Fellini Restaurant

[Guest guest]

I was sorry to read that a former employee of Fellini Restaurant had a bad experience working there. And her allegation that Fellini does not use "free range" eggs when the restaurant's website claims it does is troubling. I know a number of people would choose not to eat at Fellini regardless of where its eggs come from, because it serves meat and dairy. I certainly understand that people would rather support all veg restaurants. But although I have been vegan for years, I really appreciate that Fellini -- as a basically "regular" restaurant -- offers a delicious and growing selection of vegan dinner and brunch entrees. This is a place that I can go with meat-eating family, friends, and co-workers, and we can all enjoy a meal together. And if I can't convince them to order a vegan dish, I can offer them a taste of mine and show how good vegan food can be. I wish there were more restaurants like this because

it helps bring veganism into the mainstream. To my mind, this will ultimately help reduce animal suffering. I also understand that Fellini has been very welcoming of the BAV letter-writing party that is held there once a month. I therefore will continue to eat at Fellini and hope others will too. But I won't order the eggs.

 

Thea

[Guest guest]

There's always this dilemma: do we draw a line and

support only the " pure " restaurants, or do we support

the ones who are catering to both sides of the

spectrum?

 

Considering the fact that vegans (and vegetarians) are

so small in number (less than 10%?), if we adopt a

" either you're with us or against us " attitude (to

quote W), I think we all end up losers.

 

A case in point. When Burger King introduced their

veggie burger in 1993, our University branch of BK (in

Buffalo) was one of the few that carried it. We

vegetarians who normally would not have gone to BK

went there and made the veggieburger a huge success.

Word trickled back, and despite the meat industry's

pressure, eventually BK HQ decided that a veggieburger

was a worthwhile option to carry. Today you find it in

all BK franchises. If you're on the road in some

random, out-of-the-way place it is a lifesaver.

 

While I am troubled by the alleged deception, the

right reaction, IMHO, would be to tell Jeff to

clarify.

 

I ate at Fellini's a week ago with a vegan friend. We

would not have gone in if I hadn't known they offered

vegan options (thanks to the LWP); she was surprised

to hear it too, despite being a native (and promptly

proceeded to tell her friends). A win-win for both.

 

Only by engagement can we effect change. I will be at

the LWP today, and I fully intend to ask Jeff about

this.

 

Ajay

 

--- Thea Langsam <thea_langsam wrote:

> But although I

> have been vegan for years, I really appreciate that

> Fellini -- as a basically " regular " restaurant --

> offers a delicious and growing selection of vegan

> dinner and brunch entrees. This is a place that I

> can go with meat-eating family, friends, and

> co-workers, and we can all enjoy a meal together.

> And if I can't convince them to order a vegan dish,

> I can offer them a taste of mine and show how good

> vegan food can be. I wish there were more

> restaurants like this because it helps bring

> veganism into the mainstream. To my mind, this will

> ultimately help reduce animal suffering.

 

 

 

 

Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005

 

[Guest guest]

(sorry if this is a repeat; the first one bounced).

 

There's always this dilemma: do we draw a line and

support only the " pure " restaurants, or do we support

the ones who are catering to both sides of the

spectrum?

 

Considering the fact that vegans (and vegetarians) are

so small in number (less than 10%?), if we adopt a

" either you're with us or against us " attitude (to

quote W), I think we all end up the losers.

 

A case in point. When Burger King introduced their

veggie burger in 1993, our University branch of BK (in

Buffalo) was one of the few that carried it. We

vegetarians who normally would not have gone to BK

went there and made the veggieburger a huge success.

Word trickled back, and despite the meat industry's

pressure, eventually BK HQ decided that a veggieburger

was a worthwhile option to carry. Today you find it in

all BK franchises. If you're on the road in some

random, out-of-the-way place it is a lifesaver.

 

While I am troubled by the alleged deception, the

right reaction, IMHO, would be to tell Jeff to

clarify.

 

I ate at Fellini's a week ago with a vegan friend. We

would not have gone in if I hadn't known they offered

vegan options (thanks to the LWP); she was surprised

to hear it too, despite being a native (and promptly

proceeded to tell her friends). A win-win for both.

 

Only by engagement can we effect change. I will be at

the LWP today, and I fully intend to ask Jeff about

this issue.

 

Ajay

 

--- Thea Langsam <thea_langsam wrote:

> But although I

> have been vegan for years, I really appreciate that

> Fellini -- as a basically " regular " restaurant --

> offers a delicious and growing selection of vegan

> dinner and brunch entrees. This is a place that I

> can go with meat-eating family, friends, and

> co-workers, and we can all enjoy a meal together.

> And if I can't convince them to order a vegan dish,

> I can offer them a taste of mine and show how good

> vegan food can be. I wish there were more

> restaurants like this because it helps bring

> veganism into the mainstream. To my mind, this will

> ultimately help reduce animal suffering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

When eating out, to me, the most important and critical factor is the trust and integrity of the restaurant, especially if you're veg and eating at a mixed restaurant. Otherwise, there's no way of knowing what's in the food being served to you.

