Restaurant tried to kill me just now!

Tail Docker · 01-12-2014 09:57PM

I sympathise Witchie, My Missus has developed a nut allergy too, she used to love mine, these days, not so much. I might try hiding them in a mac and cheese and see if she'll go for that. I'll have my epi pen handy too..

mountsky · 01-12-2014 09:57PM

I've noticed time and time again that people are exceptionally ignorant&mostly argumentative on here,nasty enough too with comments

dellas1979 · 01-12-2014 10:00PM

mountsky wrote: »

I've noticed time and time again that people are exceptionally ignorant&mostly argumentative on here,nasty enough too with comments

Your post is full of iron(y).

Molester Stallone II · 01-12-2014 10:02PM

Tail Docker wrote: »

I sympathise Witchie, My Missus has developed a nut allergy too, she used to love mine, these days, not so much. I might try hiding them in a mac and cheese and see if she'll go for that. I'll have my epi pen handy too..

Does your epi pen buzz and vibrate?

BBJBIG · 01-12-2014 10:02PM

R U still Alive then ?

letsgetloud · 01-12-2014 10:03PM

Witchie wrote:

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.

Witchie wrote:

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.

Witchie wrote:

Paid â‚¬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.

Witchie wrote:

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.

Witchie wrote:

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.

Witchie wrote:

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?

Witchie wrote:

If you don't hear from me later I might be in hospital. ï¿¼

the title really should be, I ate food and had a bad reaction.

DeadHand · 01-12-2014 10:06PM

kylith wrote: »

There are definitely nuts in men.

"In" may not be the right word, but I can confirm this is broadly true.

Witchie · 01-12-2014 10:06PM

The title of it should be "who the f puts pesto in mac and cheese" really.

Hal1 · 01-12-2014 10:09PM

Should have played it safe and got a royale with cheese instead.

Molester Stallone II · 01-12-2014 10:11PM

Hal1 wrote: »

Should have played it safe and got a royale with cheese instead.

Or a nice chicken satay

bohsman · 01-12-2014 10:13PM

GG66 wrote: »

We've gone to a friends for dinner and been served coconut in our food. She's known for years about the allergy but forgot Coconut was a nut.

I thought they weren't? A friend of mine is allergic to nuts but eats coconut with no problems.

Donkey Oaty · 01-12-2014 10:15PM

bohsman wrote: »

I thought they weren't? A friend of mine is allergic to nuts but eats coconut with no problems.

It's a drupe, or drupelet.

Handy to know for those games of scrabble over Christmas.

(Actually, just checked and it is not a drupelet, but it is indeed a drupe.)

BelleOfTheBall · 01-12-2014 10:23PM

I hope ur okay!!my daughter has allergies nuts eggs and milk. To b fair Italian Chinese Asian food.a safe pet for us was local fish and chips and mac Donald's because ingredients.are simpler etc. I found any complex food usually processes who have nuts that for flavour.because ur new to this great book by Tanya wright will answer some of ur questions.i found some restaurant v understand another completely refused us on a family day out.went to super mac with kids

.hopefully u might get over clitch that book really opened my eyes pm if u need any ideas on food as alternative

Witchie · 01-12-2014 10:24PM

bohsman wrote: »

I thought they weren't? A friend of mine is allergic to nuts but eats coconut with no problems.

It is not really classified as a nut so most people with nut allergies are fine. I was too for about 2 months then suddenly I was allergic to coconut too. It seemingly is quite rare but hey...am a rare auld wan anyway.

Deenie123 · 01-12-2014 10:34PM

Sorry, but I think people are overly harsh on the OP.

Mac and cheese simply does not have pesto on it. It really annoys me when people mess with what is a fairly bog standard dish, add in allergens and make no mention of the food being, well, not what you ordered.

Example: If I order poached eggs and bacon, I expect poached eggs and bacon. Not poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise sauce all over it. Why? Because that's eggs benedict, not poached eggs and bacon!

Likewise, if I order mac and cheese, I expect macaroni in a cheese sauce. Not macaroni covered in pesto in a cheese sauce. Mac and cheese is taken to mean macaroni in cheese. Simple as. There are regional variations, but I've never heard of pesto in it. Not even wikipedia has! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroni_and_cheese#Regional_variations
A reasonable person would think that mac'n'cheese is as described. A reasonable person selling a different variation would think to mention it when a person orders it.

