Comments on: Absolute filth

By: A Brit Out Of Water » Blog Archive » Just one dollar can save a New Yorker

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:10:07 +0000

[...] the last few weeks. While I’ve been complaining about chocolate brownie munching commuters or waiters washing their hands, the Big Apple has been crumbling around [...]

By: Siobhan

Siobhan — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:15:04 +0000

I remember watching a documentary in Scotland on this very subject: what waiters did when people complained — actually some weren’t even what you would call a complaint… and this is why I rarely speak out about something. It’s a wonder any of us eat anywhere.

That pub sounded vile to the degree. Yuck. I think I was squirming behind my hand-covered face the entire time I was reading this.

By: GrahameD

GrahameD — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:41:20 +0000

I’ve told people for years that *some* dodgy pubs top up their barrels with slops, and have never got anyone to believe me — to the point where I thought I’d dreamed it or something. Thank you for backing my up.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:20:23 +0000

Mat – thanks for the insight…I never saw any rats in my time in the pub, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the shepherd’s pie contained some, to be honest.

Mike/Cocktails – I think there are plenty of pubs who do this kind of thing, although dirty pipes is also why beer tastes a bit funny sometimes (marginally more excusable, but only just). I’m sure most pubs are scrupulous with their beer though…

Expat Mum – Subway hygiene horrifies me in general…the coldcuts that look slightly green are the worst offender, I think.

AFF – A1 steak sauce doesn’t even come close to HP. I mean, we’ve got some for a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ type incident, but you can’t beat the real thing.

Brooklyn – nobody would use ‘flunked’ in the UK, so I was showing that I can speak American. Although, the way the markets are going at the moment, American may soon become as useful as Esperanto.

Karen – see, I really don’t want to think about chefs smoking and then handling my food. Especially at Icelandic prices…

Almost American – given the Adelphi’s chequered history, I’d imagine the air rifle was there for more than just the rats.

By: Almost American

Almost American — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:23:43 +0000

I think there are probably many, many establishments where if we knew what was going on behind the scenes we wouldn’t eat or drink there anymore. I was told the chef at the Adelphi in Liverpool used to keep an air rifle handy to shoot the rats.

By: Karen

Karen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:35:22 +0000

I work in a hotel with my boyfriend and he says the chefs and waiters NEVER wash their hands after the toilet… we don’t eat food they prepare.

Do you know what I hate, seeing one of the chefs outside having a smoke, I just think thats disgusting, you know his clothes are stinking, his hands and he probably wont wash them! eughhh
OUr boss actually had to tell the cleaners to wash their hands after smoking, as he would see them go straight back in and pick up a handful of clean towels!

By: Brooklyn

Brooklyn — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:19:40 +0000

messed up / flunked

Thanks for the translation. Otherwise, we dumb Yanks never would have figured out what “messed up” meant

By: Expat Mum

Expat Mum — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:30:11 +0000

Don’t you also love the sandwich preparers in those Subway-type places? They all wear the plastic gloves, but they don’t change them for every customer like a doctor would. So how do we know where those gloves have been?

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:58:41 +0000

I wish I hadn’t read this. It confirms my worst fears about a certain kind of hostelry. Did anyone ever complain about the beer and it tasting ‘a bit funny’ though?

By: Anglophile Football Fanatic

Anglophile Football Fanatic — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:11:00 +0000

Did I mention I love that you have a tag for HP Sauce? I started buying it a while ago, and the hubby refers to it as the Hewlett Packard stuff. I guess he just refuses to admit he likes a British steak sauce better than the good ol’ A-1.