My restaurant rant

[av8rdave]

OK...I need to know. What would be so difficult about having a restaurant menu actually say what is in an entree?

Last night, I ordered a sandwich, which the menu said included cheddar cheese on a toasted bun. Sounded good. When it showed up, it had cheddar cheese, mustard and mayo (both of which I HATE). They might have mentioned that in the menu.

Last month, I ate in a Japanese restaurant in Mexico (weird, I know). One of the items, believe it or not, was soft tacos with grilled flank steak and red peppers. Unfortunately, when they showed up, they were onion tacos with a tiny bit of meat in them. (I really, really dislike onions). Couldn't the menu have listed onions as one of the ingredients? (Especially considering onions were the main ingredient.)

I guess I'm just too picky of an eater.

I should add that in either case, the way the food was served was neither the fault of the waiter or the kitchen staff. All were politely treated and well tipped.

[siligut]

1. Tomato sauce on enchiladas

Seriously, Mr. Gut and I vowed not to eat at "family style" Mexican restaurants ever again. Who puts tomato sauce on Mexican food? I guess when it comes to condiments, I have not seen them listed in the descriptions, aside from Mickey D's special sauce. Getting inedible food in a restaurant is irritating, so you know what you are going to have to do. Make that waitress/waiter earn that good tip and very specific when ordering. Not liking onions is a real disadvantage, my BIL and nephew don't like onions, cooking for them was a challenge, we ate out a lot :)

[av8rdave]

2. I'm normally careful about ordering, so it's right the first time

I hate making the waitstaff have to take something back, so lately I've trusted what I've seen on the menu. But then again, I hate seeming like a picky, petty customer that makes their job tougher.

I guess the latter is the lesser of the evils.

[siligut]

3. I know what you are saying

I think that is why we sometimes get in-a-rut. We want to know that we will get what we like, without a lot of negotiations.

[blogslut]

5. Asking how a dish is prepared does not make you a picky/petty customer

A knowledgeable server should be more than happy to tell you exactly what you're getting and whether or not you can specialize your order. That server wants you to be happy because it saves them time and affects their tip. All you have to do is ask:

"How is it made?" or "What's in this?" or "Can I have this sandwich dry?"

If the server rolls their eyes or tells you "I dunno.", then you have an idiot server.

[csziggy]

4. I understand what you mean

I am very sensitive to hot peppers so in any restaurant I suspect they will be in a dish, I am specific about not putting them on my food. Once we were in a generic type seafood restaurant and I ordered grilled snapper. You'd think that would be safe, right? It came and had a red colored powdered spice dusted over it. I assumed it was paprika, since that is a pretty normal spice to use on seafood in this area. No, it was cayenne or chili or something like those. I took one bite. That was the last thing I could eat that evening. I blister when hot peppers touch my skin. The entire inside of my mouth was blistered from the spice. I could only eat very bland, soft foods for several days.

Nothing in the menu or the descriptions of the food indicated that any hot spices were used in their preparation or I would have made clear that they should have been left off my food. Even a friend who likes hot food who tried my fish found it to be far too hot for his palate.

The waiter was nice - he rushed milk to our table to ease my discomfort and talked to the manager so we were not charged for my meal - they offered to let hubby eat free, but hubby's meal was fine. We tipped the waiter well but we never went back to that restaurant. It was too dangerous for me to take a chance.

I've found if I describe my sensitivity as being allergic (which in truth I am not, I am just very sensitive to capsaicin) the restaurant takes much more care than me just saying, "Please no peppers." A few times I have run into the opposite problem - asked for no peppers and got a meal with no spices at all. THAT was a disappointment since it was a very authentic Indian restaurant and I was looking forward to seeing how real Indian food tastes versus the Americanized versions I have had. I expect it was a translation problem - "She does not like peppers" turned into "No spicy food."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I almost always ask if there are onions in something,

at least if it's the sort of food in which onions might be found. I hate the damn things. And sometimes they turn up in the most unexpected places, then I have to carefully pick out each disgusting piece. The cafeteria where I work is rife with onions - the regular guy behind the counter now automatically leaves the onions off stuff when he sees me coming. (Sodexho, you suck. Did somebody give you a discount on onions, or what?).

[av8rdave]

7. Wow...a fellow onion - averse!

I thought I was the only one on the planet!

:hi:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. We are a persecuted minority.

Most of the world seems to think onions ought to be in everything.

[av8rdave]

9. It is the most overused spice, garnish, ingredient, contaminant in the world!

[GoneOffShore]

14. Onions are, like carrots, garlic, turnips and the like

part of the basis for many cuisines and basic parts of many dishes. Without onions it is not possible to make a good marinara or a decent gravy. One would be hard pressed to eliminate onions from Italian, Mexican, Polish, English, French, Irish, Spanish, Thai, Chinese or Indian cuisine without making those dishes bland and boring.

[mythology]

17. um

English food is already bland and boring. Of course that's what i like about it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. They are vile. The presence of onions renders any food inedible.

