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AIBU?

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Original poster

Grim food combo or aibu?

37 replies

Gigwidow · 04/08/2026 20:40

Just went for pub meal, quite a nice pub with higher end prices. I had lamb steak with Greek salad (£30 but hey- we’re on holiday).
It arrived in a bowl with Greek salad (feta, olives, tomato, cucumber) on bottom with lamb steak on top, and here’s the kicker… covered in beef gravy!
wtf? We enquired to the staff whether this was the norm and they insisted it was perfectly normal.
I'm baffled and a little grossed out but interested to hear other people’s take. AIBU?

OP posts:
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ginasevern · 08/08/2026 15:13

If it says balsamic dressing on the menu, then I don't see how they can argue the toss that it's normally served with beef gravy. That doesn't make sense. Didn't you point them to the menu and tell them that beef gravy is not, and never has been, the same thing as balsamic dressing? And whilst you're at it, point out that salad and gravy is obviously the product of a chef that needs urgent therapy.

LejlaKapovic · 08/08/2026 12:47

Gigwidow · 04/08/2026 20:40

Just went for pub meal, quite a nice pub with higher end prices. I had lamb steak with Greek salad (£30 but hey- we’re on holiday).
It arrived in a bowl with Greek salad (feta, olives, tomato, cucumber) on bottom with lamb steak on top, and here’s the kicker… covered in beef gravy!
wtf? We enquired to the staff whether this was the norm and they insisted it was perfectly normal.
I'm baffled and a little grossed out but interested to hear other people’s take. AIBU?

It was bad enough with the lamb on top of the salad. I don't want lukewarm salad with lamb drippings in it. But yeah, the beef gravy is abominal too.

I hate pineapple in savoury food - I just don't get it. The only exception would perhaps be a pineapple salsa, provided the pineapple is tangy and not sweet. I love pineapple otherwise.

I also think shredded cheese in salads is gross. And salads swimming in mayo-based sauces. The Americans seem to like these two mentioned types of "salad".

cardibach · 08/08/2026 10:20

LoafofSellotape · 08/08/2026 07:24

Bisto wasn't mentioned,was it? Big difference between Bisto and a nice slow roasted meat it its own gravy.

ETA just re read properly and Bisto was mentioned in which case a hard NO 😂

Edited
Show quote history

Neither would work over salad though!

Countrysu · 08/08/2026 07:26

Very odd!

LoafofSellotape · 08/08/2026 07:25

MrsClatterbuck · 08/08/2026 04:46

Dh and I were in a local restaurant and I decided on the fish pie but on the menu it stated that it was accompanied by a salad!!!. I changed that to a selection of vegetables. Very strange combination which I couldn't imagine being very nice.

We have salad and fish pie a lot 🤣

LoafofSellotape · 08/08/2026 07:24

cardibach · 07/08/2026 23:40

Seriously? Bisto gravy on lamb and Greek salad…like tomato, cucumber, feta etc?
I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Greece over the years and have never encountered this, plus it sounds grim (even if you replaced Bisto with actual gravy).

Show quote history

Bisto wasn't mentioned,was it? Big difference between Bisto and a nice slow roasted meat it its own gravy.

ETA just re read properly and Bisto was mentioned in which case a hard NO 😂

Dustyblue · 08/08/2026 04:55

I was salivating at greek salad and lamb steak... but gravy on top? WTF?

You're not wrong OP. In the slightest.

MrsClatterbuck · 08/08/2026 04:46

Dh and I were in a local restaurant and I decided on the fish pie but on the menu it stated that it was accompanied by a salad!!!. I changed that to a selection of vegetables. Very strange combination which I couldn't imagine being very nice.

inkgirl · 08/08/2026 04:35

Gravy on a salad? No thank you. I eat some strange combos but not that

madnessitellyou · 08/08/2026 04:34

Ew 🤢

I not only wouldn’t have eaten it, I wouldn’t have paid.

Snippit · 08/08/2026 04:07

I’m a Northern lass and we love gravy on most things, but for the love of God, not on a salad, revolting 🤢

cardibach · 07/08/2026 23:40

LoafofSellotape · 07/08/2026 17:41

Very odd in the UK but wouldn't bat an eyelid in Greece. I'd eat that with no problem,yum.

Seriously? Bisto gravy on lamb and Greek salad…like tomato, cucumber, feta etc?
I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Greece over the years and have never encountered this, plus it sounds grim (even if you replaced Bisto with actual gravy).

Mumsntfan1 · 07/08/2026 17:49

Yuck, I hate gravey anyway but on a salad!

TheChosenTwo · 07/08/2026 17:44

That sounds gross, mainly for the fact that gravy has no place dumped on top of a Greek salad but also because it’s fucking bisto 🤮 have you seen the ingredients list in bisto? Not something I’d be eating full stop, even on roast beef!

Thepeopleversuswork · 07/08/2026 17:42

Yeah no. I am relaxed about unorthodox food combinations but that’s revolting.

LoafofSellotape · 07/08/2026 17:41

Very odd in the UK but wouldn't bat an eyelid in Greece. I'd eat that with no problem,yum.

canklesmctacotits · 07/08/2026 17:39

Oh, you were had OP 😂 Balsamic is what they meant. Someone cocked up in the kitchen!

Did you eat it??

Bjorkdidit · 07/08/2026 17:36

Blarn · 04/08/2026 21:15

Thinking about salad and gravy actually makes me feel a bit weird.

Edited

Yes, I think that's the issue here.

I like lasagne on salad.
I like chips and gravy.
I like gravy on a roast including on the veg and potatoes.

However, gravy on salad does not go. I'm not sure about the lamb either tbh, especially in this context where it sounds more like a Greek style dish, so the sauce you'd want would be Tzatziki not gravy, balsamic or anything else, except possibly hummus.

You don't mention any chips or bread. I'd also want some fries and/or a nice pitta. Or was there a couple of sliced of buttered Warburtons for dipping?

Bjorkdidit · 07/08/2026 17:32

I like gravy as much as the next Northerner and I'm not snobby about Bisto either, but that sounds appalling.

Do you think someone got mixed up between the gravy and balsamic dressing and then refused to admit it?

WoollyandSarah · 07/08/2026 17:31

It sounds like one person designed the menu and then someone less knowledgeable has attempted to make it.

If it didn't say gravy, then I think it's reasonable to send it back.

Error404FucksNotFound · 07/08/2026 17:30

My sister has beef gravy on all meats. I think it's revolting. She says beef gravy is the only one that tastes nice.
She's a weirdo in other ways too. 😁

Bananacrepewithnuts · 07/08/2026 17:28

I am really not a fussy eater but that doesn't sound good.

X

likelysuspect · 04/08/2026 21:39

I dont really accept food rules as such but I do have preferences about what sort of flavours go together so I suppose I do have some rigidity

I would like this but only because I suspect that the heaviness of that gravy will not complement the salad and also override the flavours

My OH mixes different cultural flavours, so would so a chinese based stir fry but then put olives or salami in it. Wrong flavours, those flavours dont go together

He wouldnt understand the difference between a Chinese style flavoured curry, Thai curry and south Indian flavours, he would mix them together, doesnt understand

So would mix Mediterranean flavours with Chinese or Indian type flavours

Im a big fan of mixing things together but he goes too far.

JustSawJohnny · 04/08/2026 21:34

Is it possible they mixed up the balsamic dressing and the gravy?

Did you try it to make sure it wasn't a thick balsamic based sauce?

Mingou · 04/08/2026 21:34

I hope you didn't pay for that