 

I found it disturbing to hear the allegations against Fellini's regarding their supposedly cage-free eggs as well as their treatment of their employees. To a lesser degree, the employees have a choice (they can leave to find another job) but the chickens don't have a choice.

 

After hearing Paul Shapiro talk on Saturday about the compelling reasons why the Humane Society of the United States is launching a national campaign against battery cages, I think it is particularly eggregious (pun intended!) to say eggs are cage free when they aren't. For vegans who don't eat eggs, it doesn't matter. But to the chickens, it's a world of difference. To vegetarians who make this conscious choice, it's a big deal.

 

I remember when Stoa's (the defunct restaurant in Palo Alto that was originally vegetarian) moved to a new location in downtown Palo Alto and started selling fish -- on their website, they still claimed to be vegetarian!!!

 

 

So, it is always a good idea to ask -- even if it says it's vegetarian or vegan on the menu or the website -- ask about anything that is important to you. Practices and policies can change, and sometimes restaurants aren't conscientious about making updates.

 

And, yes, it's a very personal decision that everyone has to decide for themselves whether to eat at purely veg restaurants or a mixed restaurants. There's pros and cons both way..... But trust and credibility is important, regardless!

 

For the record - I have never been an employee of Fellini's, nor done any work for them.

 

Cheers,

Tammy

 

 

Veg and Animal Rights events, food, fun, and fellowship

http://www.BayAreaVeg.org

 

 

 

Check out the Ultimate Guide to Vegetarian Living in the San Francisco Bay Area ... veg foods, services, and more!

http://www.bayareaveg.org/ug

[Guest guest]

I really like getting "the scoop" from an ex-employee because frankly, we never really know what goes on behind the counters in a restaurant. Yes, as Tammy points out: trust is really important! I often wonder when I ask about a broth (for example) and an employee comes back and tells me "yes, it's vegetarian" if indeed it really is...for this reason we rarely eat out, but that's our choice.

 

I have never dined at Fellini, but have been thinking about doing so. I will think twice now. Certainly though, if I go, I will ask about the eggs if it becomes necessary when people are ordering. I really don't like the idea that the owner is not telling the truth about his products more than the fact that he is selling the products at all.

 

I live on the Peninsula and what a shame about Stoa's!!! It was once an absolutely wonderful brunch choice!!

 

Respectfully,

 

Tera

 

 

 

-

Tammy, Bay Area Vegetarians

'Bay Area Veg' ; baarn

Tuesday, September 27, 2005 7:06 PM

RE: Fellini Restaurant

 

When eating out, to me, the most important and critical factor is the trust and integrity of the restaurant, especially if you're veg and eating at a mixed restaurant. Otherwise, there's no way of knowing what's in the food being served to you.

 

I found it disturbing to hear the allegations against Fellini's regarding their supposedly cage-free eggs as well as their treatment of their employees. To a lesser degree, the employees have a choice (they can leave to find another job) but the chickens don't have a choice.

 

After hearing Paul Shapiro talk on Saturday about the compelling reasons why the Humane Society of the United States is launching a national campaign against battery cages, I think it is particularly eggregious (pun intended!) to say eggs are cage free when they aren't. For vegans who don't eat eggs, it doesn't matter. But to the chickens, it's a world of difference. To vegetarians who make this conscious choice, it's a big deal.

 

I remember when Stoa's (the defunct restaurant in Palo Alto that was originally vegetarian) moved to a new location in downtown Palo Alto and started selling fish -- on their website, they still claimed to be vegetarian!!!

 

 

So, it is always a good idea to ask -- even if it says it's vegetarian or vegan on the menu or the website -- ask about anything that is important to you. Practices and policies can change, and sometimes restaurants aren't conscientious about making updates.

 

And, yes, it's a very personal decision that everyone has to decide for themselves whether to eat at purely veg restaurants or a mixed restaurants. There's pros and cons both way..... But trust and credibility is important, regardless!

 

For the record - I have never been an employee of Fellini's, nor done any work for them.

 

Cheers,

Tammy

 

 

Veg and Animal Rights events, food, fun, and fellowship

http://www.BayAreaVeg.org

 

 

 

Check out the Ultimate Guide to Vegetarian Living in the San Francisco Bay Area ... veg foods, services, and more!

http://www.bayareaveg.org/ug

[Guest guest]

Tera wrote: " I really don't like the idea that the owner is not telling the truth about his products"

 

Sorry to write about this again, but I just don't think it's fair at this point to conclude that Fellini's owner is being deliberately untruthful (if he's being untruthful at all) about the eggs the restaurant uses. Unfortunately, there are no legal standards about what "free range" means, so Fellini could very well, with good intentions, be ordering eggs that are called "free range" even if the conditions are far from what could fairly be described as free range. There may be middle ground where Emily is honestly describing about what she saw, but Fellini isn't being intentionally misleading either.

 

Thea

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