Seriously, the taste of onions makes me want to :puke:.

[quakerboy]

20. Thats one persons (wrong) opinion

I have personally had lots of very good Italian, Polish, English, Mexican, and Chinese cuisine without even a hint of onion. Ive even made a few such items myself.

The lack of onion is like the lack of Catsup. It provides one the opportunity to taste and enjoy the food itself, rather than having it blotted out like a mere vessel for the stronger,less appetizing(in my opinion) flavor of Onion or Catsup. But I suppose if you don't actually like the food itself, you might as well drown it out. Maybe throw a little Sriracha on there too, while your at it.

[Scout]

41. sorry, i've had decent gravy many times that had not been anywhere near an onion. n/t

[Codeine]

30. Yikes. The first step for any dish I make is

chopping one (at least!) medium onion. LOL! It's the core ingredient of. . . well, EVERYTHING!

[A Simple Game]

44. Sorry you are wrong.

Salt is the most overused "spice, garnish,ingredient, contaminant" in the world, and it is none of them, it is a mineral. Since I have been an adult I can eat almost anything. the only times I was unable to eat something in a restaurant was when it was so salty it was, to me, indistinguishable and inedible.

I cringe when watching the food network and they add a "little" salt. I would eat very little of what those so called chefs prepare.

[newcriminal]

24. Onions SHOULD be on everything!!

[Kat45]

16. I am also onion averse--and making things more difficult, I'm even more averse to garlic.

I'm very specific when I order my food at a restaurant. I used to say I was allergic so they'd pay attention, but since they often didn't know where garlic might be involved--since it's everywhere--they would give me totally plain, flavorless food. They left everything out. I had too many dreadful meals. So now I just tell them that I really dislike garlic and I would like my food to be without it.

[Scout]

40. me too. can't stand them raw, can tolerate them cooked depending on the dish. n/t

[david13]

10. You must specify. Who taught you how to order in a restaurant?

You must learn to order in a restaurant.
Repeat after me (I say this every time) and ... NO MAYO. I hate mayo, I think it should be illegal.
Therefore I usually (usually) get no mayo.
I will say light or easy mustard.
No matter what you order, you must ask what comes in it, on it, and with it. And you must specify. Lettuce and tomato, yes; onion, no. But maybe sometimes.
And you must ask how it is cooked, grilled, etc. And you must specify, rare, raw, well done, etc.
I swear. I don't know how these people are taught to order in a restaurant anymore.
dc

And:
When you go to McDonald's and you order 6 items or 16. When they hand you the bag, open it, count the items; then specify what they forgot, at that time.
Not an hour later after you have driven the 7 miles back to the shop.
Thank you
dc

[GoneOffShore]

11. Maybe you should pack a lunch.

:hide:

[av8rdave]

21. It's really hard to pack a lunch for 4 to 10 days on the road

Carrying 1 suitcase and a flight kit.

Unfortunately, restaurant dining is a part of life in my business.

[Generic Brad]

12. You are not a picky eater

You are a customer and you should get what you order. Nothing picky about that.

[GoneOffShore]

13. No mustard, no mayo, no onions.

No, not picky at all.

[femmocrat]

15. This is one of the many reasons I rarely eat out.

When I do, I ask a ton of questions about the food. I have a lot of "sensitivities".

[petronius]

18. You hate mustard, mayo, AND onions!? Welcome to my ignore list.

:P

Seriously, I don't think that's picky, but it does seem that you dislike things that are somewhat common and are such usual ingredients that I wouldn't expect them to always be listed. One of your examples though I think should be listed - mustard on a cheese sandwich is odd. Onions would not surprise me in a taco, but any restaurant that gave such poor proportions wouldn't get a return visit...

[av8rdave]

22. I understand the "common ingredient" thing, but...

If I order a sandwich and the menu says it has cheese, that is a common ingredient, as is lettuce, tomato, etc. What bugs me is when some common ingredients get mentioned but not others. I ordered a burger not long ago. The menu said it had cheese, pickle, lettuce and tomato on it. Pretty thorough list. You'd think that since they already used up that much ink that they could mention it had mustard on it as well. Might be nice for the restaurant to save a returned dish or two. On more than one occasion, I've ordered something where the menu went so far as to describe every spice used in preparing their masterpiece, yet onions weren't important enough to mention. If I were an onion, I would be pissed off!

Having particular food dislikes is not uncommon (though I'll grant my particulars might be). I just can't help but feel that things are easier and better for all parties concerned if everyone knows what's being ordered.

[petronius]

25. You're definitely right there - when I see a list of common ingredients

or condiments, I presume that it's complete. And more info is definitely better, especially when the dish is something that most people might not cook or may be the restaurant's own creation. But if they mention the cumin, salt, and pepper while neglecting the giant vegetable in the middle of it all, they deserve a returned dish... :)

[cwydro]

23. I can't stand mayo either...

and it seems to be on everything and rarely listed.

