Ever wonder how much it costs to have fresh iguana steaks shipped overland to your favorite exotic-foods restaurant? Probably not, and we couldn't find out, anyway. But here are some interesting price breakdowns for the fiscally minded carnivores out there.
16 oz. strip sirloin @ Bern's Steakhouse, Tampa: $59.62
Four 4-oz. Quarter Pounders @ McDonald's: $8.76
One whole beef cow: $819
16 oz. beef (if you buy the whole cow): $1.09 (calculation based on 750 edible pounds of beef on cow)
9 oz. bison filet @ Mystic Fish Seafood Grill & Bar, Palm Harbor: $23.50 (includes vegetable medley and potato of the day or rice)
One buffalo wing @ Beef O'Brady's (Happy Hour, "4-7 p.m., Mon.-Sat.): 35 cents
2,416 oz. buffalo meat (151 lbs.) @ BuffaloGal.com: $878 (plus $99 shipping)
One Sabrett's natural-casing hot dog @ various cart vendors: $1.25
One classic New York-style hot dog cart (All-American Hot Dog Company): $1,999
Approx. 7 oz. grilled frog legs @ Linger Lodge, Sarasota: $5.95
Approx. market value of the rest of the frog: $0
One order fried alligator tai1 @ Skipper's Smokehouse, Tampa: $5.99
One third-degree felony fine for alligator poaching: $5,000
18 oz. sushi-grade yellowfin "Ahi" tuna steak @ Iseafood.com: $19.95
Three 6-oz. cans Chicken of the Sea solid white albacore tuna @ Albertson's: $4.47
And finally, here's a list of prices per pound for some of the strangest dead things Americans regularly put into their mouths, courtesy of Portland, Ore.'s Tsunami Seafood and Exotic Meats (www.tsunamiseafood.com):
Ostrich (ground) — $8.99
Ostrich (filet) — $27.99
Kangaroo medallions — $21.99
Rattlesnake — $44.99
Farm-raised snapping turtle — $24.99
Wild boar bratwursts — $12.99
—Scott Harrell
This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2004.