I went to a unagi restaurant in Gion for lunch today. It was highly rated on Google (I know, I know—tabelog is better) and got a seat that looked into the kitchen.
Everything was going really well until I saw one of the cooks repeatedly cough into his gloved palms (like almost 20 times!) and then cut up the unagi and place them into bowls for customers, one of which was mine. He never changed his gloves after his multiple bouts of coughing.
I tried to eat it but lost my appetite completely when I picked up the first piece with some rice. I got up and told the waiter that I couldn’t eat it and described what I saw. The waiter’s English was not good and he said something like it’s okay. I offered to pay and he gladly accepted.
In hindsight, maybe I should have said something sooner? Recorded the chef? Refused to pay? I just didn’t want to be that person.
by Slpamngtrs
15 comments
I don’t know where are you from but here in japan if you care about cleanliness, don’t go to fast food or a lot of busy restaurants, staffs are usually college students and they don’t give 2 shit about food safety.
Pesky tourists with their food hygiene standards.
Ah. I always thought Japan is very discipline thus will not expect this to happen.
Going to Kyoto tomorrow. Mind sharing which restaurant?
Ugh, my sympathies. I would have pointed it out right away; I think it may have confused the waiter since you ate some of it anyway.
I once went to a popular small bakery here and after they sliced my loaf, they accidentally dropped it on the ground (which looked wet). They picked it up, bagged it and gave it to me. I only had to say (ah, this fell on the ground..?) for them to quickly apologize and get a new loaf.
It creeps me out to think of all the things that go unseen in the kitchens…
no mask? I’d be out of there before the food arrived. leave a review with a fake name.
Meanwhile if your home country, you probably have eaten food at a Macdonalds which was prepared by someone who didn’t wash their hands after using the toilet.
Okay but why have been to an unagi place in Kyoto where the toilet was separated from the kitchen and there was a dog bed placed on a pedestal so it was flush with the cooking counter.
Wow, you are a very good person who doesn’t want anyone to feel bad. You did a great thing. But, it may leave some regrets. I know.
If I were in the same situation, I wouldn’t know what to do. Maybe I will do the same behavior as you do.
Next time, you may become so clever that you say something when you see such a bad cook and may refuse payment. It is another good way of behavior.
Antibodies <3
Never understood why in all restaurants the staff would put those stupid masks but nothing to cover their damn hair…
Once I was in a really nice brasserie in Lyon, France and ordered steak tartare. The chef came out because he was so excited to see an American girl order and eat it and then proceeded to hock up serious lung loogies into his hand. I will never forget it. horrible.
There are Michelin guide unagi restaurants in Kyoto that are very affordable. Definitely recommend checking one of those out if you don’t know where to go and don’t want to use Tabelog.
Get there when they open to beat the queue.
I went to this one: https://www.insidekyoto.com/unagi-hirokawa-arashiyama
Oh man. I’m glad you shared this. I had somewhat of the same experience at a restaurant in Pontocho. I saw one of the chefs sneeze to the side in the kitchen without over his mouth. He was still wearing gloves but no mask and I can only imagine the particles spreading around. I prayed that it wasn’t our food being prepped yet.
That was the kushami “special”, Sato San is half eel, injected himself with eel DNA a few years ago in an effort to understand the craft better. He sneezes a lot when out of water for long periods. Although not contagious it’s better to go early to avoid the spectacle, you definitely don’t want to see what happens next!