Song Thai on 5th: nightmare (it gets worse, way worse)
Today I'm in utter shock after having a conversation with a man who said he was owner of the restaurant. although I'd really rather drop this, what happened today was beyond the pale and I'd like to you to consider this next time you're thinking of eating there.
To recap, this week I ordered delivery and bit into a spring roll and encountered upon biting into it a massive chemical taste and smell, like ammonia or bleach. That night and the next day I vomited some, and ended up having the most painful sore throat I've ever had.
On that night I called to say that something might be wrong with their deep fryer, I was return called at no prompting by a manager who was kind and wanted to let me know that yes, there was something specifically wrong with the stuffing in the spring rolls, that they were thrown out, and she had tested all the other deep fried foods which were ok ( i remember her specifically saying "the spare ribs, the prawns"). Here's where it gets unbelievable.
According to this owner I spoke to today, who insists that the chemical smell / taste i experienced in the spring rolls was due to oil being changed in the fryer, her story differs from his because - i swear i'm not making this up - thai people are passive and get nervous on the phone.
This elicited some surprise from me since I am Asian American and have travelled through SE Asia. I then made that clear to him. Which seemed to make him more belligerent.
He also stated no chemicals ever go near where the spring rolls are made, which I think is an unusual claim, because it would mean that it's never cleaned with at the very least, soap.
He accused me of lying about the condition of my throat, which is extremely inflamed and has tested negative for strep, and for which my dr put me on a course of antibiotics, when he made me so angry and kept cutting me off that I had to yell to get a word in. He was incredibly belligerent, cut me off when I tried asking him simple questions, and continually vaguely accused me of "plotting", even suggesting I was recording the phone call. There was no courtesy or attempt made to figure this out together.
There's another neighborhood restaurant that my girlfriend was once eating a salad at and we discovered fur in her salad. to this day we still don't know where or what the fur was from. but the owner of the restaurant was so kind, and dilligent, and understanding about things that we STILL EAT THERE and I never filed a complaint with DHMS because obviously it was some mistake that was beyond their control. And no, I'm never going to say who it was because in my opinion - having worked in food and knowing that mistakes happen - they deserve your money and addressed it properly. she even asked us at the time if we had health insurance in case we were going to get ill.
My experience today tells me the self identified owner of Song does not deserve your business. His customer service in my exeperience is accusation, belligerence, and belittling of his own staff's nationality and culture.
Talk about getting sick from food.
To recap, this week I ordered delivery and bit into a spring roll and encountered upon biting into it a massive chemical taste and smell, like ammonia or bleach. That night and the next day I vomited some, and ended up having the most painful sore throat I've ever had.
On that night I called to say that something might be wrong with their deep fryer, I was return called at no prompting by a manager who was kind and wanted to let me know that yes, there was something specifically wrong with the stuffing in the spring rolls, that they were thrown out, and she had tested all the other deep fried foods which were ok ( i remember her specifically saying "the spare ribs, the prawns"). Here's where it gets unbelievable.
According to this owner I spoke to today, who insists that the chemical smell / taste i experienced in the spring rolls was due to oil being changed in the fryer, her story differs from his because - i swear i'm not making this up - thai people are passive and get nervous on the phone.
This elicited some surprise from me since I am Asian American and have travelled through SE Asia. I then made that clear to him. Which seemed to make him more belligerent.
He also stated no chemicals ever go near where the spring rolls are made, which I think is an unusual claim, because it would mean that it's never cleaned with at the very least, soap.
He accused me of lying about the condition of my throat, which is extremely inflamed and has tested negative for strep, and for which my dr put me on a course of antibiotics, when he made me so angry and kept cutting me off that I had to yell to get a word in. He was incredibly belligerent, cut me off when I tried asking him simple questions, and continually vaguely accused me of "plotting", even suggesting I was recording the phone call. There was no courtesy or attempt made to figure this out together.
There's another neighborhood restaurant that my girlfriend was once eating a salad at and we discovered fur in her salad. to this day we still don't know where or what the fur was from. but the owner of the restaurant was so kind, and dilligent, and understanding about things that we STILL EAT THERE and I never filed a complaint with DHMS because obviously it was some mistake that was beyond their control. And no, I'm never going to say who it was because in my opinion - having worked in food and knowing that mistakes happen - they deserve your money and addressed it properly. she even asked us at the time if we had health insurance in case we were going to get ill.
My experience today tells me the self identified owner of Song does not deserve your business. His customer service in my exeperience is accusation, belligerence, and belittling of his own staff's nationality and culture.
Talk about getting sick from food.
Comments
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Did you report them yet? If not, what are you waiting for?
