Chinese hotpot disappointment

[Mylobsterteapot]

I’m on holiday in the UK and saw a build your own hotpot place that I thought looked good, and got good reviews online. I walked down there for dinner, very excited. The idea is you pick and choose ingredients yourself, collect them in a bowl, then take it to the counter to add soup.

Except each person gets their own tongs, which they then use to pick up whatever things they like. I assumed there would be a scoop for each ingredient. I am vegetarian, I would not want to eat tofu that had been touched by tongs which had just picked up prawns.

I am sad, I was really looking forward to it. The lady working there couldn’t understand my issue, and just kept telling me they wash everything every day. My back up dinner just isn’t the same.

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That doesn't help if someone else has already used their own tongs to pick up meat and veg.

Sounds like food poisoning waiting to happen actually.

If you had allergies I would understand. But I think you are being a bit extreme, I highly doubt there would be any prawn bits on your tofu.

Surely that’s not great for cross contamination. You wouldn’t want tongs that have touched raw chocking then touching the veg.

as someone with a shellfish allergy I empathise! Nothing worse than being excited for a dinner to have it ruined by lax rules about cross contamination

I also stopped having Subway as this is what they do.

after the initial argument where they asked if they wanted me to change gloves before they did my veggie sub, then tried to tell me Tuna absolutely is vegetarian, I saw they make the sandwiches by just putting their hands in the containers.

so if someone has a meat sub, they grab the meat, then use the same gloves to dip into the salad, touch the bread etc.

yeah no.

I understand your disappointment OP - that sounds terrible from a cross contamination pov. I'd report it to Environmental Health at the local council tbh as it sounds as though the people running the place don't fully understand safe food hygiene practices.

It's not like they're insinuating there would be bits/crumbs of prawn, but the essence and taste of something you dislike/ are against is enough to put someone off there dinner.

I get it OP, sorry your dinner plans have been spoiled :(

But all the meat is already cooked. There's no risk of food poisoning. I don't see how they could protect against allergies either as that would entail switching gloves between every single ingredient....so like what, 10 gloves per sub?
If they had set gloves for each that would entail a lot of switching. I suppose they could use spoons or something similar but it's really hard to make a sandwich with that
If you're that strict of a vegetarian subway isn't for you. I'm vegetarian on specific days for religious reason and couldn't care less about transference. The effect IMO is negligible

Also OP YANBU. Raw meat and veggies shouldn't be mixed. But also, I can't believe they allow people to use their own tongs! How are they sure that people aren't using dirty ones? Or mixing ingredients by accident

You usually order set portions of items for hotpot.

Even worse, I saw so many places where with the same gloves they go to the till, handle the money, till again and then back to the sandwiches!

But other customers can have allergies, it's not just about the OP but general lack of awareness and hygiene.

It's fine for raw meat and vegetables to mix a bit at a Chinese hot pot place as everything gets thoroughly cooked in the spicy oily broth. The main hygiene concern is to use different utensils putting the raw ingredients in and taking cooked food out.

Don't expect an authentic Chinese place to fully understand vegetarianism and keep everything separate. They love their vegetables in China, have a huge range of them which they are very proud of and eat a higher proportion of veg in their diet than we do. But they don't have a culture of vegetarianism (outside Buddhist temples) and keeping animal ingredients separate from vegetables is an alien concept.

It's frustrating. I've been there, as a vegetarian myself, and had to grapple with how strict I am with it.

I can understand what you are saying OP. But I can understand why the counter lady couldn't understand about what/why you are upset.

Generally western strict vegetarianism isn't much of a thing in China and Chinese people really can't understand why using tongs that had touched prawns to pick up tofu isn't allowed if you are vegetarian.

Also the reason why she tried to explain to you "everything gets cleaned" is she might think you thought the venue was dirty. She was saying it was not, any after people pick up the raw ingredients, the food gets cooked thoroughly in the broth.

I can see why you are upset I can relate, but the concept of "can't have touched meat", where most people in China, don't see it as a problem.

I wouldn't call it Western 'strict vegetarianism' btw. Many strict Hindus won't accept it either.
Ideology whatever the reason is still ideology

Marugame by any chance?

I looked around and would change my vote to yabu.
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGenBQTbL/

YANBU at all but I’m actually posting to say that restaurant concept sounds very good and now I’m craving Chinese food!!!!

Isn’t this how they all work?

I understand your concerns and from an allergy risk this is hugely worrying but it is the norm for hot pots, even in the UK so I don't think much can be done about it

@Mylobsterteapot that doesn't sound like a proper hotpot place

in a proper hotpot place, they bring the broth(s) to your table and there is a heating element which keeps it boiling. then they bring selection of items (to be cooked by you) as per what you order

I went to a place called haidalo hotpot in London (central) last week and it was great. there was two of us and we had 4 broths and selection of veggies, noodles, tofu and fish to cook. you can choose vegetarian/vegan broths and cooking items.