OP, what type of menu did you order from? Did the menu mention the pesto? Was there a photo of it? Any mention of the pesto? If you relied on the description of the food that they provide, and that description does not match what you were provided with, you may be covered by legislation on selling by description. What you get is supposed to conform to the description from which you ordered it.

If you know there was no mention in advance anywhere of pesto content, go back and take pictures of the menu to show this. Then ask to speak to the manager and request a refund. If they weren't so rude to you I'd be more inclined to say "well, you didn't TELL them about your nut allergy", but to be so dismissive of the fact that you could have died from their food is ridiculous, even from the perspective of covering their own a$$. If you don't get your money back, I'd chase it up with as many agencies as I could!

Tigger · 01-12-2014 10:38PM

https://www.google.ie/search?espv=2&q=mac+and+cheese+pesto&spell=1&sa=X&ei=qN98VNC7JoGM7QbLqYHYBg&ved=0CBsQvwUoAA&biw=1366&bih=679

1,050,000 hits

Deenie123 · 01-12-2014 10:40PM

Tigger wrote: »

https://www.google.ie/search?espv=2&q=mac+and+cheese+pesto&spell=1&sa=X&ei=qN98VNC7JoGM7QbLqYHYBg&ved=0CBsQvwUoAA&biw=1366&bih=679

1,050,000 hits

Mac and cheese and PESTO. It's in the name

No mention of it in "Mac and Cheese"

Witchie · 01-12-2014 10:47PM

Deenie123 wrote: »

Sorry, but I think people are overly harsh on the OP.

Mac and cheese simply does not have pesto on it. It really annoys me when people mess with what is a fairly bog standard dish, add in allergens and make no mention of the food being, well, not what you ordered.

Example: If I order poached eggs and bacon, I expect poached eggs and bacon. Not poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise sauce all over it. Why? Because that's eggs benedict, not poached eggs and bacon!

Likewise, if I order mac and cheese, I expect macaroni in a cheese sauce. Not macaroni covered in pesto in a cheese sauce. Mac and cheese is taken to mean macaroni in cheese. Simple as. There are regional variations, but I've never heard of pesto in it. Not even wikipedia has! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaroni_and_cheese#Regional_variations
A reasonable person would think that mac'n'cheese is as described. A reasonable person selling a different variation would think to mention it when a person orders it.

OP, what type of menu did you order from? Did the menu mention the pesto? Was there a photo of it? Any mention of the pesto? If you relied on the description of the food that they provide, and that description does not match what you were provided with, you may be covered by legislation on selling by description. What you get is supposed to conform to the description from which you ordered it.

If you know there was no mention in advance anywhere of pesto content, go back and take pictures of the menu to show this. Then ask to speak to the manager and request a refund. If they weren't so rude to you I'd be more inclined to say "well, you didn't TELL them about your nut allergy", but to be so dismissive of the fact that you could have died from their food is ridiculous, even from the perspective of covering their own a$$. If you don't get your money back, I'd chase it up with as many agencies as I could!

It was not on the ordinary menu, it was on a specials board in the window about the lunch specials. I asked if it was possible to get it in the evening as a take out and was told no problem.

I don't think I would make a big fuss about it but yeah I will go in and speak to them because they need to be aware of how they label stuff too.

Jawgap · 01-12-2014 10:58PM

You could mention that the EU FIC Regs come into force next week - they deal with provision of allergen info in respect of non-prepacked food

ElizaT33 · 01-12-2014 11:10PM

Don't know why you're all being so hard on the OP??? If you'd a food allergy - you'd understand!

I've a wheat/gluten allergy - it's so annoying when you're in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress looks at you like you've two heads when you ask is a food type safe for you!!

And so many times, because of their ignorance (and they are in the catering trade!!), I've just 'taken the chance' so as not to cause waves - and have been very sick the next day!

Venus In Furs · 01-12-2014 11:24PM

The Peanut wrote: »

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

Love the username.

I think the restaurant should have mentioned it - particularly when it's an unexpected sauce, even if I also think it'd be best for the customer with the allergy to mention it too.

Smidge · 01-12-2014 11:25PM

kylith wrote: »

In fairness to the OP I have never in my life come across man n cheese made with pesto.