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Flexichick wrote: Did you report them yet? If not, what are you waiting for?
this -
no i did, definitely.
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xenusleeps wrote: no i did, definitely.
I've never reported a restaurant before. What happens next? Did they give you a case number? Does it end up on the DOH website? -
I'm leaning towards believing you.
REPORT THE INCIDENT. GET A LAWYER. Who knows what long-term health problems mystery chemicals will cause? You'll be sorry you didn't sue when you see your child is born with two-heads.
What other restaurant does the Song owner own? What's the name of Song's Carroll Gardens/Coble Hill cousin?
There are SO MANY Thai restaurants (Rice, Lemongrass Grill, Watana, Mango, Beet, Taste of Thai, that place I don't like that everyone else loves called Long Tan, and more) in Park Slope.
Forget eating poison, why why why would I order from a place owned by a jerk telling me Thais are passive? I'd like to Krabi Krabong his butt. -
raw wrote:
Joya.
What other restaurant does the Song owner own? What's the name of Song's Carroll Gardens/Coble Hill cousin?
I, too, find this story believable, sympathetic and also fairly scary. I eat at Song a lot. I'm usually skeptical of the "I found half a mouse in my food" stories and rarely let them affect my dining choices, but I think this one will stay with me.
Nthing the lawyer.. at least sit down with one and get a professional opinion. You consumed an unknown foreign chemical; I'd imagine this is why the owner may have been so aggressive. He doesn't want to get sued and thinks that his employee may have already said too much. -
I'm so sorry to hear about this. Sucks.
I love Joya. Maybe this new Thai place on 7th and 15th will be good enough to replace. -
Subject: Re: Song Thai on 5th: nightmare (it gets worse, way worse)
i swear i'm not making this up - thai people are passive and get nervous on the phone.
Sheesh...Unbelievable. I don't think so.
Reminds me of the time I took my computer to a Computer shop that happened to be owned by an Asian couple. I knew exactly what was wrong with it and exactly what I needed to have done. The guy taking it in was so rude and such an asshole that I asked for my deposit back, took my computer home, fixed it myself and called the owner to complain about him.
She told me that he was rude because he was black. I politely informed her that I didn't think that had anything to do with it. -
i guess you didn't save the offending spring roll?
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vidro3 wrote: i guess you didn't save the offending spring roll?
Yea really! Without the toxic evidence don't waste your time. Unless somebody has started a blog to get victims lined up for class action against this restaurant there is nothing to do but complain about it here anonymously. Without corroborating evidence you run the risk of being sued! -
We eat at Song often....last time we were there (2 weeks ago) we were seated near the kitchen area. There was a VERY STRONG odor of bleach. We assumed they had just cleaned the area with bleach for some reason, though it was early dinner hour.
Perhaps not, though.
The mystery deepens.
I hope your throat heals quickly, and that no other symptoms develop.... -
modsquad wrote: [quote=vidro3]i guess you didn't save the offending spring roll?
Yea really! Without the toxic evidence don't waste your time. Unless somebody has started a blog to get victims lined up for class action against this restaurant there is nothing to do but complain about it here anonymously. Without corroborating evidence you run the risk of being sued!
In the original post, OP said they saved the rest of the spring rolls.
I want to know if the Dept of Health actually takes the evidence and tests it. I hope the OP has one spring roll for DofH and one or two left to send to a lab. And the resources to send it to a lab...
I'd look at the NYTimes online for where they send stuff to be tested for stories like 'mercury in fish.' I wonder if you should freeze the evidence or not? -
Clearly objectivity has no place in the forum. We all know that already.
Is it possible that the spring roll was infected in YOUR apartment? On your counter? Or by an accidental spray AFTER it left the restaurant?
Is it possible that your throat was due to something beside the spring roll in question? Perhaps not strep, but one of the other hundreds of viruses that lurk this time of year?
Is it possible that your taste buds were severely altered by the aforementioned virus during the early stages of incubation (as often happens with such virus)?
Is it possible that the owner's over-reation to your over-reaction has enhanced the taste of the spring roll in question? Is it possible that emotion and not pure fact has colored this entire post?
Of courses it's possible. I mean, sure, Song sucks but I'm certainly not going to not eat there because someone (and his girlfriend) don't like bleach and fur salads. That would be just, well, silly. -
well excuse me, murder she wrote.
Is it possible that it was tainted in my apt? No, I was starving and as soon as the bag of food came into the apt i reached into the bag and opened the spring rolls and popped one in my mouth.
