Balut among world's 100 worst rated dishes: Taste Atlas

By Hoang Phong February 7, 2023 | 06:47 pm PT

Duck eggs served with tamarind and chili sauce. Photo by Bui Thuy

International cuisine magazine Taste Atlas has listed trung vit lon, or duck eggs with embryos inside, among the world's 100 worst rated dishes in 2023, calling it "a popular, although unusual delicacy."

The dish only got 2.8 points out of five based on reviews of millions of travelers, experts and chefs.

Internationally known by its Filipino name balut, the dish has gradually become a popular street food in Southeast Asian countries where it is served everywhere from street stalls to upscale restaurants.

In Vietnam, people hold a long-standing belief that eating trung vit lon can help to get rid of bad luck.

Duck egg embryos can be seasoned with chili, garlic, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, ground pepper, and the pungent Vietnamese coriander rau ram.

A boiled duck egg with embryos insides costs from VND8,000-10,000 ($0.33-0.42).

One fetal duck egg provides 182 calories,13.6 grams of protein, 12.4 grams of lipid, 82 milligrams of calcium, 212 grams of phosphor and 600 milligrams of cholesterol, studies have found. It also provides high amounts of beta carotene, vitamins and iron.

Rybí polévka (fish soup) in the Czech Republic was the world’s worst rated dish.