PAT/ vegetarian foods in restaurants and Deli's

[Guest guest]

No, I disagree with you although I am sure that this is the case in some

instances. We have a Mexican restaurant that not one waiter speaks English and

so asking questions as to what is in the food is not going to go well at all.

When I said " a bit broken " I should not have understated it. I am NOT talking

about broken English, but one where I have no clue as to whether or not they

understood my question and that has nothing to do with a mild language barrier.

I was not criticizing them at all, I was pointing out, which you apparently

missed, that it makes going to restaurants difficult to do since I am a vegan

and I need to be sure that I am not eating something that I object to. No, I

always ask if there are any meat products or by products in the food and attempt

to be as specific as I can. Frequently if they say " no chicken " they mean " no

chicken meat " but it matters to me if there is any chicken broth, fish sauce or

a multitude of other things that I won't eat. The same happens at Safeway deli.

As it turned out everything had at least been cooked in meat broth whether

chicken, beef, or fish. At an Asian market I shop at they speak little English

and when I was searching for some flavorful additions and explained to them that

it couldn't have any meat or meat seasoning or flavoring they steered me to some

things...well, it turned out these things had bonito, not an acceptable

ingredient for me. Luckily I seemed to remember that it might be a fish, or

meat, wasn't sure then so since it was doubtful I skipped it. I had to stop

eating at one Chinese restaurant because they did indeed use chicken broth. Our

large mall has a couple of Asian food court places and one of them also did not

understand what I was asking. Vegans also don't use ingredients that has

" natural flavoring " since it is most likely to have come from a meat. Most

restaurants are using things that have come in a jar or one of those large cans

and chances are that it has natural flavoring. If the people appeared to know

that I am saying vegan then I might be more inclined to accept it. Having

chicken meat or beef or fish is separate from are there any ingredients in the

items that is from a meat substance. I am offended by your harsh and judgmental

reply. You have made a huge leap and " assumed " something not there. Perhaps it

is just that you don't understand the complexities of veganism as I observe it.

But it absolutely has nothing to do with what you have presumed. And since you

quoted me it was directed at me.

linda

" Whatever you do will be insignificant and it is very important that you do it. "

Mohandas Gandhi

 

linda's Growing Stitchery Projects: womyn47

-

Pat

 

 

> I know at some of the Chinese restaurants there English is a bit broken and

I am never

sure if they understood what I was asking or not...they always say " no, no

chicken " and

when I ask about what they cooked it is they again repeat the same mantra. LOL

 

<siggghhhh>Chinese restaurants really get a bad rap, don't they. This makes me

very sad.

And I think that attitude is perpetuated because of 'broken' English and the

distinctive

accent being somehow perceived as either funny or annoying or both. Actually,

if they say

'no chicken' they probably mean no chicken. That should be reassuring, not

suspicious. It

has closed now, but we had a Chinese restaurant very close to us a couple of

years back

and they were very very reliable - and no, there was 'no chicken' in the

cooking liquid!

 

Best, Pat