What Historic Bangkok Bars Do We Have Left?

[sqwakvfr]

From time to time the food I order (at a restaurant or delievery) has been unacceptable.  Years ago I would send the food back.  But a few times after eating the food that was redone has given me some stomach issues like cramps and a few times diarrhea.  Since then when the food I ordered is not to my liking I pay and just walk out.  The latest example was a chicken sandwhich that I ordered.  The chicken had consistency of fine leather.  It looked and smelled like it was made days ago. 

 

Also, in the past If I were to complain about food the usual reaction from the local workers has been like as if I had just insuled their mother.  This is just based upon my experience but why does it seem like many Thai people get insulted and at times get upset when I have complaiend about the quality of the food I ordered.  From my perspective it seems like because i am a foreigner I have lost my right to complain when the quality of the product or service I have paid is not to my liking. This does not happen all the time but it did happen enough times  and  I have decided it is not worth making this into a "federal" case.  

 

So what do others do when the food they ordered is not to their liking? 

[GammaGlobulin]

5 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

So what do others do when the food they ordered is not to their liking? 

 

Tuna:  One can per day

Omelet: One 5-egg omelet per day

Chicken breast: Two per day, but only cooked in my oven, using fresh breasts.

Rice:  A lot of rice, steamed in my steamer.

Bread: Not too much, but only what I bake myself.

 

What could possibly go wrong?

 

I have never sent back food to the cook, in a restaurant.

If I do not like what I am served, then I pay and leave.

 

But, I probably would NOT walk away from a Panang-Gai...

 

 

[Gottfrid]

There are different levels of complaint. As you post, food is not to your liking. That, does not necessarily mean it´s anything wrong with it. That can mean taste, consistency etc.

However, if you can show and prove that the food is undercooked or overcooked, not fresh and so on, then you have the right to complain. 

The bad thing is the reaction from some Thai´s, who live in a culture where they consider themselves perfect and must be without fault. That once again create the face issue, and as you complain they are losing face.

There are different way to complain about food. To just say straight to their face that is bad and wrong, does collide with the cultural norms. Here in Thailand, it´s better to with a low voice or a wink of the hand politely make them attend to your issue. instead of telling them it´s bad , uneatable or wrong, just ask them to look and assume that they have made a minor mistake, and ask them to kindly tell the chef to take care of the issue.

[Ralf001]

22 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Tuna:  One can per day

Omelet: One 5-egg omelet per day

Chicken breast: Two per day, but only cooked in my oven, using fresh breasts.

Rice:  A lot of rice, steamed in my steamer.

Bread: Not too much, but only what I bake myself.

 

 

 

 

 

You order all that in or cook yourself ?

[CharlieH]

Western attitude to Asian situation.Chess meets checkers, different rules of the game.

 

Unless it's absolutely rancid etc and inedible, there is no complaint because " you don't like it" 😉

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Probably you know already, Thais never complain about the bad food.

One reason is that they don't want the people in the restaurants feel bad.

Another reason is that they don't want that someone spits in the replacement food.

 

Personally, in places where I eat the first time and there is bad food, I just don't eat the food.

Maybe I complain, maybe I don't complain, but I won't eat any replacement, see above.

 

In good restaurants where I go regularly, I sometimes complain, i.e. if I order something which is supposed hot be hot, but it arrives cold. In those places the manager understands why I complain, and they do their best to make up for their mistake - at least that is how it looks to me.

[OneMoreFarang]

Just now, CharlieH said:

Western attitude to Asian situation.Chess meets checkers, different rules of the game.

 

Unless it's absolutely rancid etc and inedible, there is no complaint because " you don't like it" 😉

 

Sometimes it's undercooked, and with pork or chicken that is bad. And there might be other issues.

Some things are about taste. But other issues are just about right or wrong. Half raw chicken is never right. 

 

 

 

[Hummin]

In a backyard restaurant, I never send the food back, but if in a 5 star resaurant, and I ordered medium rare steak, I will do if its to bloody. 

[GammaGlobulin]

6 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Western attitude to Asian situation.Chess meets checkers, different rules of the game.

 

Unless it's absolutely rancid etc and inedible, there is no complaint because " you don't like it" 😉

 

 

 

 

have a "dish" of Stinky Bean Curd (steamed), why don't you?

 

 

The DISH is above....

 

The stinky part is below....

 

 

 

Both go well with LOTS of beer....

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

28 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

You order all that in or cook yourself ?

 

a. Omelete's are delivered, 20 boxes per delivery.

b. Flour, Rice, Extra-Virgin Spanish olive oil,....Lotus.

c. Chicken breasts...Lotus

d. Tuna...TOPS.....GREAT QUALITY....IMHO

e. Pigeons:  I have already ordered the Havahart Trap.  Maybe TWO per DAY, would not be an over-estimation of what I will catch.

 

 

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

a. Omelete's are delivered, 20 boxes per delivery.

b. Flour, Rice, Extra-Virgin Spanish olive oil,....Lotus.

c. Chicken breasts...Lotus

d. Tuna...TOPS.....GREAT QUALITY....IMHO

e. Pigeons:  I have already ordered the Havahart Trap.  Maybe TWO per DAY, would not be an over-estimation of what I will catch.

 

 

Right..... so nothing relevant to the OP's question.

[GammaGlobulin]

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Right..... so nothing relevant to the OP's question.

 

I already stated:

 

I NEVER, EVER send food back to the kitchen, in Asia.

 

I have NEVER, EVER done this...

 

In over 45 years.

 

Too late for me to learn new tricks, from newcomer Farang, on TV, I guess.....

 

[GammaGlobulin]

13 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Right..... so nothing relevant to the OP's question.

 

I have, actually, never had a bad meal in China.

But then, I have never eaten from the gutter in China, either.

 

I recall a nice meal of Suckling Lamb in Dalian....

 

It was so very good, that i would never have given it up...until the last bite.

 

However, in Dalian, if I had sent my food back to the chef, in that particular restaurant, then, in effect, I would have just been ordering ...

A Hawaiian Punch....

 

I have, also, almost never had a bad meal in Thailand.

 

I once bought something bad (just one time) from a street vendor near Lang Mo.....

Took one bite, then chucked the rest out the back of the Rot Deng.

 

Honestly, I have had ZERO experience being served a meal that was not wonderful, whether it be in China, Thailand, or Taiwan.

 

One time, I had a bad meal in HK, but then....I was not so stupid as to send it back to the chef......!!!!!!

 

What....

Do you REALLY think that I am that NUTZO?

Sending food back......!!!!???

 

And, where do you think you ARE....anyway.....?

The Vatican City?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

45 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

In good restaurants where I go regularly, I sometimes complain, i.e. if I order something which is supposed hot be hot, but

 

I agree.

 

When I order food spicy, but it's not HOT enough...

Then I complain.

And then, the chef gives me more chili.

 

Nothing worse than food which is not hot enough...IMHO.