Is it possible I became ill from something else? Yes. Absolutely. Possible. But given that I partook of a food substance that had the odor of something that should not be ingested and found myself vomiting and with an inflamed throat after doing so, and nothing else was amiss, what would logic dictate is a strong possibility, or at least one worth figuring out or exploring? Especially when the on duty manager told me that yes, something was wrong with the inner stuffing of the spring roll and they were thrown out accordingly.
I don't really care for lawyers and litigation. My thing is simply this: it is not possible, but a fact, that the person who told me they own Song is an ignorant, rude, jerk whose approach to customer service doesn't deserve patronage. Of course you're welcome to feel otherwise, but have fun if something goes wrong, lest ye be told that "well it's because thai people are passive".
BTW, I do have the spring rolls kept frozen - my rule of thumb, given that I travel in some strange places and eat unusual things, is to just instinctually just be aware of what you're eating, and if you're sick, figure out what made you sick. But as far as I know, reporting a restaurant engages a bureaucratical process and as of this point no one is asking for them. If I get better in a day or two, well there you have it. Unfortunately I'm not responding to antibiotics.
AFAIK, sending such an item to an analytical lab is prohibitively expensive.
Again I don't really care, just want to know and provide to my doctor information about what I _may_ have ingested. And to let you know that the restaurant treats complaints with outright hostility. -
Bricktop - what time were you there?
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xenusleeps wrote: well excuse me, murder she wrote.
Thanks for letting us know. What a traumatic experience. Does your doctor have any suggestions besides the antibiotics? How about the poison hotline?
Is it possible that it was tainted in my apt? No, I was starving and as soon as the bag of food came into the apt i reached into the bag and opened the spring rolls and popped one in my mouth.
Is it possible I became ill from something else? Yes. Absolutely. Possible. But given that I partook of a food substance that had the odor of something that should not be ingested and found myself vomiting and with an inflamed throat after doing so, and nothing else was amiss, what would logic dictate is a strong possibility, or at least one worth figuring out or exploring? Especially when the on duty manager told me that yes, something was wrong with the inner stuffing of the spring roll and they were thrown out accordingly.
I don't really care for lawyers and litigation. My thing is simply this: it is not possible, but a fact, that the person who told me they own Song is an ignorant, rude, jerk whose approach to customer service doesn't deserve patronage. Of course you're welcome to feel otherwise, but have fun if something goes wrong, lest ye be told that "well it's because thai people are passive".
BTW, I do have the spring rolls kept frozen - my rule of thumb, given that I travel in some strange places and eat unusual things, is to just instinctually just be aware of what you're eating, and if you're sick, figure out what made you sick. But as far as I know, reporting a restaurant engages a bureaucratical process and as of this point no one is asking for them. If I get better in a day or two, well there you have it. Unfortunately I'm not responding to antibiotics.
AFAIK, sending such an item to an analytical lab is prohibitively expensive.
Again I don't really care, just want to know and provide to my doctor information about what I _may_ have ingested. And to let you know that the restaurant treats complaints with outright hostility.
Oh, and some posts are just not worth responding to. Good luck and let us know how you're doing. -
Joya and Song have always struck me as COLD, AUSTERE and unappatizing. Although the food isn't great; I'd take the warmth of Long Tan any day. How can people actually eat in a place that feels like a cave with bad acoustics?
Drunken Revival= you are the perfect example of why the jury system sucks. -
On the basis of xenusleeps' exquisite follow-up post, I am prepared to award a judgment of, I don't know, $100 million.
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The Chipster wrote: Drunken Revival= you are the perfect example of why the jury system sucks.
Better a Summary Judgment Iranian Style!
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/01_01/hangingL_468x318.jpg
That'll teach'em to put Windex in their tacos!!!
MOD NOTE: Inappropriate image click at your own risk -M -
I would recommend AM Thai Chili Basil as an alternative to any Thai in Park Slope.
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Bricktop - what time were you there?
We were there around 5:30PM on Saturday two weeks ago. -
eggcream wrote: [quote=xenusleeps]well excuse me, murder she wrote.
Thanks for letting us know. What a traumatic experience. Does your doctor have any suggestions besides the antibiotics? How about the poison hotline?
Is it possible that it was tainted in my apt? No, I was starving and as soon as the bag of food came into the apt i reached into the bag and opened the spring rolls and popped one in my mouth.
Is it possible I became ill from something else? Yes. Absolutely. Possible. But given that I partook of a food substance that had the odor of something that should not be ingested and found myself vomiting and with an inflamed throat after doing so, and nothing else was amiss, what would logic dictate is a strong possibility, or at least one worth figuring out or exploring? Especially when the on duty manager told me that yes, something was wrong with the inner stuffing of the spring roll and they were thrown out accordingly.
