A curry house has robustly defended itself against a customer’s claim that they discovered a plaster in their meal. The eatery, which boasts an array of awards, was called into question following a scathing one-star TripAdvisor review where the customer recounted a ‘disgusting’ experience, alleging that a birthday feast was spoiled by what they found lurked within their food. According to the review, which included a photo showing a plaster alongside the dish, the item in question was allegedly deep-fried in an onion bhaji, leading the poster to write: “Birthday dinner ruined! While eating an onion bhaji we found a bandage/plaster in the food! Yes deep fried in the actual bhaji!”
The diner expressed their revulsion and immediate return of all food, warning others of their ‘major hygiene concerns’ and advising people to spend their money elsewhere. Nevertheless, Latif’s, in Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent, suggested the comment could be foul play, emphasizing their commitment to food hygiene and customer assurance. They responded by broadcasting a reaffirming message via Facebook: “At Latif’s Restaurant, customer satisfaction and food safety are our top priorities. Recently, we received a complaint from a customer who claimed to have found a plaster in an onion bhaji from their takeout order. We take all feedback very seriously, so we promptly issued a full refund and offered our sincerest apology.”
The restaurant issued the statement to clear up some key points about the recent event: “We would like to clarify some important details regarding this incident. Our first aid kit contains only blue plasters. Moreover, when the customer returned the order, everything inside the bag remained exactly as it was originally packed, making it unusual that only one box was opened while the rest of the items were untouched.” Additionally, they noted: “Furthermore, the plaster in question does not align with the types we use in our restaurant, raising further questions about how it ended up in the food. We are deeply concerned that this incident may be an attempt to harm our restaurant’s reputation, especially considering our established standing in the community”, reports Stoke on Trent Live.
Latif’s currently boasts a food hygiene rating of four out of five – indicating ‘good’ standards observed during an earlier inspection this year. Finally, Latif’s added: “We deeply value the trust our customers place in us and assure you that we will continue to uphold the values and standards that have defined Latif’s restaurant for years. Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us directly.”