Asked whether the health department thought the lizard came with the lettuce, or whether it was placed with the lettuce later, Davis said, “I don’t want to speculate or place blame.”
The health department has not fined or sanctioned the restaurant, Davis said. The sanitarian’s investigation revealed that nothing appeared out of the ordinary and that Applebee’s staff did nothing wrong, she said.
Employees showed how they wash the lettuce, cut it, then wash it again. “They couldn’t fathom how it (a lizard) got through the process…and they profusely apologized,” Davis said.
Applebee's officials promised that "the report was being taken very seriously."
Lizard reportedly found in salad at Applebee's [Pantagraph]
(Photo: Getty)
NEWS AT 11!
]]>Good point. I don't think we have many (any?) of those around here.
Unless it made a break for it from a pet store?
]]>Unfortunately, some things that live outside of buildings get into buildings sometimes.
]]>You must not have ever worked at a restaurant or understand how restaurants get their food. It would be very easy to serve a 4" lizard. A 4" lizard from head to tail would be very very tiny. @Cliff_Donner:
]]>Applebee's insists that their, "investigation of this incident, which includes interviews with the server and manager on duty and the collection of their written notes of what occurred, clearly indicates that the guest ordered Fiesta Lime Chicken, a dish that contains a lizard garnish.""The server's order pad and the ticket to the kitchen also verify the accuracy of the order."
The two dishes, restaurant officials point out, differ significantly in appearance. Chicken Fresco is topped with a tomato slice and chopped green herbs, while Fiesta Lime Chicken has a lizard and asparagus spears.
"She [the server] is very clear that he repeated more than one time that Fiesta Lime Chicken was his choice. We don't believe there was any confusion on her part. Had he been confused . . . when the dish was brought to the table it would be been clearly visible to him that it had lizard meat on it."
- Source: Sarcasm Daily News, Fiona Morgan, 2/31/2008, Page A10.
]]>"I'm on Mexican whoa-oh Radio!"
]]>"This is not a common thing and, from our perspective, the restaurant was not at fault," Davis said. "It's just one of those extraordinary circumstances."
Yes, I would agree on a couple of points:
1) Serving a lizard in a salad is not a common thing, and,
2) Yes, it's an extraordinary circumstance.
Where I would disagree, is on this point:
"the restaurant is not at fault."
They served the lizard to the patron. They should have safeguards in place (i.e., the server actually looking at the plate to see if the item served is something that the server himself would eat -- doesn't seem that outrageous!)
]]>I've never had a lizard in my salad, but their braised iguana is delish.
]]>The mediterranean house gecko are invasive, but they eat insects (roaches) not salad. So I figure they were really doing you a favor and picking the bugs out of the lettuce.
]]>I can not believe that the salads at Applebee's are anything better than bagged. Fresh, double-washed greens? Ha! A bagged salad would certainly explain the lizard. Factory-packaged foods aren't always perfect. Cut open the bag, throw in a bowl, garnish, and serve without a second thought or a cursory glance to make sure it's edible.
]]>what do you want more ?"
A salad with no lizard?
]]>what do you want more ?
]]>"It's reptile week at Crapplebee's!"
]]>mmm.... this might be considered a delicacy somewhere!!
]]>