With so many choices for various kinds of South-of-the-Border cuisine on the scene these days, the competition is hefty. Witness what Del Taco and Taco Bell alone have been doing to bring in foodies, including shells made from Doritos brand tortilla chips and plenty of other gimmicks. Perhaps it's no wonder, then, that one restaurant in Florida decided to offer something really unique: lion meat tacos.
Unfortunately for the purveyors of the lion meat tacos, animal rights activists weren't pleased at all by the choice and — not too surprisingly — an up"roar" began that resulted in the restaurant pulling the tacos from its menu.
The Tampa Bay-based restaurant Taco Fusion served up the lion tacos that one buyer referred to as "good, a little chewy," via CNN's report on Thursday, May 9. Another citizen in the area who CNN talked to said she didn't "like that at all" that the restaurant was indeed serving up lion meat.
One buyer tells CNN that he tried the lion tacos, found them to be good and not nearly as gamey as one would think.
"Customers wanted to try different things," said Brad Barnett, operation manager of Taco Fusion, in defense of the choice to serve the rather exotic but also controversial lion tacos. "They want to eat different foods and whatnot."
Taco Fusion only recently opened up in Tampa Bay, in February 2013, but already is known for serving tacos with such unique meats as beaver, otter and camel.
"But it wasn't until they started to serve lion tacos that they got people around town to start talking," CNN reports.
Barnett says that the animals Taco Fusion uses as meat in its tacos are bred in the U.S. and are bred for "human consumption only."
Whether you're all right with Taco Fusion serving up lion tacos or not, they don't come cheap. The lion tacos cost $35, but one customer said that it may be worth the price to try something that veers from the traditional chicken, pork or beef taco menu most of us are used to.
But not everyone agrees that lion tacos are worth any price at all and supports that they be pulled from the restaurant's menu.
"There's a human health care concern, there's obviously an animal welfare concern, and there's a bigger picture: Where do we as a society draw the line," Jeff Kremer of Big Cat Rescue says in the CNN report.
"If you don't like it, don't eat it," Barnett says.
Taco Fusion has now pulled the lion tacos from its menu, however, and released a statement: "Some of you were supportive, some of you were angry. We listened to everyone and decided to no longer carry lion."
What do you think about lion tacos? Sound yummy or something that would lead you into a picket line? Let your roar be heard in our comments below!
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