PHOENIX — Looking to grab a bite...that has some bite? Head on up to Rustler's Rooste in Phoenix to try your hand at some rowdy rattlesnake!
Watch the video above to see how Rustler's Rooste cooks their most popular appetizer!
So where does this authentic western diamondback rattlesnake come from? Head Chef Frank Gonzalez said the reptiles are sent to the restaurant after professional roundups are done twice a year in Texas and Oklahoma. The snakes are swooped up when they are denning, a hibernation tactic which basically means a slithering ball of rattlesnakes, and their carcasses are shipped to Phoenix. Chef Frank serves the meat with the vertebrae as proof that you are eating what just came off the bone. The meat is marinated in salad oil and limes. It is then breaded, deep-fried and served with a side of fried cactus or nopaltios. The crew at Rustler's Rooste affectionally calls this appetizer their "darlings of the desert." What is more Arizonan than a plate of rattlesnake and cactus? When you are done devouring their most popular appetizer, head over to the gift shop to pick up a t-shirt so you can proudly boast about your accomplishment!
SPOILER ALERT: it tastes like chicken but has the consistency of calamari!
Like what you see? Here's the rest of Rustler's Rooste's menu!
