Grand opening of Memsaab Indian Cuisine

[hvlamond]

I have had food poisoning on other occasions. It is very different to a virus or infection. Primarily because the thought of the food that made you sick triggers very specific nausea, compared with thinking about food in general. I'm a medical journalist and definitely know when I have food poisoning compared with any other condition. I don't have a fever, flu or illness etc.

[Sue]

hvlamond Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>I'm sorry if I have offended you with my

> comments, but I believe this forum is to report

> issues as well as just say nice things! I thought

> it was important that if someone gets food

> poisoning from a restaurant that others are aware

> of it. Hopefully this will make the restaurant

> improve their food preparation/cooking procedures.

>

>

> As you advise, I will also contact the council.

It isn't about "offending me" with your comments.

It's about being absolutely 100% certain that a new local restaurant has given you food poisoning because of their kitchen procedures before posting on here about it.

What was the particular food in question, out of interest?

[hvlamond]

Due to the particular circumstances I am 100% sure it was food poisoning due to my curry takeaway from Memsaab. I won't be replying further to these emails unless you are affiliated with Memsaab in some way - in which case please feel free to email me at [email protected].

Best wishes,

Helen

[DulwichFox]

I eat at Memsaab regularly. I have never had even the slightest twinge of upset tummy.

You cannot come on a public forum claiming you got food poisoning from any local outlet.

That is outrageous. What proof do you have they need to up their food hygene standards.

Have you seen their kitchen ? I have.. I was invited into the kitchen to see for myself.

So Hvlamond.. You are are a Food Jounalist. Which journal do you write for.

I would love to see your work.

Not holding breath.

DulwichFox

[hvlamond]

I am not a food journalist, as I mentioned above I am a medical journalist. Please, this isn't the MailOnline, no need for nasty comments DulwichFox.

I got food poisoning from this restaurant. It was not due to any other food because I did not eat any other food in the viable timeframe. I'm sorry that it happened because the restaurant (as I said above) has provided me and my family excellent food in the past with no ill effect. I thought this forum was a place to report things about the local area - I am getting the feeling now that it is a place only to talk about the things we love. I shall refrain from commenting further.

[binkylilyput]

Eating the same thing does not automatically exclude what was eaten as the culprit due to one person not getting sick. That's a myth.

I had a very nasty bout of salmonella poisoning from eating the same mayonnaise as the rest of my family. Tests were run- it was definitely the mayonnaise, no-one else got sick.

I understand the thought behind posting this on a public forum as food poisoning is dangerous. That said, I would say it would have been prudent to have contacted the restaurant directly and awaited their response etc. They may not read your post. Equally if the restaurant is investigated by the council then the outcome could be discussed.

[hvlamond]

Fine, please everyone ignore my comments. I hope that my food poisoning had nothing to do with the restaurant in question. I shall comment further if and when the restaurant/ council gets back to me personally. Administrator please feel free to delete this thread if you wish.

[sheff]

Oddly we ordered a curry from Memsaab on Sunday evening. And both my wife and I were sick that evening and both had the day off work the next day. Both wiped out, nauseous and spent most of Monday in bed.

BUT - i'm of the mind that it was a bug as opposed to food poisoning. Even though originally I thought otherwise. Mainly because my wife got sick whilst eating and I at 3-4am...

[Sue]

Unless there are samples of the food still available, I'm not sure we'll ever know, will we?

ETA: Who was that very well known restaurateur (sp?) whose restaurant was closed down for a while because of food poisoning?

Wasn't it to do with dodgy oysters or something? Nothing to do with his kitchen hygiene anyway, if memory serves.

[sheff]

Indeed.

And Wahaca had to close 5+ sites last year and again likely source a contaminated supplier.

[KidKruger]

I had food poisoning a few years ago from a curry house (I was as certain of the source as hvlamond is) and understandably the restaurant denied it was anything to do with them when I called them to explain, in fact they were dismissive, rude and defensive.

As a result I called the council, they asked me to send a stool (they had to elaborate when I asked why I should be sending bulky furniture in a sealed container), which I did.

This was a couple of days after the poisoning.

They confirmed (I think it was envt health dept, but not 100% sure) there was a bacteria / something which is most common on rice left out when warm (I think, it was years ago) and that they would be contacting the restaurant, probably by a direct and unnanounced visit. They told me they could not advise me what would happened after that for privacy or some other reason.

They said this was the most common poisoning and that customers usually mistakenly looked to the meat / prawns as the reason(this is what I was told, so I can't provide a link, sorry).

I'm not convinced there's an argument simply in that someone else was not poisoned that day or previously, it's irrelevant - especially when your own guts are churning-up like they're caught in a grinder.

The only way to be 100% sure (scientifically) is to be tested (or test the same food that was eaten) as far as I know. In my experience I generally know what's poisoned me - however that could be a result of not being a grazer but eating at regular times with significant gaps between meals.

Any restaurant that receives one/more calls from poisoned customers regarding a specific day is going to:

a - deny it is them, whether they believe that or not

b - look at their processes and consider why it's happening, because they don't want to lose MONEY and know they may be reported and have to fix it anyway

c - try to improve on any shortfall they identify (unless they are plain stupid)

So hvlamond, it may be worth asking (if you have time, energy, patience) council if it's too late to send a sample.

[Pugwash]

I was always under the impression that Food Poisoning can only be confirmed by a stool example.

My old aunt was one of a group of people who got food poisoning many years ago. Around 30 people began to feel ill 6- 8 hours after they had eaten lunch at an Eastbourne Hotel. When it was clear that so many people had the same symptoms, GPs recommended that Environmental Health be involved. Everyone had to produce a stool example which was later confirmed as food poisoning from an under cooked turkey. People had to produce several stool samples over a period of time - my aunt was lucky - she was ill for around 8 days, a cousin was ill for almost 3 weeks. The group employed a solicitor and the hotel was sued and had a compensation bill of several thousands of pounds. The only person not to be poisoned was the one person who had roast pork for their dinner.