<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Nov 23, 2008
YOUR LETTERS
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Metal strips in congee, fly in lobster dish
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->While dining with my family at a Chinese restaurant recently, I spotted two tiny hair-like strands in my congee just as I was about to scoop it into my mouth.
I alerted a waitress, who politely offered to replace the congee. However, I rejected her offer as I just wanted to alert her to the incident, and I thought I could just remove the 'hairs'.
On closer inspection, I was astounded to find that these were actually metal strips - and there were more in the congee.
I immediately informed the same waitress. She acknowledged that those were indeed metal strips, and went off to inform the chef. Naturally, I was not made to pay for the congee.
However, I noticed that other customers were still being served various congee dishes.
I believe the proper approach would have been for the restaurant to stop serving all congee dishes, as they could all have come from the same pot.
Why did the restaurant still continue to serve these, knowing that at least one bowl of congee was contaminated with metal strips?
On another occasion, while dining with friends at a Western restaurant, I saw a fly land on some sauces to go with the steak, and on my plate of lobster tails.
We informed a member of the service staff, who explained that the fly could have flown in through a door in the kitchen connected to an unloading area.
She said she would have the food replaced. In the end, however, only the sauces were replaced, and she did not return to check if everything was in order after that.
On both occasions, the restaurants' staff acted irresponsibly in the area of food safety and hygiene.
How does the National Environment Agency ensure that restaurants here maintain a high standard of food safety and hygiene? Lee Lye Kuan (Ms)
YOUR LETTERS
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Metal strips in congee, fly in lobster dish
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->While dining with my family at a Chinese restaurant recently, I spotted two tiny hair-like strands in my congee just as I was about to scoop it into my mouth.
I alerted a waitress, who politely offered to replace the congee. However, I rejected her offer as I just wanted to alert her to the incident, and I thought I could just remove the 'hairs'.
On closer inspection, I was astounded to find that these were actually metal strips - and there were more in the congee.
I immediately informed the same waitress. She acknowledged that those were indeed metal strips, and went off to inform the chef. Naturally, I was not made to pay for the congee.
However, I noticed that other customers were still being served various congee dishes.
I believe the proper approach would have been for the restaurant to stop serving all congee dishes, as they could all have come from the same pot.
Why did the restaurant still continue to serve these, knowing that at least one bowl of congee was contaminated with metal strips?
On another occasion, while dining with friends at a Western restaurant, I saw a fly land on some sauces to go with the steak, and on my plate of lobster tails.
We informed a member of the service staff, who explained that the fly could have flown in through a door in the kitchen connected to an unloading area.
She said she would have the food replaced. In the end, however, only the sauces were replaced, and she did not return to check if everything was in order after that.
On both occasions, the restaurants' staff acted irresponsibly in the area of food safety and hygiene.
How does the National Environment Agency ensure that restaurants here maintain a high standard of food safety and hygiene? Lee Lye Kuan (Ms)
