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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah State Fair is well-known for having plenty of unique food. Now, a new vendor is trying to push the taste buds to a new level with a little shock factor.
Jungle George's has gained a certain reputation at fairs around the country. Their menu is designed to make jaws drop. The booth advertises everything from lion's meat to scorpions.
"As far as I know, I'm the only person in North America doing a full menu of exotic meats and bugs," owner George Sandefur said.
Sandefur got the idea after someone challenged him to try something different --something that would spark a unique interest.
"We tried it at the Maricopa county fair in Phoenix three years ago," he said, "And in a half hour sold a hundred pounds of gator, and I said 'okay, this is something good.'"
And he's continued to add to the menu. Chef Rodney Wright said the Maggot Melt is one of his specialties. Even the Salt Lake City Police had to think twice before dining here.
"You know amazingly enough, I like to eat food."
Still, Rodney got KSL's Mike Anderson to try a couple of entrees --like python on a stick.
"It's a little bit tougher than I thought," he said.
"Well it's a constrictor," said Sandefur. "Solid muscle. No bones."
"When you talk about the muscles, it kind of grosses me out a little bit," Anderson said.
For dessert? Some chocolate-covered crickets.
"It's crunchy."
"You like the flavor?" Sandefur said.
"Well I like the chocolate," Anderson said.
Rodney says it's reactions just like that that keep him going.
"I could work at McDonald's, Burger King, make hamburgers all day long, what fun is that? Here, I can see people's reactions, make 'em laugh," he said. "See their reactions on their face when they bite into it."
And it's why Sandefur is always looking for something even weirder to serve up.
"I enjoy challenging people, I guess to see what they like."
Aside from Sandefu'r food though, the Utah State Fair offers expected carnival food, games, amusement park rides and livestock and food judging competitions, as well as other family-oriented activities.
Email:manderson@ksl.com
