|
|
This topic comprises 9 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Chipotle goodness
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 11-07-2010 07:19 PM
Chris, I'm not just upset because they are catering to some issues while ignoring one that's important to me. While that's true, it's not quite as simple as that.
They make it known that they are sensitive to people's needs who have food allergies but when I faced them with a food problem, I had to make a fuss to get what I want.
Allergy to cilantro is not that uncommon. It is, at least, as common as all the others. I'll guess that it is more common but, because it's not life threatening or damaging to your health, more people just muddle through. I'll bet that there are a lot of people who get a bad taste from cilantro who don't even know it and just think the stuff is "supposed" to taste like that.
My wife has postparandal hypoglycemia. If she gets too much starch or sugar in her diet, the elevated glucose levels in her blood cause her system to pump out so much insulin that she gets sick and has what looks like a diabetic "crash." More than the most minimal amounts of sugar in her diet can make her sick for days. When we go to restaurants we can usually work around this problem by ordering carefully. We're used to it. It's not a problem.
However, there are times when, even after we clearly specify, "NO SUGAR," we end up sending her food back. About one or two times per year, I have to go through this. Every once in a blue moon, I have to literally pound my fist on the table and holler, "NO SUGAR!"
Only once in a while will we order dessert at a restaurant. When we do, it is always something like a sugar-free apple pie. I have actually had a waitress bring us sugar-free apple pie with regular, sugared ice cream on top. The ditzy, blond waitress was surprised when we sent it back and complained, "No sugar means *NO* sugar!"
So, I'm not a stranger to hassling in restaurants when it comes to food sensitivities. I accept that everybody's different and I don't expect people to immediately understand every time.
The crux of the problem is because Chipotle markets themselves as serving "Food With Integrity" and they tout themselves as "Natural" and "Wholesome." As part of their advertising campaign, they say that they are sensitive to food allergies yet, when their employees were faced with an issue, they seemed to balk.
Brad, as soon as I can get a week off work I might just come out and go Mexican restaurant hopping. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
| IP: Logged
|
|
Chris Slycord
Film God
Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007
|
posted 11-07-2010 07:47 PM
quote: Randy Stankey
They make it known that they are sensitive to people's needs who have food allergies but when I faced them with a food problem, I had to make a fuss to get what I want.
When they hire kids @ $6 per hour, you get people who either are too dumb to know what you're asking about (and around here at places similar to Chipotle you get to add a little bit of language barrier) or don't really care since they're paid a crap wage. It won't matter that the company has a set goal of catering to people.
And this happens at higher-end places too; not just fast food places. I ate at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for a birthday once and specifically asked to have the steak not cooked in butter since I'm allergic. I took one bite, immediately knew it had a shit-ton of butter, and had hives all over my face 10 minutes later.
quote: Randy Stankey
I'll bet that there are a lot of people who get a bad taste from cilantro who don't even know it and just think the stuff is "supposed" to taste like that.
Just so we're clear, lilantro aromas/tastes coming off like soap isn't a symptom of an allergy. It's because the aromas of it are partly composed of substances that are similar to many soap byproducts.
The actual symptoms would be getting upset stomach/intestines, skin rashes, itchy skin, or chest/throat tightness.
Lots of people can detect the soapy flavor without getting the above and lots of people who've grown to enjoy the stuff without any problems are still able to detect that taste/aroma.
@Martin,
Earlier I cooked up some lentil mix an Indian company made. The ingredient list said it had "coriander leaf." I'll have to write a scathing letter telling them that it's cilantro.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 11-07-2010 09:01 PM
quote:
When they hire kids @ $6 per hour...It won't matter that the company has a set goal of catering to people.
You've got that right... unfortunately. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
quote: Chris Slycord
I ate at a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for a birthday once and specifically asked to have the steak not cooked in butter since I'm allergic. I took one bite, immediately knew it had a shit-ton of butter, and had hives all over my face 10 minutes later.
Damn! Sorry to hear that... Bummer!
You tore them a new one, I assume. Let me know if you want some backup. I'll send my wife down there and she can pitch a fit.
(Trust me, you do *NOT* want to be in the room when she's pitching a fit! )
You are right. It isn't an allergy in the classical sense. It is, however, likely to be a genetic predisposition. People with the condition taste things differently than those who don't have it. It is physically based.
