Hazards of enjoying a meal out

I love the experience of trying new foods, flavors, and places to dine at. I have come to realize the need to be vigilant about reading the menu, Yelp profile, and looking over your food. Otherwise, you can wind up with a dish that looks delicious but questionable as to whether a piece of meat or a meat by-product is in it. If you have gotten take-out and don’t have a non-vegetarian who can act as a taste tester with you then you may wind up hungry and a little frustrated.

I had an experience recently that I’d like to share. My friend and I decided to try a new Mexican restaurant. Before going to the restaurant I pulled up Yelp and looked over the menu. I saw roasted brussel sprouts with a vinegarette were available as an appetizer, there was a V next to brussel sprouts which means that the dish is vegetarian. Perfect, we went to the restaurant and the waiter brought the brussel sprouts to the table I look at the plate and something resembling bacon bits but not quite is on top of the brussel sprouts. My non-vegetarian friend was with me so I asked her to taste it for me. She said it’s not bacon but it definitely tastes meaty. So I thought maybe it was mock meat. I looked over the menu again and saw that there was a chorizo vinegarette on the brussel sprouts. I called the waiter over to ask if it was mock meat and he says no. I showed the waiter the menu on Yelp had a V next to the dish and he said that must be a mistake, our menu doesn’t have a V.

When you eat out you take a risk of eating cross-contaminated food or having a meat product in it. For me, the benefit outweighs the risk. Experiences like this are just reminders to always pay attention to what you are eating or ordering.