Though I have eaten in many places over the years, I seem always to forget to say no mayo.

[GoneOffShore]

28. Why no mayo?

I'm really curious.

Bad mayo experience?

Mayonaise is a classic emulsion sauce - fat, acid, oil, flavoring. Highly versatile and used with varying types of flavoring.

[av8rdave]

29. Tastes like pig crap and turpentine

And genuinely turns my stomach.

[Codeine]

31. "Pig shit and turpentine"

I say that all the time and I have no idea where I got it! Where did we pick that phrase up?

[av8rdave]

33. Don't ask me how I even remember this, but...

I first saw the phrase in a very old book called "Terminal Man," which I think was an early work by Michael Chrichton. It dealt with the issue of mind control via electrodes implanted in the brain. It was a taste an experimental subject described when a particular electrode was activated.

Same thing I experience when I encounter mayo.

[Codeine]

37. That's it!

I was probably 12 when I read that. I bow before your superior memory! :yourock:

[GoneOffShore]

35. Do you ever eat crab cakes?

Because if you do, the binder generally used is mayonnaise in one form or another.

[av8rdave]

36. Nope

Though I'l allow that when mayo is actually cooked, it loses its stench and decayed flavor.

Edited for spelling.

[eyepaddle]

39. I'm actually okay with the taste of mayo--it's the texture I can't stand.

Plus, I just don't think it goes well with grilled meat--I never like it on a hamburger.

If I'm at a place equal to or more fancy than Wendy's I always order them with no mayo, no tomato.

'Cause, y'see I looked over you OP and thought "Onions?" I think he misspelled "tomatoes", but then it makes perfect sense when I correct it! :)

[KurtNYC]

26. Thank you for many great meals

you see I was once a runner for an upscale mexican restaurant. My favorite item on the menu was steak picado, marinated flank steak, very tender, grilled to perfection, sliced across the grain.... and my job was just to carry it from the kitchen to the table and when you turn it away, I take it to the nearest bus station and eat it.

You get hungry working through dinner. All those food smells, plates of food right under your nose. So when you lay down that plate of flank steak you say: "steak picado medium rare,...rice, BEANS and ONIONS" while watching for any signs of distress. Too spicy? don't like beans? onions? I'll just take that away and bring you another...

no problem

[GoneOffShore]

27. Ta da!!

Used to do the same when I worked in a high end restaurant.

Got more duck, lamb, and steak than I ever would if I had just been at home.

[av8rdave]

38. I'm glad to know that when something gets sent back that someone gets to have it

I hope that's true in all restaurants.

[Codeine]

32. Be like me.

Specify what you won't or can't eat clearly -- most foods have too many components for all to be listed in a menu description.

I don't eat cheese or mayonnaise (I'm a vegan) and I cannot stand hot spices. I always make sure to tell them "No cheese, no mayo" and I always discuss spicing levels with the waiter -- I generally describe myself as "extremely Caucasian" and ensure that it's a mild dish or can be prepared with a lower heat level.

[av8rdave]

34. I used to always be very specific about what's in food when ordering

I guess lately I've been a little self conscious about seeming like an overly picky customer. My job requires a lot of eating out, and I often see other customers that would have to be a pain in the a** to a waiter/waitress, and I find myself wondering if that's how I am coming across.

[Broderick]

42. all that makes me hungry.

[Springs1]

43. Order with "ONLY" included in what you ONLY want

"When it showed up, it had cheddar cheese, mustard and
mayo (both of which I HATE). They might have mentioned that in
the menu."

I have had this type of experience, sometimes I just order
"ONLY such-n-such-n-such" or I ask if the menu has
everything it comes with.  Sometimes the servers may not even
know, because they may be new, so the best bet is to order
"WITH ONLY" and you should get what you want.

Menus don't always mention everything as they SHOULD, so in
order to make sure, you should just order ONLY what you want,
which makes the other things you don't want that obvious. Now,
if the server gets it wrong to you and it's obvious, that's on
THEM for bringing it out wrong and maybe even putting in the
order wrong.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

45. What a coincidence...

...I went to Panera Bread just yesterday. They have a KILLER "Asiago Roast Beef" sandwich, so good I make a special trip over there to get it.

Their Website has the ingredients: "Oven-roasted beef, smoked cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions & creamy horseradish sauce, on our Asiago Cheese Demi." (http://www.panerabread.com/menu/cafe/sandwiches.php)

When I ordered yesterday I was asked what I wanted on it.

"On it?" I asked.

"Mayo, mustard?"

I said "Whatever is normally on it. No one has ever asked before..."

She replied "I know, but we have to ask now."

I don't recall if the ingredients are listed on the menu sign behind the counter...I've never looked. A friend have me a $25 gift card a few months ago and I immediately went to the Website to see what looked good and ended up using it to buy 4 sandwiches over the next couple of weeks ($7 per sandwich so I kicked in a couple of bucks on the fourth and have bought another 3 or so since. YES...it IS THAT GOOD).

:-)