The Huffington Post | By Simon McCormack Posted: 07/29/2012 10:11 am
Allegations that a Vietnamese restaurant cooks vermin have the business’ owner “rat”-led.
WTSP reports, in the video above, that Thuy Cafe in St. Petersburg, Fla. cooks rats, according to an anonymous complaint. Those accusations are vehemently denied by the restaurant’s management.
The complaint claims employees were capturing rats from the roof and garbage dumpster and cleaning the rodents before cooking them in a tin shack behind the restaurant.
When confronted with the allegations by The Huffington Post, the owner, Thuy Le directed us to Thuy Cafe’s Facebook page which features a full-throated defense.
I was stunned, appalled and outraged this morning when one of my loyal customers called me and told me that there was a news segment broadcast on Channel 10 News alleging that Thuy’s was capturing and cooking RATS at our café!This allegation, which apparently came from some “anonymous source” (which I believe was prompted by jealousy) was not supported by any evidence whatsoever, is totally untrue, utterly false, and blatantly defamatory.
The post insists, “THUY CAFÉ HAS NEVER DONE, AND WOULD NEVER DO, ANY SUCH THING!”
In an email to HuffPost, Le added, “The worst part was that the story also contained “file footage” showing rats being cleaned and cooked IN VIETNAM(!), thereby easily implying that similar activity occurs at Thuy Café!”
It’s worth pointing out that rats are not always considered animals to be avoided in culinary experiences.
This week, artist Laura Ginn served up a $100 multi-course rat dinner.
These days one complaint can be taken to the web and it all depends how people may read into the complaint. It can be one person having a bad day and deciding to get even with the establishment. I read several of the reviews and form my own opinion based on multiple reviews and depending on the number of positive may try the place anyway. It does sound as though the restaurant had a customer or employee that was upset over something and wanted to get back at them. The old adage – “Its the customers perception that matters” and even in pest control we know that we can’t please them all.