The "Ick Factor"

[Captain Japan]

'Takoyaki' czar looks to spread tentacles to U.S.
Japan Times

In Los Angeles last December, Morio Sase had a bout of nerves. What had made him think he could persuade Americans to cast off their culinary prejudices and warm to something with as great an "ick factor" as octopus?

"I worried whether Americans could eat octopus, but 'takoyaki' sales at a special event proved they love it," said Sase, founder and president of HotLand Corp., which operates about 300 Tsukiji Gindaco takoyaki outlets across Japan and 11 in other parts of Asia. "I was relieved and I felt I could make it."...more...

[Ptyx]

I don't know if he stands a chance in america but as far as takoyaki are concerned gindako is pretty good.

[maraboutslim]

he wondered whether americans *could* eat octopus. Nope, sorry, american mouths and stomachs are different and so octupus eating is impossible.

i think every fresh off the boat english teacher should be made to teach their students that "can eat" isn't really the way to question one's food preferences in english. "can you eat octopus/natto/whatever" "sure, i can. but there is no chance in hell i'm going to do so unless i'm damn near dead from starvation"

[Doctor Stop]

They'd do better if they found some fancy euphemism for "octopus balls" like "prairie oysters".

HotLand? Book Off.

[xenomorph42]

I think people can warm up to anything. Better eating Takoyaki than eating a Big Mac.(not saying Bic Mac`s don`t rock, but....)Eating Octopus is not bad at all. What is so gross about it? We should keep it all in perspective, we eat foods in western culture that would make some asians jump off the highest building. We should all give different cuisines a chance.

[amdg]