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Restaurant tried to kill me just now!

Witchie

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:

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Unlucky OP but I wouldn't blame the restaurant. My allergies seem similar enough to your (late onset, still developing) and similar enough things and pesto has caught me a couple of times hiding under stuff... Just get into a better routine of mentioning it in places I'd say.

LenaClaire

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

Sensible restaurants should have a disclaimer along the lines of "our dishes may contain nuts, please ask before ordering to help us avoid killing you"

Mac and cheese is an american invention, probably by some industrial sh1t merchant like kraft. Probably thought that by lobbing a bit of pesto at it they were Italian-ising it.

Was it advertised as mac and cheese or something else? No description on the menu? Seems odd.

According to wikipedia, mac and cheese came to America from France and it has been an accepted recipe in Europe since the 1400s. We can't blame all crap food on America

danrua01

LenaClaire wrote: »

According to wikipedia, mac and cheese came to America from France and it has been an accepted recipe in Europe since the 1400s. We can't blame all crap food on America

Ah we can! Doesn't it say on Wiki that it was first made with some lovely Parmesan cheese, then them Yanks threw their cheddar all over it!

Not that cheddar isn't nice, mind. Especially melted and all. But Parmesan is god.

RonanP77

I'm still not entirely sure what Mac and Cheese is, I just know Americans seem to like it.

It's a +1 for me though on never assuming your food won't contain nuts. I love Cashews and always bung them into dishes you probably wouldn't expect to find them in.

DarkyHughes

Karpackie wrote: »

See also: pizza, cheese on toast, cheese chips, garlic and cheese chips, baked potato with melted cheese, fondue.

Also: Chicken Balls, Christmas Turkey, Lobster, Steak.

Magico Gonzalez

danrua01 wrote: »

Ah we can! Doesn't it say on Wiki that it was first made with some lovely Parmesan cheese, then them Yanks threw their cheddar all over it!

Not that cheddar isn't nice, mind. Especially melted and all. But Parmesan is god.

Cheddar is lovely, the "cheese" that get served up in the american b4st4rdisation of the dish is barely recognisable gloop.

Poor cheddar, a much abused term. It's lovely cheese if you ever try the real mccoy from Cheddar (not the irish version either, a less poor imitation, but am lesser immitation all the same), somehow now the town's name has been appropriated to mean industrial sh1t-cheese.

darkpagandeath

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

Cheddar is lovely, the "cheese" that get served up in the american b4st4rdisation of the dish is barely recognisable gloop.

Poor cheddar, a much abused term. It's lovely cheese if you ever try the real mccoy from Cheddar (not the irish version either, a less poor imitation, but am lesser immitation all the same), somehow now the town's name has been appropriated to mean industrial sh1t-cheese.

But but what about gourmet cheese in a spray can.... :pac:

Overflow

Barely There wrote: »

There's no such thing as food allergies.
It's just picky eaters who are trying to medicalise their condition in an effort to win sympathy.

Don't fall for it.

Obvious troll is obvious.

danrua01

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

Cheddar is lovely, the "cheese" that get served up in the american b4st4rdisation of the dish is barely recognisable gloop.

Poor cheddar, a much abused term. It's lovely cheese if you ever try the real mccoy from Cheddar (not the irish version either, a less poor imitation, but am lesser immitation all the same), somehow now the town's name has been appropriated to mean industrial sh1t-cheese.

Take me to this place.

[Deleted User]

Its nearly a year to the day that poor girl died on O'Connell street after eating the saute instead of curry sauce. Such a sad story.

darkpagandeath

Deleted User wrote: »

Its nearly a year to the day that poor girl died on O'Connell street after eating the saute instead of curry sauce. Such a sad story.

yes it is very sad, equally so as carrying medication could have changed the outcome.

Irish Guitarist

I almost broke my teeth when eating a packet of Bombay mix once. I put a handful in my mouth and bit down on something hard. I pulled whatever I had just bitten out of my mouth and saw that it was a a stone. I don't mean a stone from some type of fruit, but the type of stone you would find on the ground.

[Deleted User]

I like to take a Darwinian approach on this; if something as small and innocuous as a nut can kill you, you deserve to die.

cournioni

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.

I bet you and your brother don't hang around together much so...

MadsL

Deenie123 wrote: »

Wow, how condescending. I've had people tell me I'm probably not actually lactose intolerant, or just go ahead and lace my food with it after being specifically told to omit dairy because I can't toleratd it. Not because they know something I don't know, rather, because they just reckon I'm making it up. Check your attitude, if people are being THAT fussy it's probably for a reason.

Hmm. Interesting that you choose to respond with information about an intolerance that actually exists rather than one that doesn't. Pointing out the science isn't condescending, it's science or objective evidence based truth.

