Thread: 'Braised koala' gets traveller stewing

'Braised koala' gets traveller stewing
Megan Levy
October 31, 2011 - 11:18AM


An Australian traveller says this animal, purported to be a koala, was a menu item at a Chinese restaurant. Photo: Supplied

An Australian traveller says he was horrified to find a live koala for sale at a restaurant in southern China where the menu was offering the iconic marsupial for dinner in either ‘‘braised or stewed’’ varieties.

A sign on the cage holding the animal advertised ‘‘koalas’’ for purchase at a rate of 139 Yuan ($AUD 20) for 500 grams.

It was one of a number of exotic animals, including birds and fish, on live display at the restaurant in Panyu district, Guangdong.

The traveller, who visited the area last week, climbed down on his hands and knees and snapped a photograph of the caged animal, which was lying next to a carrot.

The man’s colleague told radio 3AW he was stunned to be given the option of chowing down on the cuddly creature.

‘‘It’s 100 per cent right, that photo,’’ the caller said today.

‘‘There’s a carrot in the cage, the idiots have put a carrot in there.

‘‘The restaurant had a large selection of birds, fish and other sort of exotic animals on display that the diner could chose from for their gastronomic delight.’’

A later caller suggested that animal was an Asian ‘‘tree bear’’ of some variety, however the traveller who took the photograph says he was convinced it was a koala.

It prompted a call from Melbourne businessman Geoff Balsillie, who was similarly disturbed recently to find live caged animals for sale in a restaurant in an area neighbouring Panyu in southern China.

‘‘I was taken to a restaurant for lunch by my host ... and after the lunch I went to check the plumbing and found all of these cages with all these animals so I took a few photos,’’ he told radio 3AW.

‘‘There was an egret, a marmot, some water fowl and a few others. I’m not sure whether they were on the menu. There were signs on the cages with numbers on them, telling you how much they were. I don’t know whether that was for a gram or for the whole beast, but they were obviously for sale. There was also the fish and snakes and the turtles and all the other things that they normally eat as well, but these animals were the ones that sort of got to me.’’

Mr Balsillie complained to his Chinese host, who tipped off police and the restaurant was soon raided, he said.

‘‘They released the animals and she [his host] said she didn’t win any friends,’’ Mr Balsillie said.



Read more: 'Braised koala' gets traveller stewing

but these animals were the ones that sort of got to me.’’

just some more cultural insensitivity from an australian.

choosing a live fish or crab from a tank outside a seafood restaurant would been fine though.

errr....

That is not a Koala. Strange in China that they might have something mislabeled.

Mark

Koalas are cute and cuddly, can't eat anything cute and cuddly.

Saw a beaver once.
An Emu tied up outside, and a donkey.
(not to mention cats and puppies)

The Chinese seem to revere only the indigenous Giant Panda as anything other than a protein source.?

Does raise the point that if it's not endangered, is it fair game?

BRITISH CHEF LIKES PUPPY MEAT

Posted on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
By Garrett Hawley

British TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says eating puppy meat is no more morally objectionable than consuming pork.

The celebrity chef previously shocked viewers by eating placenta pate, curried fruit bat, giraffe and calf testicles and now claims that he would not be against a “high-welfare organic puppy farm.”


Fearnley-Whittingstall, the star of Channel 4′s “River Cottage,” was asked by British magazine Radio Times whether he would try loin of Labrador or cat liver.
“Not unless I was on the point of starvation,” he replied. “In principle, but not in practice, I have no objection to a high-welfare organic puppy farm.”
He added, “You can’t object, unless you also object to the farming of pigs. It’s an artificial construct of our society, a cultural decision, to make pets out of dogs and meat out of pigs. Both animals could be used the other way round, although pigs probably do make better meat than dogs and dogs better pets than pigs, but it’s not a foregone conclusion.”
Source: Sky News.

Originally Posted by DroversDog

A sign on the cage holding the animal advertised ‘‘koalas’’ for purchase at a rate of 139 Yuan ($AUD 20) for 500 grams.

$40 a kilo. That is more than smoked salmon.

Time to get one of these beauts I think.

Originally Posted by Looper

Originally Posted by DroversDog

A sign on the cage holding the animal advertised ‘‘koalas’’ for purchase at a rate of 139 Yuan ($AUD 20) for 500 grams.

$40 a kilo. That is more than smoked salmon.

Time to get one of these beauts I think.

You better get a net to as well, catch them when they fall.

Originally Posted by Koojo

You better get a net to as well, catch them when they fall.

Fall? If he shoots one with that, it's going to end up nailed to the tree trunk.

The small ones are harder to shoot but they have softer skin so you don't have to peel them and you can eat them whole.



Could make for a fun novelty steamed dumpling in chinatown but probably have to charge more than for the big ones.

mmm looks delicious.

Braised with carrots it is then!

[quote=Bung;1921713]Koalas are cute and cuddly, can't eat anything cute and cuddly.

You can live on it.. but it tastes like shit...
I've eaten koala..along with anything else we shot...!!..
kookaburra is the best taste.

I'll have a baby panda burger instead!

Tastes like chicken.