To think I’m allowed to not like Aubergine

[IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece]

Writing this is making me realise this is bananas but it wound me up 😂

Went for dinner with a friend who has a tendency to be hard work to somewhere she’s been twice before but is new to me.

I ordered a dish that came with a side of either roast Aubergine or roast pepper, as an avid hater of aubergine (one of THREE foods I don’t like so am v not fussy!), asked for pepper, they said they were out, I said not to worry, I’ll order a different side dish, they pushed the aubergine (because I would have to pay for a different side) and I said no thanks, not a fan, I’ll have X dish all good. The MOST uninteresting conversation and the most something and nothing situation 😂

They brought the food out, apologised for no peppers and said my side was on the house. “Oh that’s okay please don’t worry” “no no we insist” “that’s v kind of you” followed, ate (delicious!), lovely chat with the waiter and off we went

I cannot tell you what a non event this was 😂

Friend was a bit funny over dinner not THAT unusual and turns out is VERY annoyed that I “showed her up” by telling them I didn’t like their food and asking for them to swap the dish. Apparently “she’s a regular there and is now way too embarrassed to go back after this” and her husband is really upset they can’t go for his birthday next month because of this. I’ve upset them both.

Aside from “shut up you utter knobshite” I’m not really sure how to respond 😂

She was after your aubergine...

This is an EXCELLENT suggestion, I would go with this

Aww, your poor friend! So distraught at you having been the centre of the waiter/chef's attention for all of 30 seconds headspace whilst they dealt with your food order. 30 whole seconds where she was NOT the centre of anybody's attention - not the waiter's, not yours, not even her own as she listened to your conversation with the waiter. I mean - what is a self-absorbed attentionphile to do under such extreme trauma?

I like this ^

She is happy to insult her friend but not to cause very minor inconvenience to a waiter and chef who won’t think twice about her once so long as she pays her bill and provides a reasonable tip.

Interesting priorities.

Maybe your mad mate wanted free aubergine and was mightily put out that she didn’t get it?? Apparently if it’s cooked right it’s lovely op 😂

I've been here for years, and omg i think i remember that thread!!

I'd be tempted to reply "I'm sorry you feel that way, a gesture from me will be arriving in the post over the next few days".

And then send her an aubergine. Or a rude finger sign crafted out of aubergines if you're feeling creative.

I swear some people don't realize that (unless you're somewhere really good or really shit), you can ask the people you're paying to cook your food to have it however you like.

Also I'd rather chew on a sumo wrestler's sweaty nappy than one of those awful things, which I won't even give the satisfaction of typing its name 🤮

She's bonkers and so's her dh.

I love aubergine. In all forms. She was hoping that you ordered the aubergine, couldn't eat the aubergine and then gave the aubergine to her. Miso aubergine especially is worth losing a friend over! Seriously, though, how weird! It really isn't you. It's her!

Who the hell on god's green earth does she think she is. ,?
As if the waiter would connect her to the woman who wouldn't eat aubergine..?
The restaurant doesn't give a toss about such idiotics

Clearly the reason they had no peppers left is because NOBODY LIKES EFFING AUBERGINE!!!

I'd add an aubergine and poo emoji too.

I love aubergine but theres no point telling OP it needs to be cooked 'properly' for her to enjoy it

There is no one way of cooking aubergine, some people like it still crunchy (not me), some like it mashed up, some like it drenched in oil and silky, some like it sliced and breadcrumbed, some like it in curry, or in chilli, or in a salad, or halved and roasted

There is no such thing as one way to cook them.

If she doesnt like them, she doesnt like them.

I dont like sugar snap peas or mange tout.

Yeah she's nuts.

I'd swerve for a while.

A friend once had a go at me because I cannot stand avocado. 🥑 people are weird.

YANBU
Friend is batshit.
Even if the incident was somehow embarrassing or the staff were pissed off about it (which it doesn't sound like they were), how on earth does it affect them as regulars? The next time they go in they'll be without their allegedly embarrassing/fussy friend. Surely the staff would realize that they weren't responsible for their friend not wanting the fucking aubergine?

You handled it fine. I'd have done the same. I loathe and despise aubergine. It's absolutely disgusting. I can't stand bananas either. I'll eat absolutely anything else but those two things make me feel really sick even if I just see them. Why? No idea.

YANBU OP if your friend continues to whinge I would go to the restaurant so frequently that she loses her Most Valued Client status.

Well the restaurant obviously have no issue with people not liking aubergine as they offer an alternative which is obviously popular because they'd run out.
Your friend is bonkers op.

After reading some replies I also now think she wanted the aubergine for herself and was quite happy to let you eat with no side.

Why not put it back on her and say
"I'm very surprised that you think so little of chef and waiter that you think they would be so unprofessional to not want their customer to be fed and satisfied with their dish. Chefs pride themselves on producing food that is enjoyed and eaten. They would have been very offended if I had sent back an uneaten side knowing that I wasn't fulfilled. Unless of course you were planning on eating it and leaving me partially hungry??"

Do you prefer peaches? 🍑 ;)

I think the best reply would be
🤣🍆🍆🍆👋

as a dedicated loather of sprouts (satans fart balls) there is nothing more annoying than someone telling you that you've just not had them cooked properly.

I've had sprouts every which way, many times, and they still taste like fart balls.

Well, twitter use of emoji have clearly rotted my brain because I fully expected this to be a thread about lesbianism.

Mumsnet has rotted my brain because I thought it was a baby-name post. The capital A for aubergine in the title and first paragraph is partly to blame.

YANBU - I was vegetarian for 25 years, and it was appallingly hard to avoid aubergines, when eating out. However, I stuck to my guns and did so.
Friend is batshit.