Tell me about how your gluten intolerance was actually diagnosed, I've been tested for celiac disease genetic markers via stool sample, and the test came back negative. You on the other hand don't appear to have had that test done as you claim to have a "gluten intolerance" rather than an actual real disease.

Witchie

percy212 wrote: »

Hope you are ok today OP. After Hours is a great place to let off a bit of steam when you are frustrated. As you can see some of the posters are not very sympathetic though....its just that kind of forum. Indeed many of the posts could be labelled "contains stupid"

Rubberchikken wrote: »

odd to put pesto in a mac and cheese. but if you have an allergy like that you would probably be better off double checking, especially in new places.
hope you're not in hospital:)

Thanks, no am ok, had a pretty sleepless night as my asthma started to play up a little and my eyes are a bit swollen and itchy too but am not too bad. When knew I wasn't in real danger, didn't want to bother going to hospital as my options were to call an ambulance and waste that resource or drive myself and have done that before and its not much fun when you are feeling crap.

Just taking it easy today but will be fine. Big lesson learned.

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

Sensible restaurants should have a disclaimer along the lines of "our dishes may contain nuts, please ask before ordering to help us avoid killing you"

Mac and cheese is an american invention, probably by some industrial sh1t merchant like kraft. Probably thought that by lobbing a bit of pesto at it they were Italian-ising it.

Was it advertised as mac and cheese or something else? No description on the menu? Seems odd.

No it just said on a menu board "Macaroni and Cheese". I had actually been heading to the chipper next door when saw it and thought since it is my favourite comfort food that it would be a nice option considering the day I had had.

I have eaten in this restaurant many times before and they are usually good and you get what you are told you are getting not some extras thrown in for bad measure!

maniac2000 wrote: »

You might want to dig a little deeper on your condition because angioedema is not a slow-motion version of anaphalaxis but the bodys reaction to this allergen. Angioedema is swelling of the skin and underlying tissue and is a result of an anaphalaxis reaction!

also angioedema generally has a rapid onset which can be quite serious/life threatening around the neck and face (for obv reasons)

I do realise that it can be fast but what I meant is mine is slowish. I will almost immediately get swollen lips and itchy but the throat swelling etc seems to take its time. The last few full blown attacks have developed into the emergency situation over several hours but have the first indications within minutes.

As an asthmatic, as soon as my breathing feels in trouble I am on the move to the doc/hospital as have nearly died from asthma before and won't take a risk any more.

Last night I was a bit wheezy but knew had it under control and could actually breath unrestricted.

Plazaman

A waiter stabbed me with a fork so check and mate on your restaurant killing theory.

He was clearing a table near me and part of the service for one particular dish is they give a large fork for carving the dish. Walking by my table he spun around and the fork flew off the top of pile of dishes and into my leg. Punctured the skin and drew blood.

I would have let it go as it was an obvious accident but his couldn't care less and dismissive attitude enraged me.

Cathy.C

This time last year a young Dublin girl was killed in Jimmy Chung's as she unfortunately assumed one of their curry sauces was safe to eat.

Always best to ask, even if just to avoid your food being prepared on the same surface, or with the same utensils, as nut containing dishes have been.

independent.ie/irish-news/mothers-agony-as-teenage-girl-dies-from-peanut-allergy-on-city-street-29854519.html

Smidge

Plazaman wrote: »

A waiter stabbed me with a fork so check and mate on your restaurant killing theory.

He was clearing a table near me and part of the service for one particular dish is they give a large fork for carving the dish. Walking by my table he spun around and the fork flew off the top of pile of dishes and into my leg. Punctured the skin and drew blood.

I would have let it go as it was an obvious accident but his couldn't care less and dismissive attitude enraged me.

Sorry but

:D:D

rubadub

Cathy.C wrote: »

This time last year a young Dublin girl was killed in Jimmy Chung's as she unfortunately assumed one of their curry sauces was safe to eat.

Just to be clear there, she ate a satay sauce which was clearly marked as having nuts on it. There is no way in hell I would go to a buffet if I had a nut allergy, ladels are often mixed around.

If I did have a nut allergy I would make bloody sure to find out what prodcuts labelled as "nuts" I am allergic to.

I know several people who have supposedly had nut allergies all their life but look at you blankly if you ask if they can eat any type of "nut". I put nut in quotes since most foods commonly called nuts are seeds, legumes etc. A pine nut is a seed. Seems some people think they are allergic to the word "nut" being in a food item.

Oats can also be referred to as seeds, if they had been called oat nuts you would have loads of people claiming to be allergic to porridge etc.

Cyber Ghost

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.

