Strange restaurants? Here's a menu of 10 of them

Going to an out-of-town restaurant on Valentine's Day?

The website Tripadvisor last year posted a story called "10 of the weirdest restaurants in the world."

Feb. 14 of course being a food-oriented holiday, the list has recently found new live on a variety of sites, including EatOut.

Here's the list.

1. Modern Toilet Restaurant, Taipei City, Taiwan. Seating is on porcelain thrones; serving dishes apparently are miniature toilets.

2. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya. This is at a giraffe-themed B&B; the dining room windows are open so the residents outside can peak in.

3. A street vendor in Pitsanalok, Thailand, who flings your order up in the air for you to catch.

4. Sky Dining SA, a chain said to be operating in more than 30 countries; dining chambers are apparently attached to  tall cranes and apparently pulled aloft.

5. Disaster Cafe, in Lloret de Mar, Spain. The entertainment? A fake, plate-shaking  7.8 earthquake during your meal.

6. Eenmaal, Amsterdam. The pop-up restaurant only has tables-for-one.

7. The Stinking Rose, San Francisco. Everything from appetizers to desserts is heavy with garlic.

8. The Safe House, Milwaukee. The gimmick at this long-established bar is getting in:  After walking down an alley, the person at the door asks for the password. Since you don't know it, you are required to sing a song not of your choosing, or do something stupid with a hula hoop.

9. Kayabukiya Tavern, exurban Tokyo. The wait staff includes two monkeys.

10. The Clink, Cardiff, Wales. It's in a prison and serves as a training facility so those paroled can find employment at nice restaurants.

The photo at the top of this post? It's from the "I Travel With the Observer" archives and shows readers Ron and Donna Jean Deshaies at Giraffe Manor in 2006.

I personally have only been to one of the places on the list -- The Safe House, in my hometown.

That was years ago, so I called some old friends back in Sudsville and learned the son of one had been there recently.

The young guy -- we'll just use his Facebook alias of Henry Winklehymer -- said the person at the door made him do the "I'm a Little Tea Cup" song and dance.

Henry said he hadn't done that since he was a 5-year-old, and had to follow the door monitor's prompts.

And of course, it's all being videotaped and shown live to the patrons inside. Once in the door, Henry was greeted with hoots and howls.

Ordinarily, people in Wisconsin only guffaw like that when the Chicago Bears are on TV.