Nguyen Thi Thu Nga, chief inspector of the HCMC Animal Health Agency, said the products were contaminated with bacteria, including Salmonella and E.coli, and also failed to meet other food safety criteria.
However, inspectors said 47 of the 72 boxes imported had been sold as food. The inspectors issued fines against the company for trading animal products contaminated with bacteria.
China has been known to have a wide array of food items available at markets and restaurants. Beijing’s Guo-li-Zhuang restaurant offers something even more exotic than fugu (puffer fish) or fried whale. Here the menu consists almost entirely of penis and testicle dishes — made from the private parts of deer, snakes, yaks, horses, seals and ducks, among others.
Guolizhuang’s owner, who set it up in November 2005, is proud to combine his own surname (Guo), his wife’s (Li) and his son’s nickname (Zhuang) into its title. A booking comes with a trained waitress and a nutritionist in attendance, to explain the menu and to boast its medicinal virtues.
At the first thought of eating animal penises, most cringe. But the Chinese consider it a health treatment for the libido, and repeatedly eating the penis and testicles of an animal is said to help raise the libido of men and cure kidney and erection problems. For their medicinal effect to work, the dishes have to be consumed regularly. There is also a wine available that is fast-acting and is said to work better than Viagra (without the side effects). The wine contains extracts of heart, penis, and blood from a deer; it is said to taste like a bitter lemon. Ladies are even invited to try some of the dishes. Penis is said to be good for the skin, but women do not eat testicles in order to prevent masculine features from developing.
The meals served do not come cheap: A yak penis costs €179, while a hotpot with 10 different penis-and-testicle selections served on an attractive, four-sided plate tower with little statues of animals will set you back €89. For particularly discerning palates, the menu also offers deer and sheep fetuses (€36 and €9, respectively).
If you’ve made travel plans to enjoy the Olympics in Beijing, I suggest this restaurant as an adventurous dining experience.
BBC Reporter Stefan Gates speaks with one of the chefs about their menu items.
Nguyen Thi Thu Nga, chief inspector of the HCMC Animal Health Agency, said the products were contaminated with bacteria, including Salmonella and E.coli, and also failed to meet other food safety criteria.
China has been known to have a wide array of food items available at markets and restaurants. Beijing’s Guo-li-Zhuang restaurant offers something even more exotic than 