Restaurant tried to kill me just now!

Witchie · 01-12-2014 08:48PM #1

Had a bad day so decided to get myself some takeout from the local Italian restaurant. They had Macaroni Cheese advertised in the window as part of their lunch menu so I decided to ask if they did it in the evening as take away. Was told that was no problem so ordered it as it is my go to comfort food.

Paid €8.50 for a smallish tray of it and headed home. Opened it and saw lovely melted cheese on top and what I thought was a kinda tomato sauce. Thought that was strange but as was starving took a forkful and proceeded to chew.

Luckily, just before I swallowed I copped it was pesto through it, not a normal tomato sauce. Big deal you may say. I have a nut allergy that includes pine nuts which are used in pesto.

Never in my life have I seen a Mac and cheese with pesto in it. Luckily am not in a full blown attack coz managed to spit it out and rinse my mouth quickly but my lips are swollen, my heart is racing and I am shaking.

Rang the restaurant to clarify and ask why their was pesto in the mac and cheese and the server who answered the phone barely spoke to me. When I asked to talk to the chef he said "she is too busy" I hung up furious.

Have you almost been killed by food before? Should I do something like a bad review online? I am just in shock here. Do you usually put pesto in your mac and cheese?

If you don't hear from me later I might be in hospital. :mad:

Mikros · 01-12-2014 08:53PM

If I had a food allergy that severe I'd probably be casually mentioning to the waiter/server every time I ordered - just in case. Maybe that's just me though...

Cookie_Monster · 01-12-2014 08:54PM

? how is it their fault you didn't check?

Stheno · 01-12-2014 08:54PM

Mikros wrote: »

If I had a food allergy that severe I'd probably be casually mentioning to the waiter/server every time I ordered - just in case. Maybe that's just me though...

Me too

cloud493 · 01-12-2014 08:55PM

Did the menu mention anything about allergies in food and stuff?

iMac_Hunt · 01-12-2014 08:56PM

Mikros wrote: »

If I had a food allergy that severe I'd probably be casually mentioning to the waiter/server every time I ordered - just in case. Maybe that's just me though...

I didn't want to be the one to say it so I just thanked you for saying it!

YouTookMyName · 01-12-2014 08:56PM

Where you living? I'm staved and would polish off that mac & cheese no bother.

ColeTrain · 01-12-2014 08:57PM

If you have a condition that serious, you shouldn't just presume something doesn't have nuts when you're eating out!

The Moldy Gowl · 01-12-2014 08:57PM

So your ignorance is their fault ?

dee_mc · 01-12-2014 08:57PM

I wonder if you'd ordered from a written menu would there have been a 'contains nuts' icon?
If I had a nut allergy I'd mention it as a matter of course when ordering over the phone without a menu for guidance, but that's just me.

My name is URL · 01-12-2014 08:58PM

Mac & Cheese will kill you anyway... just more slowly

The Moldy Gowl · 01-12-2014 08:58PM

I despise vegatables. If I'm ordering food like a curry I ask for no veg. Do I get mad when they include it?

dmc17 · 01-12-2014 08:59PM

Witchie wrote: »

If you don't hear from me later I might be in hospital. :mad:

If you don't hear from me later, I might be in bed!

Witchie · 01-12-2014 08:59PM

Mikros wrote: »

If I had a food allergy that severe I'd probably be casually mentioning to the waiter/server every time I ordered - just in case. Maybe that's just me though...

This allergy has just developed in the past few months out of nowhere and I am still getting used to doing that. I usually do, in fact I always do and not casually! I always list what am allergic to and get them to check and check again.

I think I was a bit distracted being upsetting news I had today and just never in a million years thought that there would be pesto or any kinda nuts in mac and cheese!

I know it is a bit my fault, my allergies my responsibility, but I think am more in shock that anyone would put pesto in mac and cheese than anything else!

nibtrix · 01-12-2014 08:59PM

It is strange that they used pesto in Mac and cheese, but if you have such a serious nut allergy do you not check to make sure when buying food in a restaurant? Some places do their own twist on "classic" recipes all the time.

With regard to the person on the phone, that was poor form but what were you expecting the chef to tell you? I'm sure they put pesto in the Mac and cheese because they thought it would taste nice. You should phone again, ask to speak to the manager, tell them that they should warn people when including nuts in a recipe that wouldn't normally have nuts, and then forget about it.

Stheno · 01-12-2014 09:00PM

Witchie wrote: »

This allergy has just developed in the past few months out of nowhere and I am still getting used to doing that. I usually do, in fact I always do and not casually! I always list what am allergic to and get them to check and check again.

