Scorpion tamales and grasshopper tacos are part of the menu at one of the best restaurants in the US.

By Edwin Flores -

Scorpion tamales with chocolate and pineapple, toasted red worms (chiniquile), bone marrow with garlic chapulines (grasshoppers) and ant larvae tacos (escamole).

How about that for a sampler plate?

After facing some criticism online,

in hopes of educating diners on pre-Hispanic cuisine and a culture that has been around for thousands of years.

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James-Beard Award-nominated chef José Ávila of La Diabla Pozole and Mezcal restaurant in downtown Denver first let Instagram users see a bit of his taco menu in February.

The list included grasshoppers, a pre-Hispanic delicacy consisting of dried grasshoppers, roasted and often seasoned with garlic, chili and lemon.

Chef José Ávila works on one of his dishes.Courtesy chef José Avila

"Most insects don't taste much. Like crickets, they're kind of crunchy and flavorful," explained Avila, who grew up in Mexico eating grasshoppers when she went shopping with her mother to local markets.

The social media post had just over 100 divided opinions.

One of the users said: "I refuse to eat insects. I want a steak!".

Others confessed that they would like to try it.

"When I was little, my cousins ​​and I used to hunt them down and fry them," said another.

"Many people think that we wanted to start a trend or something like that, which is ridiculous," Avila said of the reactions online.

The creations of chef José Ávila point to the tradition of pre-Hispanic food. Courtesy of chef José Ávila.

We saw the controversy as an opportunity to expose people to the origins of pre-Hispanic food and its ingredients, which include edible insects, a source of protein that is still common in many parts of Mexico.

"Not everything is meat and tortillas," Avila said.

Inspired by Mexico's annual insect festival --

-- the chef has created a Bug Festival at his restaurant this week, with a menu that includes a sampler plate.

The event, which runs through the weekend, has already been a success, according to Ávila, who was impressed with the diners, who have eaten all the dishes, leaving only the shells.

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"80% of the people who tried the sample dish knew what they were getting into and wanted it. They wanted to eat, they had a desire for this kind of thing. The other 20% were curious," he said.

[The tamales, a bridge between the past and the present]

"Maintaining these strong traditions, ingredients and techniques in 2023 is my purpose," Avila said.

The festival's success has paid off, he said, despite customs delays in bringing the insects in from Mexico.

"This is not something you can buy at Home Depot," she pointed out.

Insects aren't cheap either.

According to Avila, some cost $150 per pound.

Insects have always been part of the culinary tradition of Mexico.

In the photo, one of the dishes prepared by chef José Avila at La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal restaurant, in Denver, Colorado. Courtesy of chef José Ávila.

Ávila has received accolades for its authentic pozole and mezcals.

He explained that his team stays true to tradition and curates the broths, or soups, with ingredients imported from Mexico.

His creative approach to traditional Mexican cuisine has been rewarded: in 2021,

Although Avila likes the recognition, she said it's really about a diner who is from Mexico trying the dish and being transported back to their country of origin.

"That's what it's about: bringing childhood memories to these people and reminding them of their grandmothers and mothers [...] Maybe they're not with us anymore," he said.

"That's the prize."