I don't really care for lawyers and litigation. My thing is simply this: it is not possible, but a fact, that the person who told me they own Song is an ignorant, rude, jerk whose approach to customer service doesn't deserve patronage. Of course you're welcome to feel otherwise, but have fun if something goes wrong, lest ye be told that "well it's because thai people are passive".
BTW, I do have the spring rolls kept frozen - my rule of thumb, given that I travel in some strange places and eat unusual things, is to just instinctually just be aware of what you're eating, and if you're sick, figure out what made you sick. But as far as I know, reporting a restaurant engages a bureaucratical process and as of this point no one is asking for them. If I get better in a day or two, well there you have it. Unfortunately I'm not responding to antibiotics.
AFAIK, sending such an item to an analytical lab is prohibitively expensive.
Again I don't really care, just want to know and provide to my doctor information about what I _may_ have ingested. And to let you know that the restaurant treats complaints with outright hostility.
Oh, and some posts are just not worth responding to. Good luck and let us know how you're doing.
^^^ this
hope you heal fast -
Heard from the Dept of Health today, they were very kind and comprehensive.
For those asking...
They said its basically impossible to determine from a food sample what a specific contaminant is if its not biological, because of how the breakdown occurs in the lab. Plus they have to consider the possibility I may have tainted it, which is understandable. If my dr, however, feels its necessary for my health, on his authoriziation they will do so.
The health dept. official said that if my story is true that I spoke to the manager and informed her and she agreed with me something was wrong with the spring rolls and threw them out, then I may have actually prevented anyone else from going through the same thing which ultimately is best for everyone. So you know, sometimes there is a point to informing a restaurant what's up.
I am even more ill today. Which I am hoping is just lots of bad luck and not necessarily the bad food. Going to see the dr again. -
xenusleeps - I hope you feel better. I also hope the owners of Song/Joya get word of this thread soon. I have always enjoyed eating there, but I won't step foot in there or order take-out from them again until I hear that they have responded in a more appropriate and understanding manner.
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xenus, i'm sorry, this is wretched. i hope that you are ok and that you will keep us posted.
another thai place in the slope gave me some sort of food poisoning; i wrote in on the board, they sent me an email saying they were sorry and that i should come in and say who i was and they'd give me a free meal. because i don't tend to go back to places that make me sick i never took them up on the offer, but i felt they really did try to do their best.
i'm putting song now up there with elementi. -
Not as a response to the bad experience xenusleeps had—about which: that sounds terrible, I hope you feel better—but as a response to the tiny implosion in Song's reputation which the thread as a whole fosters:
Just based on my own experiences, Song is a really outstanding restaurant. I don't know any restaurant in New York which simultaneously optimizes for flavor, price, and portion size as successfully as they do, and the service is reliably swift, friendly, and courteous. I eat there nearly every week as a regular thing with a friend, and have since shortly after it opened. I specifically recommend Vegetable Spicy Noodles and the delicious Mango Salad.
And I hope there will be no other bad eating experiences to report! -
http://www.gowanuslounge.com/2008/12/22/brooklyn-nibbles-allegedly-almost-poisoned-at-slopes-song-thai/#comments
take a look at the comments section here...gives some insight into that "chemical smell..." -
belzjm wrote: http://www.gowanuslounge.com/2008/12/22/brooklyn-nibbles-allegedly-almost-poisoned-at-slopes-song-thai/#comments
ammonia smell . . . rancid crab . . . genius!
take a look at the comments section here...gives some insight into that "chemical smell..." -
CHE wrote: Not as a response to the bad experience xenusleeps had—about which: that sounds terrible, I hope you feel better—but as a response to the tiny implosion in Song's reputation which the thread as a whole fosters:
Well put, CHE, and very fair. Thx.
Just based on my own experiences, Song is a really outstanding restaurant. I don't know any restaurant in New York which simultaneously optimizes for flavor, price, and portion size as successfully as they do, and the service is reliably swift, friendly, and courteous. I eat there nearly every week as a regular thing with a friend, and have since shortly after it opened. I specifically recommend Vegetable Spicy Noodles and the delicious Mango Salad.
And I hope there will be no other bad eating experiences to report!
Song *does* manage a tight rope (flavor, price, and portion) that is very popular.
Bummer about the attitude of the owner, when the manager was all about doing the right thing... -
Having worked in a few restaurants -- and this is anecdotal, based on limited and completely meaningless experience, and a patently unfair and probably asinine thing to say -- as a customer, I'd trust a restaurant's manager to have my interests at heart over the owner any day.
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