Meat in an unexpected place

Badger_Lady

Hia,

Background: lifelong vegetarian, my reasons are my own.

I popped to a delhi takeaway with a colleague at lunchtime. On the menu was:

- Chicken curry with rice
- Beef baguette with horseradish
- Stuffed peppers with savoury rice
- Tomato soup

Chuffed with the stuffed peppers option I ordered it, took it back to the office and started slicing away. After a couple of mouthfulls, I realise there are chunks of red meat (beef?) in there!

Now, I didn't specifically ask whether the option was vegetarian but I frankly didn't think I had to - who adds meat to a dish that doesn't advertise it?

My question is, do you think I have grounds to complain? I obviously couldn't eat the thing and, having taken my lunch break, am now undernourished and grumpy

KittyPryde

I would complain (vegetarian too). If it doesn't say meat on there then you wouldn't expect it. Unless the place has a system of writing 'v' next to vegetarian things and you missed that then I think you have a right to complain. At the very least, your complaint may make them describe it better to avoid it happening to others in future.

Proc

Ask for a refund.

Optimist

I think I would have asked. Stuffed peppers doesn't specifically imply vegetarian. There are lots of things you can stuff a pepper with.

Feel free to complain though, it might make them indicate dishes that are veggie in future

moonrakerz

Stuffed tomatoes usually have ham in them ! or lamb; many have cheese, which may or may not offend a veggie.

p00hsticks

I'd expect stuffed peppers to contain meat (usually beef mince in my experience) unless it specifically said they were suitable for vegetarians.

Hermia

I think it's a bit daft of the cafe not to make it obvious that it wasn't veggie (I am sure other people may make the same mistake), but I also think you need to check these things. A lot of recipes that do mainly contain vegetables use meat somewhere in the preparation so I think you do need to ask. E.g. a lot of vegetable-heavy soups use chicken stock as a base, but haven't got chicken in the title.

Badger_Lady

Yeah... I guess 27 years of strict vegetarianism still hasn't fully honed my instincts! I always do ask about soups, puddings that could contain gelatine and baked goods that could contain lard. I just didn't ever think that "stuffed with rice" could amount to "stuffed with expensive animal flesh mixed with cheap old rice"

gordikin

Vegetarian options are usually indicated on a menu. Meat containing items aren't. I feel it's for the OP to ask if they were unsure

KeithP

Badger_Lady wrote: »

I just didn't ever think that "stuffed with rice" could amount to "stuffed with expensive animal flesh mixed with cheap old rice"

But you said in your original post "Stuffed peppers with savoury rice".

Not quite the same as "stuffed with rice", is it?

Badger_Lady

gordikin wrote: »

Vegetarian options are usually indicated on a menu. Meat containing items aren't. I feel it's for the OP to ask if they were unsure

That's the problem - it varies everywhere. Nothing in this takeaway was labelled "V"... in fact I only generally see that at hippy-type places.

It's an equal frustration at Supermarkets. Pick up a jar of brand name sauce... it doesn't have a "V" on it, but there's nothing obvious in the ingredients either. So is it vegetarian on a brand that doesn't bother labelling, or is there some secret animal ingredient (like cheese made with animal rennet)?

EDIT TO ADD: Oo, and I wasn't unsure! I was very sure!