ATLANTA – Food options at sporting arenas have evolved past hot dogs and nachos. This year, Philips Arena in Atlanta will offer a cricket taco, Sports Illustrated reports.
The home of the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA is undergoing at $192.5 million renovation, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. One feature of the renovated basketball arena is new amenities. The arena brought in Joe Schafer as executive chef to improve food, dining and hospitality at the arena, an AJC report says.
"We're trying to make the experience more about the food than it has been," Schafer said in the AJC report. "It costs a lot of money to go to games. We want to make the experience worth it."
A new food option Schafer added is crickets.
The crickets are served as a taco and are seasoned with a blend of cumin, coriander and chili powder and garnished with onion, cilantro and lime. Three tacos will set you back $12.
People tried the tacos and described them as: "savory like sunflower seeds and crispy like chips," WGCL TV reports.
According to WGCL, Aspire Food Group grows the crickets in Austin, Texas. The company says crickets are healthy, high in protein and an ecologically sustainable food.
The arena will also sell pre-packaged Texas BBQ and Sweet and Spicy Cajun crickets.