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:

Cool story bro

Deenie123

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

Sensible restaurants should have a disclaimer along the lines of "our dishes may contain nuts, please ask before ordering to help us avoid killing you"

Mac and cheese is an american invention, probably by some industrial sh1t merchant like kraft. Probably thought that by lobbing a bit of pesto at it they were Italian-ising it.

Was it advertised as mac and cheese or something else? No description on the menu? Seems odd.

Kraft do lovely mac and cheese, as in, lovely comfort crap. Makes me sick every time but sometimes it's worth getting sick for

MadsL wrote: »

Hmm. Interesting that you choose to respond with information about an intolerance that actually exists rather than one that doesn't. Pointing out the science isn't condescending, it's science or objective evidence based truth.

Tell me about how your gluten intolerance was actually diagnosed, I've been tested for celiac disease genetic markers via stool sample, and the test came back negative. You on the other hand don't appear to have had that test done as you claim to have a "gluten intolerance" rather than an actual real disease.

See, people can be intolerant to all sorts of foods. Ranging from mild indigestion to full on gastro-hell. Gluten intolerance exists. I by no means think that everyone who claims to have a specific food intolerance has one, but it's way, way out of line to presume that they don't. Yes, people can be intolerant to gluten. It's actually quite difficult to digest.

[Deleted User]

I notice that you mentioned a restaurant serving you coconut when you told them you were allergic to nuts.

There is absolutely zero link between nuts and coconuts, aside from the name, if you are allergic to coconut you need to make that clear as a separate issue. The restaurant were not at fault for serving you coconut after you told them you were allergic to nuts.

OP I suggest that you get a list of items you're allergic to and ask individually about each item when you're eating out as it doesn't sound like you have a just a nut allergy.

But yeh, mac and cheese should not have pesto!

Witchie

Deleted User wrote: »

I notice that you mentioned a restaurant serving you coconut when you told them you were allergic to nuts.

There is absolutely zero link between nuts and coconuts, aside from the name, if you are allergic to coconut you need to make that clear as a separate issue. The restaurant were not at fault for serving you coconut after you told them you were allergic to nuts.

OP I suggest that you get a list of items you're allergic to and ask individually about each item when you're eating out as it doesn't sound like you have a just a nut allergy.

But yeh, mac and cheese should not have pesto!

I am allergic to coconut and had made that very clear to them too. I told them I was allergic to all nuts and coconut. They still gave me a panacotta (despite being told I was vegetarian also!) with coconut in it.

If I am going somewhere for dinner and it is planned, I always ring the restaurant ahead of time, explain am veggie and allergic to nuts, coconuts and seeds and then when I arrive, I explain to server again. This was what I did in the restaurant in Sligo and again when they were serving dessert.

[Deleted User]

Witchie wrote: »

I am allergic to coconut and had made that very clear to them too. I told them I was allergic to all nuts and coconut. They still gave me a panacotta (despite being told I was vegetarian also!) with coconut in it.

If I am going somewhere for dinner and it is planned, I always ring the restaurant ahead of time, explain am veggie and allergic to nuts, coconuts and seeds and then when I arrive, I explain to server again. This was what I did in the restaurant in Sligo and again when they were serving dessert.

Fair enough, I must have have picked your post up wrong earlier, apologies.

moc moc a moc

Dan_Solo wrote: »

Gunshots and cancer aren't bad for you. It's just people looking for attention...

Ah, cancer can be pretty bad in fairness

Don Kedick

Well if you had died then you would have learned your lesson wouldn't ya? You wouldn't go around eating any auld thing again I can tell you.

Icepick

Witchie wrote: »

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

That restaurant apparently.

MadsL

Deenie123 wrote: »

See, people can be intolerant to all sorts of foods. Ranging from mild indigestion to full on gastro-hell. Gluten intolerance exists. I by no means think that everyone who claims to have a specific food intolerance has one, but it's way, way out of line to presume that they don't. Yes, people can be intolerant to gluten. It's actually quite difficult to digest.

How did you diagnose this incredibly rare gluten allergy?

Speaking as an IBS sufferer who has had numerous GI tests I'd be curious to know what type of doctor actually pronounced you as having a gluten intolerance/wheat allergy. What test did they perform.

You seem a bit lost on the details, let me guess...you read a book on it.

Deenie123

MadsL wrote: »

How did you diagnose this incredibly rare gluten allergy?

Speaking as an IBS sufferer who has had numerous GI tests I'd be curious to know what type of doctor actually pronounced you as having a gluten intolerance/wheat allergy. What test did they perform.

You seem a bit lost on the details, let me guess...you read a book on it.

No, an intolerance can be diagnosed by a very carefully logged food diary-elimination diet. Coeliac disease isn't the only form of gluten intolerance