Table of Contents
Unbelievable discovery in a takeout salad
In a shocking incident that has left many questioning food safety standards, a woman in New York City reported finding a dead rat in her takeout salad from a Korean restaurant. Hannah Rasbach, 27, shared her traumatic experience after purchasing a salad from Ongi, located in Midtown Manhattan, on May 5.
As she enjoyed her meal, she was horrified to discover an unexpected ingredient lurking at the bottom of her bowl.
Rasbach described the moment she realized something was wrong: “When I tried to cut it, it didn’t feel right; it felt like a fatty piece of meat or something.
I took a better look and I saw the tail and eyes.” This unsettling revelation led her to vomit in her office bathroom before returning to the restaurant to report the incident.
Restaurant’s response and surveillance footage
In response to Rasbach’s claims, Ongi’s management has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
They assert that surveillance footage from the day in question shows a clean preparation process, with no evidence of contamination. A spokesperson for the restaurant stated, “Upon review of that video and other evidence, we concluded that the contaminant was not put into the customer’s lunch at our restaurant.” They emphasized their commitment to maintaining high standards of cleanliness and food safety.
Owner Ray Park expressed disbelief over the incident, stating, “How can it be happening here, because we have a high standard to run every single day here?” He also mentioned that they have kept Rasbach’s bowl as evidence, further asserting that they have never encountered such allegations before.
Health department investigation and customer concerns
The New York City Health Department is now investigating the claims made by Rasbach. Following the incident, she filed a complaint with 311, hoping for a thorough investigation into the restaurant’s practices. As a precaution, she also visited a doctor and was prescribed antibiotics, fearing potential contamination from the rodent.
Rasbach’s experience has left her shaken, stating, “I’m too scared to go out and get takeout at this point for lunch at all. I’m going to bring my lunch from now on, because I just feel like I can’t trust what’s in anything.” This incident raises significant concerns about food safety and hygiene in the restaurant industry, prompting many to question the measures in place to protect consumers.
