We Thought They Were Chia Seeds… Then They Started Moving on Our Salad (2 of 2)

We both pushed back our chairs at the same time, the legs scraping loudly against the polished floor. My pulse pounded in my ears. The realization hit hard and fast: these weren’t chia seeds. They were larvae. Insect larvae. Crawling across a salad we had been seconds away from eating.

My mind raced. Had I already swallowed some? Were they in my drink too? I could almost feel phantom crawling in my throat, though I hadn’t touched a bite. My friend covered her mouth with her napkin, fighting back a gag. Around us, laughter and clinking glasses carried on, oblivious, while our table felt like the epicenter of a private nightmare.

I waved the waiter over, my voice low but trembling. When he leaned in, I tilted the plate toward him. His smile faltered, and for a split second, I saw something flicker in his eyes—panic, maybe, or shame. He whisked the salad away without a word, mumbling something about “checking with the kitchen.”

That’s when the paranoia set in. How many other diners were unknowingly crunching through their own “extra protein”? Was this a one-time oversight, or a symptom of something worse behind those swinging kitchen doors? The romantic glow of the restaurant suddenly felt harsh, exposing every flaw, every shadow. I couldn’t unsee it.

Minutes dragged on. No manager came to our table, no apology was offered, no explanation given. Just silence. My friend and I sat there in stunned disbelief until we finally grabbed our coats and left, our appetites ruined.

Out on the sidewalk, the cool night air hit me, but it didn’t wash away the unease. All I could think about was how close we came to taking that first bite. The restaurant had promised a “farm-to-table experience,” but I doubt they meant this.

Since that night, I haven’t looked at a salad the same way. Every fleck of seasoning, every sprinkle of seeds—I double-check, my stomach tightening until I’m sure it’s safe. It’s not paranoia; it’s survival. Because once you’ve stared down a plate of living, writhing larvae, you can never go back to blind trust.

Sometimes, the most beautiful meals hide the darkest secrets. And sometimes, the things you think are healthy… turn out to be crawling right beneath your fork.