SpongeBob cried—mainlanders love eating "fried Patrick Star" drizzled with sauce

▲Fried starfish that look like they’re dancing.

Text and photos by Nine-Five Nasty Wife

SpongeBob’s best friend is the starfish Patrick Star, who has pink skin and often does surprising things. This sea creature, with its unique appearance, is often a favorite subject for beachgoers to photograph. But recently, during a trip to Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, Nine-Five Nasty Wife actually spotted strings of"fried Patrick Stars"！

Depending on their size, a string of fried starfish costs about 30–40 RMB (approximately 150–200 TWD). Among a row of Patrick Stars that look like they’re "dancing," Nine-Five Nasty Wife picked her favorite, and the chef then fried and chopped them before serving them drizzled with sauce.

▲Fried and drizzled with sauce, it becomes a dish of starfish.

Starfish have hard shells, and the main edible part is the arms. So in the bowl, you can see five or six slender triangular arms, each covered with numerous tiny protruding tube feet. The shopkeeper reminded us that the starfish shell is hard and tasteless, so the focus is on the meat inside.

By prying open the hard arms, you can see the dark green starfish meat. Scoop some up and drizzle it with a specially prepared sauce that includes garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. Once it’s in your mouth, the first thing you notice is a faint seafood smell, similar to crab roe but with a slightly coarser, fibrous texture. It slides down your throat without much chewing, leaving a uniquely "unforgettable" aftertaste.

▲Split the starfish arm in half to reveal the dark green meat inside.

If we really must comment,the first challenge in eating starfish meat is overcoming the psychological barrier, and because the flavor is strong and slightly fishy, you need the sauce to cut through the greasiness; if you’re in a group of four or five, it’s recommended to share one starfish just to try something new and take photos to brag, "I’ve eaten a starfish!" You can always order more if you like it.

In mainland China, many coastal shops serve starfish as a special ingredient, frying them crispy as a snack. They’re commonly seen at stalls selling exotic treats like fried scorpions and fried crickets. In Guangdong, people also like to stew starfish in soup for nourishment, though many locals still hesitate to try it. For the daring and adventurous, maybe next time you can give this "fried Patrick Star" a try！