05-05-2025
London restaurant divides the internet by serving a one-of-a-kind octopus kebab - as people say it should be 'illegal'
A London-based restaurant has caused a storm online with its unusual kebab meat offering.
While most Britons are familiar with a chicken, lamb, or beef kebab, Pescobar in Camden Market is switching up the norm and offering a one-of-a-kind kebab made from octopus.
Much like a Doner kebab, the unusual offering is cooked on a vertical rotisserie before being sliced up and put in a pitta with salad and sauces for £17.50.
The restaurant, which also serves a £17.50 Octopus hot dog, describes the kebab on its website as 'Grilled to perfection, tender, and bursting with flavour. Fit for a seafood king.'
The kebab has sent people on the internet into a frenzy after content creator Olivia, who goes by @oliviaa_ldn and is London-based, shared footage of her tasting the dish.
Olivia seemingly liked the concept and purchased the kebab in a pitta with a side of fries and dip.
However, not everyone appeared to take to the kebab as much as the content creator did.
One took to the comment section, writing, 'Can't imagine what texture an octopus would be having been slowly cooked all day.'
A second added, 'This is so sad, octopus are incredibly intelligent animals and can never be humanly slaughtered or farmed.'
Another referenced a Netflix documentary about a diver encountering an octopus, writing, 'After watching the Octopus Teacher I will never eat one of them again, I'll pass on this one thanks.'
A fourth added, 'In today's episode of 'Food that should be made illegal' we have…Octopus kebab? No, no, no, no and no.'
While the kebab has achieved a viral-like status on TikTok thanks to Olivia's video gaining an impressive five million views, there's another item made famous by the internet that viewers are desperate to try - Dubai chocolate.
Now, British retailer Marks and Spencer's has put their stamp on the trend with the release of its Dubai chocolate-inspired Big Daddy Pistachio bar.
Chocolate lovers have been rushing to the retailer to get their hands on the indulgent dessert and see if it's worth the hype.
The Big Daddy Pistachio is £8.50 and filled with chunky pistachio pieces, a velvety pistachio crème, a light, crunchy biscuit crumb, and a layer of gooey sweet and salty caramel, all coated in creamy milk chocolate.
Traditionally, Dubai chocolate is filled with pistachio cream and kataifi pastry, crispy shredded phyllo dough - inspired by a Middle Eastern dessert called knafeh or kunafa - and does not include caramel.
M&S teased the release on its social pages sending fans into a spin with one commenting: 'I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight'.
'I am SO EXCITED for this,' a second wrote and another said: 'I think we're all going to go nutty over these'.
Since the release, videos have been popping up all over TikTok and Instagram of Brits searching M&S shelves for The Big Daddy Pistachio.
Food blogger Angelina was one of the first to buy the bar and put the taste to the test.
'You can really taste the quality of the pistachio. This is so bad for my health but for my taste buds - no,' she said in a TikTok clip.
'It does not have the knafeh, it's still equally if not better than the Dubai chocolate, this is a solid nine out of ten.'
TikToker Amy couldn't wait for the release and was snacking on the chocolate at 10am claiming: 'They can take my £8.50 any day of the week'.
Popular influencer Aimee known as @ thissinglemamaofficial also shared her thoughts on the 'unreal' sweet treat.
Viewers took to the comment section to share their thoughts on the dish - and many were unimpressed
'The chocolate is yummy, it's quite thick, the caramel with the pistachio has a bit of crunch,' she said.
Reviewer Laura Khoshaba was impressed with the Big Daddy Pistachio bar's 'insane' flavour but likened it more to a Milky Way or Mars Bars rather than Dubai Chocolate.
Those who want to try the Big Daddy Pistachio for themselves are advised to check if it's in stock at their nearest Foodhall on the M&S website because it is not available at all locations. Alternatively, you can buy it online at Ocado.
In recent months, Dubai chocolate has become one of the fastest-selling confectionery products ever at Selfridges, and Waitrose even banned customers from buying more than two Lindt's £10 Dubai Style Chocolate.
It was first created by Dubai-based Sarah Hamouda who created the bar during her pregnancy as a tribute to one of her favourite childhood desserts.
Hamouda and her husband Yezen Alani released Can't Get Knafeh of It, by FIX Chocolatier in the UAE in 2022 for £15.
