Chef Jose Avila serves up a plate of traditional Mexican insects at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Chef Jose Avila cooks Mexican insects at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Chef Jose Avila cooks up traditional Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Chef Jose Avila cooks at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 13: Chef Jose Avila is serving a plate of tradition Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. The meal will cost $50 and come with dishes featuring ants, worms, larvae, grasshoppers and marrow. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Chef Jose Avila serves up a plate of traditional Mexican insects with a modern twist at La Diabla on Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

By AAron Ontiveroz | aontiveroz@denverpost.com | The Denver Post

March 15, 2023 at 7:49 a.m.

Denver chef and owner of Mexican food trendsetter La Diabla Jose Avila is bringing traditional insect-based meals to the city. For $50 patrons can sample a variety of offerings at the nondescript restaurant where Avila has wowed palettes with his famous posole negra and wide variety of tacos. Avila, who hails from Mexico, said that though the menu item may make some squeamish that these delicacies are eaten regularly throughout the central region of his native country.

AAron Ontiveroz | Photographer

AAron Ontiveroz has been a staff photographer at The Denver Post since 2010. Ontiveroz specializes in sports and portraiture.