Another bad restaurant experience....

[Robeson]

...so it's my parents birthdays. Dad's born Dec. 3rd, and Mom, Dec. 5th. Mrs Robeson and I asked them where they would like to go eat, so we went to "Fulin", a Chinese/Japanese cuisine restaurant/franchise, they've been raving about, and wanted to take us to. It's their birthday, so it was their choice.

The menu looked O.K. Plenty of veggie dishes I could pick from. So first, I ordered the "bean curd" sushi. It was supposed to have only bean curd, rice and the wrap - no fish. I get it, and no bean curd. Just raw fish. I set it aside, not wanting to make a big deal out of something on my parents birthday. No big deal.

I then ordered bean curd and Chinese mushrooms with brown rice for my main course. It came out fine, looking good. Broccoli cooked fine. Mushrooms looking great. Bean curd lightly fried. I started pigging out and eating it, enjoying my dinner, when I put a big bite of a piece of what I thought was the bean curd in my mouth, it was a big piece of chicken, as I found out as I chomped down on it. Not wanting to spoil my parents birthday spirits, I politely grabbed a napkin from the empty table next to us, and covertly put the bite into it. My parents, who've known I don't eat meat for years, looked at me like I was from Mars, even after I explained the situation. Oh well, I guess I'm just one of those veggie weirdos that doesn't like to eat a dead carcass. By this time, I was ready to go home, and forget this fast food "nouveau" cuisine restaurant, that really didn't take the time to give a shit about the taste of it's customers. After some light talk with the units, we left, with my stomach turning from the chicken I had chomped in my mouth.

Long story short, I'm giving Fulin, a thumbs down...:thumbsdown:

[flamingyouth]

1. Ew. That sucks.

I take it you didn't say anything? They should have given you a free entree, at the very least. Sorry that happened. :(

[Robeson]

2. If it had been just Mrs Robeson and myself, .....

...I would have said something. My parents are 69 and retired and this is one of their favorite places to eat, so I just didn't have the heart to make a scene on their birthday.

[flamingyouth]

3. Totally understand. I would have done the same.

:pals:

[Robeson]

4. Thanks....

... :pals:

[flvegan]

5. You know, to be honest

if this were the avg "American" restaurant/fare, I wouldn't even blink, as I've been there/done that too many times. Usually, the "ethnic" places get it so much better, that this does surprise me, even as a franchise.

Sorry you had such a culinary nightmare. Kudos on being a trooper for your folks.

[Robeson]

7. Yeah, I usually have great experiences at ethnic restaurants...

...Thais food is my favorite type of food.

It may be just this chain, or as is usually the case at a poor restaurant, bad management.

[livetohike]

6. Sounds like you handled it just fine

It's too bad every restaurant doesn't designate Vegan, or Vegetarian dishes. I've been to some that do that....