Scene and heard

Jan and I went to the Bleecker Street Pesce Pasta and were greatly enjoying our Soul and Broccolli. I would recommend these to anyone based upon quality and flavour. However, my pleasure abruptly ended when something apperared to come out from under the broccoli . My first reaction was to swipe at it, but I realised afterwards that might not have been the best thing to do until I knew what it was.

And then it reappeared. A little cockroach. Had this been mentioned on the menu, I would have asked to substitute, say, almonds or a nice tangy sauce. But as I didn’t order it, and I have a thing against eating things that carry disease – especially if they are still alive. Actually, call me selfish, but I don’t even want to share my food with anything living other than my girlfriend. So I signalled for the waiter.

He provided surprise number two. After he had the food removed from the table – did I mention I lost my appetite? – he asked if I wanted something else: “some more broccoli perhaps?” Flabbergasted, I asked to see the manager. Initially, he just stood with his hands by his side, turned outwards pleadingly, and a rather clueless look on his face. After Itold him that I could have everyone out of there without paying their bills, he spoke. He said he didn’t know where it came from and offered the two meals free and coffee and dessert on the house. I left there feeling ever so slightly queasy, but poorer only to the tune of the tip.

Do I even need to suggest that people should avoid this place? No. I didn’t think so!