If you haven't had a good snoot full of squashed stink bug, go out and squash one just to remind yourself. (Rhetorical.) Is your revulsion to that smell purely psychological? No. That is the bug's defense mechanism. It makes that revolting smell so it won't get preyed upon. Yes, if you get enough of it you will feel like puking.
Yes, you can desensitize yourself to cilantro. I have been able to get to the point where I can tolerate small amounts. With hot sauce or other things to cover the flavor, I can tolerate a fair bit of it.
However, I can not overcome large amounts of the stuff. If I get enough of it, there is no way I can muddle through. That smell and that taste will make me feel like puking. Some of it is psychological but it is also chemically based. I can detect a chemical that other people can't.
90% of the time I do just muddle through. I can eat around the offensive food or I can pick it out. But this was just the "perfect storm" of circumstances. I had high expectations which were broken by an insurmountable mass of a highly offensive substance coupled with a business filled with stupid, uncaring, minimum wage employees.
You've seen it. It's happened to you. How can you not feel pissed off?
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chris Slycord
Film God
Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007
|
posted 11-07-2010 11:42 PM
quote: Randy Stankey
You've seen it. It's happened to you. How can you not feel pissed off?
Since I missed this earlier, what happened with you is slightly different than what happened with me.
You asked a person "Give me something without X" and then they showed to you that they had no idea what you meant and you spent a bunch of time explaining what you meant and how to do it. But with me, it involved them giving no indication that this would be a problem then totally disregarding my request. And at least at a place that uses a lot of cilantro, it's pretty easy to tell that they used it or not, whereas the butter they cooked it in will look very similar to other oils, making it practically impossible to tell the difference. Sure, both situations are annoying but in one you're not totally taken off-guard. That's what can make it more liable to piss me off.
Plus, Ruth's Chris is supposed to be a really high-end restaurant. If I'm gonna get a $40 steak, you better make it the way I fucking asked for it. And I'd say that a "chef" who can't make meat taste good without tons of butter should just give up or go back to being a short-order cook.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 11-08-2010 10:10 AM
I would never want a steak doused in butter! That's just gross!
When I was growing up, my parents owned a steak restaurant. I could eat steak any day of the week if I wanted to. You don't put anything on a steak, pre-cooking, except salt and pepper. If you like dry spices or garlic, you can use that, too. But you do not put anything else on the steak until it's done cooking. And, the CUSTOMER is the one who decides what goes on, NOT the cook!
Anyhow, that's a different subject. I grew up in restaurants. That's just not how a supposedly high-end joint should operate! Any reasonable request should be honored. Anything short of lassoing the moon.
If you said, "No butter," it should have been done. If you told the waitress, "Butter will make me sick," and she didn't honor it, her ass should be grass!
I told you, I go through this with my wife on a fairly regular basis. We often choose restaurants where the staff listens to what we want but there are occasions when I have to spell it out.
We have had times when waitstaff have ignored our request. That's when I pitch a fit. (Over the years, I have become kind of good at it. )
If anybody at that restaurant ignored your request for NO BUTTER, you should have raised holy hell! I would have caused a scene! I would have done it just for the sport!
I have to watch my milk intake due to lactose intolerance. My wife can't eat any sugar due to hypoglycemia. She is very sensitive to garlic and onions. While they don't send her into anaphylactic shock they do make her ill. We all know about my problem with cilantro.
So, when it comes to watching out for food allergies and intolerances, I think I'm pretty battle-hardened.
I did not expect Royal Treatment at Chipotle but when I walked up to the counter and saw what was in the food, I absolutely expect their people to understand what I'm talking about when I tell them, "Cilantro makes me ill."
Somebody, sometime, somewhere should have, at least, mentioned that there is a small but non-trivial segment of the population who can not tolerate cilantro. It's just that simple.
I know their people get training in dealing with customers with food allergies. Just about every restaurant does, these days. All they have to do is just put cilantro on the list. It is that easy.
BTW: I have never had a hankering to eat at Ruth's Chris. There are none in this area. But, given what Chris has said, I won't be going out of my way to get to one! Just fucking inexcusable, that was!
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 9 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
Printer-friendly view of this topic