"I'm never shopping THERE again!" Share your story!

[Shalamar]

My husband and I had lunch at a very popular French-themed food truck yesterday.  I ordered a sandwich that was supposed to have crispy bacon as well as a pork belly.  Alas, I didn't realize that pork belly = fat.  Lots and lots of fat.  I was repulsed (I absolutely cannot stand fat on meat - it makes me sick.)  The bacon was limp and unappetizing, too.  There was a long lineup, so I didn't go back to complain (I should have, though, I know).   My husband ended up eating the sandwich and said it wasn't good at all.  (He loves all food, so if he doesn't like something, you know it's not good.)

I posted a negative review on UrbanSpoon as well as e-mailing the restaurant.  The reply from the owner basically said "You should have said something (true), it's your own fault for not knowing that pork bellies have a lot of fat (also true), a review like yours hurts our business, and your spewing vitriol over the Internet reflects badly on you."  Oookay.    I went back and edited my review because some parts of it were unnecessarily harsh (I wrote it when I was still fighting nausea from the sight of all that fat).

Definitely won't be back!

[Goosey]

I do think blaming the food truck because you got what you ordered is inappropriate.

[Harriet Jones]

I do think blaming the food truck because you got what you ordered is inappropriate.

She could at least complain that the bacon wasn't crispy...

[Goosey]

I do think blaming the food truck because you got what you ordered is inappropriate.

She could at least complain that the bacon wasn't crispy...

Yeah, I would focus on the quality of the cooked food, not the content. Since, they provided the right content, she just didn't like it.

[gramma dishes]

I do think blaming the food truck because you got what you ordered is inappropriate.

She could at least complain that the bacon wasn't crispy...

Yeah, I would focus on the quality of the cooked food, not the content. Since, they provided the right content, she just didn't like it.

But her husband (who loves ALL food) didn't like it either.  My suspicion is that if the bacon was limp and undercooked, the rest of the food was probably not well prepared either.

[Shalamar]

Yeah, if I had the chance to have a do-over, I would go to the owner and say "This isn't what I expected, can I get something else?".  I accept my share of the blame. 

I honestly wonder if the cook was having an off-moment when he made my food.  Everyone else who has had that sandwich has loved it.

[Goosey]

I do think blaming the food truck because you got what you ordered is inappropriate.

She could at least complain that the bacon wasn't crispy...

Yeah, I would focus on the quality of the cooked food, not the content. Since, they provided the right content, she just didn't like it.

But her husband (who loves ALL food) didn't like it either.  My suspicion is that if the bacon was limp and undercooked, the rest of the food was probably not well prepared either.

Right, I'm not saying it wasn't. I'm saying the fact that it contained a food that specifically mentioned in the ingredients should have been left out entirely - not just stated less harshly.

Her real complaint (that the bacon was undercooked) was lost in her complaint about the fat. It's unfair to complain about the pork bellies being in a pork belly sandwich. To go on about how ill it made her feel was even worse. Anything else is fair game.

Yeah, if I had the chance to have a do-over, I would go to the owner and say "This isn't what I expected, can I get something else?".  I accept my share of the blame. 

I honestly wonder if the cook was having an off-moment when he made my food.  Everyone else who has had that sandwich has loved it.

That's strange! You must be right about the off-moment

[Jocelyn]

But her husband (who loves ALL food) didn't like it either.  My suspicion is that if the bacon was limp and undercooked, the rest of the food was probably not well prepared either.

Strange as it may seem to us crispy bacon people, there ARE people who believe that bacon should be flexible when cooked.
But I'm a little mystified how anyone would conclude that 'pork belly' would be lean meat.

[Shalamar]

I blame Trading Places.  No, hear me out, I'm serious!    When Billy Ray (Eddie Murphy) was being taught about pork bellies, he was told that they were used to make bacon.  Therefore, I was expecting lots of bacon - with fat, sure, but not the jiggly gelatinous kind that I got.  (Urp.)  The fact that it was called Death By Bacon cemented that belief. 

Strange as it may seem to us crispy bacon people, there ARE people who believe that bacon should be flexible when cooked.

Heh, my husband is one of them.    Actually, though, the description said "crispy bacon", and this was not.

[magicdomino]

But her husband (who loves ALL food) didn't like it either.  My suspicion is that if the bacon was limp and undercooked, the rest of the food was probably not well prepared either.

Strange as it may seem to us crispy bacon people, there ARE people who believe that bacon should be flexible when cooked.
But I'm a little mystified how anyone would conclude that 'pork belly' would be lean meat.

I suspect a lot of people don't realize that pork belly is the same cut as American bacon but without the salt and smoke --  which makes it a little pointless in my humble opinion.     Shalamar probably thought it would be closer to a pork chop or a country-style rib.  (Quick, what part of the pig do country-style ribs come from?      )

I just read Shalamar's update.  Nope, pork bellies have all the fat and none of the good stuff.  I don't understand the appeal, myself.

[jedikaiti]

But her husband (who loves ALL food) didn't like it either.  My suspicion is that if the bacon was limp and undercooked, the rest of the food was probably not well prepared either.

Strange as it may seem to us crispy bacon people, there ARE people who believe that bacon should be flexible when cooked.
But I'm a little mystified how anyone would conclude that 'pork belly' would be lean meat.

I don't think I've ever had pork belly, but I would expect actual pork. What I'm envisioning based on the description is a slab of fat.

[magicdomino]

But her husband (who loves ALL food) didn't like it either.  My suspicion is that if the bacon was limp and undercooked, the rest of the food was probably not well prepared either.

Strange as it may seem to us crispy bacon people, there ARE people who believe that bacon should be flexible when cooked.
But I'm a little mystified how anyone would conclude that 'pork belly' would be lean meat.

I don't think I've ever had pork belly, but I would expect actual pork. What I'm envisioning based on the description is a slab of fat.

I just double-checked to make sure.  Pork belly isn't quite a slab of fat like saltpork/fatback because it does have some meat in it, but it does have quite a bit of fat.  Evidently, it is very popular in a lot of Asian cuisines and some traditional European dishes.

[Slartibartfast]

Pork belly = that little chunk of "bacon" you sometimes find in cans of baked beans.  The one that's all greasy and slimy and has no actual flavor whatsoever.

[Psychopoesie]

Pork belly has become really popular here and pops up on a lot of menus. It's delicious when cooked properly.

I first tasted it years ago in a yum cha (dim sum) restaurant - it was one of the special dishes you could order. Sure it's a fatty cut of meat but the cook did beautiful things with marinades and it was exquisitely flavoured and melt-in-the-mouth tender. I've also had it as a roast with the skin crispy (think crackling). Recently bought some myself that was pre-marinaded with Asian spices and slow cooked it in the oven. Turned out really well.

So please don't write it off based on a single bad experience or the memory of some greasy slimy leftover in a can of beans.
 

[wheeitsme]

The pork belly I had at the authentic yakitori (? food on sticks) restaurant was wonderful. It was like a mix of bacon and ham. The pork belly I've had in non-Asian restaurants? The chunk of fatness.