Bugs are slowly creeping onto Americans' plates as part of a new health trend.
Silkworm larvae stir-fried with soy, sugar and just a dash of white pepper.
"The silkworms have a texture of like popcorn, except they have a creamy center," said Chef Kevin Oh from Typhoon Restaurant.
Typhoon Restaurant in Santa Monica is one of a handful of restaurants in America that serves patrons bugs on purpose.
Customers have choices such as chili pepper seasoned crickets and even scorpions on shrimp toast.
"Scorpions still have the stingers in them but they are dried,” Oh said. “The poison is neutralized."
Scorpions are just one of 1,700 bugs that are safe for people to consume.
It's still a novelty here in the states, but insects are part of a daily diet in most of the world.
Earlier this year, the United Nations held a global conference on the benefits of eating insects, even suggesting it might be a good solution to world hunger.
"I don't know why the United States doesn't eat insects because they're actually very healthy for you," Oh said.
Insects are high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol.
A six-ounce serving of crickets have 60 percent less saturated fat as the same amount of ground beef.
Meanwhile, string potatoes aren't complete without adding some dried ants.
"They taste a little sour, tangy and they have a hint of black pepper to them," Oh said.
They also have 14 grams of protein per serving.
With a growing population and rising costs of food, the rest of the world just might be on to something.