I think I was a bit distracted being upsetting news I had today and just never in a million years thought that there would be pesto or any kinda nuts in mac and cheese!

I know it is a bit my fault, my allergies my responsibility, but I think am more in shock that anyone would put pesto in mac and cheese than anything else!

Do you have one of those allergy pens that you can use to lessen an attack?

DoozerT6 · 01-12-2014 09:00PM

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

I despise vegatables. If I'm ordering food like a curry I ask for no veg. Do I get mad when they include it?

Not QUITE the same thing........

The Peanut · 01-12-2014 09:01PM

My brother has a nut allergy. He never gets takeaway as there is no guaranteed that cooking utensils are not used for common dishes.

The Moldy Gowl · 01-12-2014 09:01PM

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Not QUITE the same thing........

Vegatables are poisonous to me

DeadHand · 01-12-2014 09:01PM

Misleading thread title.

Should be: "I almost got myself killed just now!".

Jawgap · 01-12-2014 09:01PM

You should've mentioned it when ordering. Even if there wasn't nuts in the dish residues can be transferred through knives, chopping boards etc and the restaurant could've advised you.

DoozerT6 · 01-12-2014 09:03PM

Gowlasauras Rex wrote: »

Vegatables are poisonous to me

Will they send you into anaphylactic shock and potentially kill you??

Witchie · 01-12-2014 09:03PM

nibtrix wrote: »

It is strange that they used pesto in Mac and cheese, but if you have such a serious nut allergy do you not check to make sure when buying food in a restaurant? Some places do their own twist on "classic" recipes all the time.

With regard to the person on the phone, that was poor form but what were you expecting the chef to tell you? I'm sure they put pesto in the Mac and cheese because they thought it would taste nice. You should phone again, ask to speak to the manager, tell them that they should warn people when including nuts in a recipe that wouldn't normally have nuts, and then forget about it.

I wanted to check with the chef that it was indeed a full on pesto with pine nuts so that I could know how my evening was going to pan out but as my lips are swollen, whatever was in it, I am allergic anyway. Thankfully I have like a slow motion version of anaphylaxis known as agiodema so I have time to get myself sorted.

I do always check but this one time that I took my eye off the ball........ agggh! Angry at myself.

Summer wind · 01-12-2014 09:04PM

Maybe you should see your doctor and get some antihistamine tablets. I know they are good for allergic reactions. Or maybe if your allergy is that bad you could get an epi-pen. You never know when you may need it.

KERSPLAT! · 01-12-2014 09:05PM

Why would you write a bad review or even complain!? It's your responsibility to check.

Now if you asked for no pesto and still got it, then I'd be complaining and writing bad reviews, before I kicked the bucket, but I would lay zero blame on the restaurant here

percy212 · 01-12-2014 09:05PM

Bit of a fright alright OP. Just shows you can never be too careful when you have a serious allergy. The main thing is you are ok! If you are in any doubt at all go to your local emergency room. Be well.

The Moldy Gowl · 01-12-2014 09:07PM

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Will they send you into anaphylactic shock and potentially kill you??

One pea will send me into the bog for 4 days

dee_mc · 01-12-2014 09:09PM

I love how OP has quickly gone from 'they tried to kill me!!!!! how very dare they not anticipate that I have an allergy!!!!' to 'I'm angry at myself' based on the replies to this thread

suicide_circus · 01-12-2014 09:09PM

You should sue them

FOR 100 BILLION DOLLARS

Witchie · 01-12-2014 09:11PM

Stheno wrote: »

Do you have one of those allergy pens that you can use to lessen an attack?

Summer wind wrote: »

Maybe you should see your doctor and get some antihistamine tablets. I know they are good for allergic reactions. Or maybe if your allergy is that bad you could get an epi-pen. You never know when you may need it.

I have a pen but if I need to use it I need to call an ambulance. I have taken my antihistamines and hopefully that will be enough since I didn't swallow any of it.

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Why would you write a bad review or even complain!? It's your responsibility to check.

Now if you asked for no pesto and still got it, then I'd be complaining and writing bad reviews, before I kicked the bucket, but I would lay zero blame on the restaurant here

Coz mac and cheese shouldn't have pesto in it! My complaint would be that it is sh*te food.

My nearest emergency room is 45 mins away and if I get worse it will be a journey taken by ambulance, but I think I will be ok now. Just annoyed at myself more than anything.

gnag · 01-12-2014 09:11PM

You'll be glad to know that there are new regulations coming in to force in the next few weeks which means ANY ingredient that is considered an allergen must be listed on the product. So this will be a lot less likely to happen to you in the future.

Restaurant tried to kill me just now!

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