Bugs Are the Star of the Menu at La Diabla Right Now

"To me, they taste like rain," says chef Jose Avila of the chicatanas, or flying ants, in the salsa used for one of the Festival de Bichos dishes he's serving through February 11 at La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal, 2233 Larimer Street.

Last year, Avila posted a photo of a dish that's been on the menu at La Diabla since it opened in 2021, a taco with chapulines — grasshoppers. The insect is a popular snack in Mexico and a common sight at markets, but some commenters took issue with the dish. "Restaurants used to get shut down over infestations. Laziness and uncleanliness led us here. But hell let's pretend it's part of the menu...and people will pay money," one clearly uninformed person wrote.

"Stop trying to make bugs happen. I refuse to eat bugs. I want steak!" said another.
But as Avila notes, he's not trying to make bugs trendy. "My homies, the Aztecs, they started that trend," he jokes. "There were a lot of comments that were really naive, misinformed. ... People went fricking nuts. So I was like, all right. I'll do a festival about it."

The first Festival de Bichos was a hit. "It was insane," Avila says. "We did it only for four days, and by the fourth day, we sold out." So this year, he's going even bigger, with seven items available for a full week. Diners can order the specials à la carte for $15 each or opt for a complete platter for $75.

Getting the bugs to La Diabla wasn't easy. "We go to Mexico with duffel bags — it's a lot of battles and a lot of money with customs, basically," Avila says. "But it was something I was determined to do. I need to make this happen because it's the origin of Mexican food, and to me, that is super important to showcase."
It's also an opportunity to "get out of my comfort zone and do something different and, in a very humble way, educate people," Avila adds.

While some of the bugs on the menu, like the red worms on the mushroom soup, may look intimidating, they're dried and just add a bit of texture. Even the whole scorpion, which is covered in chocolate and served on top of avocado ice cream, is more of a fun treat than a Fear Factor experience.

The small flying ants and the flying ant larvae used in a yellow mole dish have the most noticeable flavor of all the bugs on the menu — an earthy note unlike any other.

Bugs or not, this is just damn delicious food, and it's a great opportunity to get a taste of Avila's skills, creativity and passion. So dig in while you can: The stinkbug green salsa is waiting.

La Diabla is located at 2233 Larimer Street and is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit ladiabladenver.com.