- SHOW INFO
- Home
- TV Schedule
- About the Show
- Meet Andrew Zimmern
- Episodes
- Travel Guides
- FEATURES
- The Bizarre Truth
- Andrew's Blog
- Bizarre Favorites
- Recipes
- PHOTOS
- Bizarre Slideshows
- VIDEO
- Video Central
- INTERACT
- Message Board
- Mobile Alerts Club
- Andrew's Website
- YouTube
- MySpace
- RELATED
- Bizarre Foods
- Madventures
- SHOP
- Bizarre Gear
- Travel Channel
Out Back of Beyond
By Andrew Zimmern on April 28, 2009 9:00 PM | Permalink | 10 Comments
So in the Outback I eat croc, croc eggs, long necked turtle, cane toads, termite nests and just about everything else you would imagine a guy like me could find in the NT of Oz-tralia.
But one little tale paints the whole picture, more so than the Mindil Beach Market, the Toad mustering, the amazing meal that Ungun and her friends made me on the shores of the billabong, more than the amazing Steve Sunk, the Walkabout Chef, more than Sean and I driving across The Track ...
We spent a night at the Noonamah Tavern, and in the show we arrive, we eat, we leave ... and if you are observant you see the sort of depraved hellhole this place really is. But lemme digress ...
We arrive at the Noonamah Tavern, which is a bar, a restaurant, a gas station, a liquor store and a motel for truckers, roustabouts and bar customers. It rents rooms hourly. Enough said.
The drunk topless customers sitting outside by the gas pumps, skirts and pants hanging so low you could see their nasty tramp stamp tattoos in all their glory, insisted we come back the next night for the Prawns and Porn night where they serve steamed shrimp baskets, and the bartenders go topless. For an extra 50 cents a draft they dip a boob into the glass after they pour it. I kid you not. Look, I have been in some sordid places in my day, have been on Patpong Road after dark, cruised the Red Light zone in Amsterdam, and grew up in NYC ... I have seen it all. Until I feared for my life at the Noonamah Tavern.
We arrived and the local customers did not want us there, let alone wanted to see us point a camera in their direction. The sadness and depravity, the lost lives that all the lonely drunkenness represented, the anger that finally could find a target, it was all a little overwhelming. We got the finger, a moon, a frontal moon, and threats of an ass kicking ... and that was from the first 60 year old lady we encountered. I am serious as a heart attack.
Anyway, the Outback was an experience like no other. Wild, untamed and thrilling to eat my way across. You won't be disappointed.
10 Comments
- Bizarre World (9)
- Bizarre Foods (28)
Bizarre World Social
Follow Andrew Zimmern on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
- Dentists Jupiter: I think that it is a very beautiful place in Indonesia. It is a paradise if you want to spend...
- Lynn: Mr. Zimmern, I can do you one better as far as drag racing the "fuz" goes. I did it in real...
- jeselle: andrew im so glad you picked ians pizza to try the famous mac and chz pizza. brings back...
- Kristen: I am so excited that you came to Wisconsin. I agree with what you had to say in your blog about...
- brad butler: thanks for the great visit to lake tom...that kind of publicity is just what the northwoods...
LOVED the Outback last night!! Don't think I'd try the croc eggs..not raw anyway!! Your show is amazing and I'd love to be able to do that!! Travel & eat!! What a life! Thanks for great entertainment!!
Love your shows, you are brave.I come from a vegetarian culture, and seeing you eat certain eating things that we wouldn't do in a nightmare is bravado. But where do you draw the line , human flesh?
I can't wait for the Ep to air in Aus. Pity the Aussies at large didn't know you were on your way - we would've had a party.
Love the show!
I love food and willing to try anything. I get eatting everything from my dad.. he always says don't knock it til u try it. I would totally eat evrything from these shows. can't wait for next episode!!!!!!!
whoa! nice! 60 year old ladies making obscene gestures is funny to read but when you're the victim, yes, maybe not so amusing. poor dudes. i'm very intersted in trying some of that termite...what do you call it?? the mounds they regurgitate. i'll just have to contact my local terminex and tell em to save a piece for me! keep the episodes a'comin!
Andrew, First of all I would to say you are great at what you do, and i am a great fan of yours probally until i Die.
However,the Darwin Northern Territory Show Did not do you justice, because you had nothing to work ,when you was preseted with the food and culture. As you probally already figure is I am a Aussie a tru blue Darwinite,who would have shown you some foods that was consumed by alot of people there that you did not try or see,and really get to see the Greatness of Darwin,NT,Australia.
Next time you ever travel there again let me know and I can give you the Hook up, cause what ever tour guide you got was unfortunatly misrepresenting that beautiful place Darwin, that i call my Island Home..Atleast you had style and grace with the little information who had about Darwin and bizzarre Foods..
As a Canuck who has lived in the Territory and now in the Australia's south I watched the Outback show with keen interest. Great show - I never knew anyone ate Cane toads. Glad you had some time hunting in a billabong. Keep up the good work.
I had been wishing for Andrew Zimmerman to come our beautiful Island!! Puerto Rico!!! You will love the flavors of the caribbean....should you need help finding those extreme places..to eat...do not hesistate to email.
Love,
I was watching your show on the Travel Channel of course and heard you mention something about "benya" (not sure on spelling) but you said you can't pass it up at Las Vegas but didn't get to catch where you said it was served at? Planning trip and leaving in 2 1/2 weeks, help me please!!!
wow id love to get to go on tv and eat all those awesome foods