Dang, i gotta warn that this one is going to be a little cruel. It has become a trend in Thailand lately. Some love it but some against it. I'm in between as I think food is food anyways. If you're a little curious what's going on here, let's dive in!
What's a squid shot?
Just like its name, it's a squid comes in a shot but wait, there's more to it.. In Thailand, when we eat seafood, we have this specific sauce called, ahem!, 'seafood sauce'. A great combination of chili, lime, garlic, fish sauce, and maybe some secret ingredients each shop has.
The squid shot is actually a shot (half full) of seafood sauce, then put an alive squid in that shot. Because of how spicy an intense the flavor of the sauce, the squid reacts. It suck the sauce in and that's the cruel part and also the charm of the menu. Not sure which side are you on. I'm kind of in between. I think it's cruel but at the same time, it's also food.. people eat it anyways, raw or not.
The flavors got sucked into the squid so when you eat it, you get that natural sweetness, soft yet a little crunch texture of the squid, with a good amount of seafood sauce giving all the flavors pour into the mouth when the squid is bitten. Not to mention the squid ink that came out.
How it works?
There are more and more squid shot places popping out every now and then here and there. Most of them, you just need to pick out the squid you'd like as they have a few kinds with a few different sizes with different prices. This little one I have here cost 250THB! I think it's a little pricey but don't mind supporting a small business, really. (My uncle paid for it #LOL!)
Once you have picked your right squid, they drop it in a shot of seafood sauce and just automatically, the squid suck in the sauce and shoot out the ink. Make it a perfect squid shot. Yum!
My honest thoughts
I honestly think it's somewhat scary and cruel but also it's such an innovative dish that I suggest you try it out once just to feel it out yourself. I would probably try it again if the time is right and I feel like it.
Another way of having this delicious dish is squid sashimi. You can have them cut and laid on the plate and dip in seafood sauce on the side instead of eating it alive like I just did. Same level of deliciousness I'm sure!