I think everyone in AH had their cornflakes pissed in this morning

C'mon guys, pesto...in Mac and Cheese???
I have never heard of that in my life! I think the OP ordered something that never would have nuts in the actual dish ie mac and cheese, so not her fault at all.
It would be like someone ordering a veg curry and there are lumps of lamb in it. A veg curry never has lamb in it. A mac and cheese is generally considered a vegetarian dish.

I'd be worried Witchie that you got a "leftover" plate from lunch (ie plates that were scraped together and not from the same person either :eek:)
Hope you are feeling a bit better now.

Witchie · 01-12-2014 11:33PM

Thanks smidge, yeah feeling better now. Have pains in my tummy but think that is more from the stress of earlier things and then worry and annoyance over this!

Will live this time but will never forget to warn of allergies again.

The last time this kinda thing happened was with olives I got at a food market. Spoke to the owner of the stall for a few mins about my allergies and he assured me I could have some of the mixed olives. Bought them and bit into one thinking it was an olive stuffed with a sliver of garlic....it was a sliver of almond. Again luckily I copped it straight away and spat out, rinsed mouth and took meds and was ok after an hour or so.

As I say, have only had to deal with this since last March where Walnuts were the first trigger, then in May Coconut joined the party and seeds have triggered a minor reaction in the last few months so are on the no-no list now. Its a progressive thing with me and I don't know what is going to be the next trigger. So still learning and realising all the things that I can no longer have. As if life wasn't hard enough in some restaurants ordering veggie meals without mushrooms (can't stand them!)

tara83 · 01-12-2014 11:33PM

Stheno wrote: »

From the very site you linked to:

I'd suspect that the pesto actually contained cashew nuts. Although pesto should contain pine nuts which aren't an allergen as far as I'm aware, the pesto in jars generally contains cashew nuts instead. I found out the hard way

Arbiter of Good Taste · 01-12-2014 11:33PM

ElizaT33 wrote: »

Don't know why you're all being so hard on the OP??? If you'd a food allergy - you'd understand!

I've a wheat/gluten allergy - it's so annoying when you're in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress looks at you like you've two heads when you ask is a food type safe for you!!

And so many times, because of their ignorance (and they are in the catering trade!!), I've just 'taken the chance' so as not to cause waves - and have been very sick the next day!

People are not harsh to the OP because he didn't specify his allergy. People are being harsh because he made the mistake, but still wanted to give the restaurant a negative review online, which, frankly, is pretty mean.

rawn · 01-12-2014 11:35PM

There are 14 allergens that must be declared on all foods, legislation goes into effect in 2 weeks so the restaurant is fully aware of this so they should have more cop on. And for those saying "he should have asked", he is right in thinking that mac and cheese doesn't traditionally contain nuts, nor does it suggest it in the name. The takeaway owners should know better. I'd give the EHO a bell.

Arbiter of Good Taste · 01-12-2014 11:36PM

Venus In Furs wrote: »

Love the username.

I think the restaurant should have mentioned it - particularly when it's an unexpected sauce, even if I also think it'd be best for the customer with the allergy to mention it too.

Or how about the customer taking personal responsibility? My husband has allergies, and we just ask as a matter of course because you would be surprised at the amount of times that odd ingredients make it into dishes. It's much more common than you would think.

Witchie · 01-12-2014 11:37PM

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

People are not harsh to the OP because he didn't specify his allergy. People are being harsh because he made the mistake, but still wanted to give the restaurant a negative review online, which, frankly, is pretty mean.

SHE wanted to give them a negative review coz the food I got was not what I ordered. I ordered Mac and Cheese, not Mac & Pesto and Cheese.

Venus In Furs · 01-12-2014 11:38PM

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

Or how about the customer taking personal responsibility? My husband has allergies, and we just ask as a matter of course because you would be surprised at the amount of times that odd ingredients make it into dishes. It's much more common than you would think.

Yeh I also said the customer should mention it too.

Smidge · 01-12-2014 11:41PM

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

Or how about the customer taking personal responsibility? My husband has allergies, and we just ask as a matter of course because you would be surprised at the amount of times that odd ingredients make it into dishes. It's much more common than you would think.

To be fair though, if I ordered Mac and Cheese I would expect it NOT to have nuts. The same as if I ordered a ham and cheese omelette, I would not expect nuts in that either.
And from hearing what others are saying, even when you do ask sometimes the offending item still seems to find its way in regardless. Wouldn't like to have this happen to me.

Restaurant tried to kill me just now!

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