source) were obtained by the brewery for this promotion, and each one ordered is lightly salted and baked before being placed atop Bull City’s signature hamburger.
“People say it tastes most like crab, or other shellfish, sometimes with a bit of a metallic taste,” restaurant management claims. “Each bite tastes a bit different.”
In case that’s not enticing enough — or if your friends haven’t double-dog-dared you to try it after a few too many pitchers of IPA — the brewery presents a free t-shirt to anyone who manages to finish the entire sandwich, including every last crunchy spider leg.
You may have heard we host a Tarantula Challenge as a part of Exotic Meat Month.
Anthony J., Ticket #907655
Dan W., Ticket #907661
Michael B., Ticket #907679
Give us a call and claim your tarantula, we’ve got them waiting for you. pic.twitter.com/7XyiNdndon— Bull City Burger (@BullCityBurger) April 13, 2018
So far, at least nine patrons have signed up for the challenge as of this writing, which involves purchasing a “raffle ticket” to get your name on the list. Ticket-buyers’ names are displayed proudly on the Bull City Brewery website and social media.
