Warning Sosua Ocean Village

[frank12]

Well Belgiank,

If you're referring to the restaurant where i work, i'm sorry if i gave you the impression that i agreed with you. however, I may have agreed with the line of reasoning you used in your argument where, if i remember correctly, you said 18 of 24 people got sick from eating at a restaurant in Cabarete. Were you referring to our restaurant? If so, i apologize if i gave you the impression that i agreed with you...i'm not very bright!! It went completely over my head.

Secondly, if 18 people got sick eating burgers at our restaurant, let me tell you that, on top of being highly unlikely, it's also nearly impossible, and i'll explain why. Are burgers come pre-packaged from Michigan. they're 100% Black Angus, they're meticulously wrapped from a U.S plant, and they come in a box of 24 frozen. Anyone here please feel free to stop in whenever you like and ask for me. i'll gladly pull a couple boxes out of the freezer for you so that you can see how they come pre-packaged. They're meticulously wrapped!

When someone orders a burger, the burger is pulled directly from the refrigerator and the patty is unwrapped from its plastic and put on a grill. all our burgers are grilled over fire. the burgers never touch the counter or cutting board.

I've been working here four years; i'm sitting at the bar right now. i've never had one person in four years tell me that they've gotten food poisoning here. that's the truth. never heard it once. If you are telling me now that you had 24 people sitting at our restaurant and 18 of them got sick after eating a pre-wrapped black angus hamburger, let me say that first, that seem so highly unlikely as to be bordering the fantastical, and secondly, it's the first i've ever heard of this.

Now i have some questions for you:
1.)When did this take place?
2.)Did you contact the manager and tell him? If so, which manager? there's only been 5 managers in the last 8 years here. If you do not know his name, can you describe him to me?

Answer me these questions and i'll look into to it and get back here with the answers.

Also, It would seem to me that if 18 people got food poisoning from our restaurant, that would be pretty big news here in Cabarete, don't you think? I'm curious as to why i have never heard of this, especially since i've been here in Caberete for 8 years, and on the island for 47 years--off and on--but i've never missed a year.

FRank

 

[PeterInBrat]

Burgers are rarely a cause of food poisoning as long as they are cooked to medium-well. But even Certified Angus Beef can have e coli before it leaves the US. Freezing doesn't kill it. I doubt though that an outbreak of more than a dozen people getting sick wouldn't get back to the kitchen in question, and yes many claims of food poisoning point the finger at the wrong party. Look at the outbreaks of food poisoning in the US over the last year or so: cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce and other uncooked produce along with about a billion eggs.

The case here is for Clamptobacteria, which is specifically spread by under-cooked chicken which the victim had. It was diagnosed in a lab and they didn't have anything else which could have been a source for it other than at the restaurant in question. It was also the only meal which everyone in the party didn't share and there was one victim. It could have been caused by the chicken being undercooked, or by cross contamination by the cook handling the raw chicken and then uncooked foods.

To the OP, was the victim on anti-biotics when they got sick? It can actually facilitate clamptobacteria, since it has become drug resistant in some raw chicken.

 

[windeguy]

Burgers are rarely a cause of food poisoning as long as they are cooked to medium-well. But even Certified Angus Beef can have e coli before it leaves the US. Freezing doesn't kill it. I doubt though that an outbreak of more than a dozen people getting sick wouldn't get back to the kitchen in question, and yes many claims of food poisoning point the finger at the wrong party. Look at the outbreaks of food poisoning in the US over the last year or so: cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce and other uncooked produce along with about a billion eggs.

The case here is for Clamptobacteria, which is specifically spread by under-cooked chicken which the victim had. It was diagnosed in a lab and they didn't have anything else which could have been a source for it other than at the restaurant in question. It was also the only meal which everyone in the party didn't share and there was one victim. It could have been caused by the chicken being undercooked, or by cross contamination by the cook handling the raw chicken and then uncooked foods.

To the OP, was the victim on anti-biotics when they got sick? It can actually facilitate clamptobacteria, since it has become drug resistant in some raw chicken.

You performed the same analysis that I did and came up with the same conclusions to what Lindsey posted. Sherlock Holmes would be proud. I hope that it was only on isolated case of under-cooked chicken and nobody else runs into problems that eats there.

 

[IslandDreaming]

Well Sky, i don't think Lindsey got picked apart in the least bit. people chimed in, myself included, and said we've never had a bad experience at Ocean Village. And no, in case anyone's wondering, i don't know one single person working there.

However, I do work in a restaurant in Cabarete and i'm a little familiar, although by no means a professional by any stretch of the imagination, in people feeling absolutely positive that their last meal was responsible for whatever ailment they came down with--including Chlamydia, toe-jam, and pregnancy.

In 31 years of working in restaurants, i've also seen a lot of false accusations or accusations bearing no semblance to logic whatsoever. For example, i got people (not here in this country) coming back to the restaurant and telling me that they are sick and they are absolutely sure it was our restaurant. the converstaion usually takes this method of reasoning:

"I just got sick, and i just ate at your restaurant!" the customer
"Oh, i'm sorry. when did you eat here last and what did you have?" me
"I ate here two days ago and i've got diarrhea and i vomited in a menacing manner." the customer
"Ok, are you sure it was from our food?" me
"Yes. absolutely positive! We had_______insert everything from corn on the cob, to chocolate sundae, to chicken, to corn flakes.
"Well, sir, what makes you so sure it was out restaurant that caused it?" me
"Because i know." the customer
"Ok, how do you know?" me
"Becuase i do! Are you calling me a liar?" the customer
"No, sir, it's just that, it would help us to pin-point the cause of your illness since, no one else has come forward yet as being sick." me
"So you're calling me a liar?" the customer
"No, sir, i absolutely believe that you were sick. i'm just trying to figure out what it was that caused your illness in order to extrapolate if anyone else here--who ate the same thing you did--came down with anything." me

Other profounds examples of reasoning and immense logic have taken this course.

"I want to talk to the manager right f^&%king now!" the customer
"Yes, sir, how can i helo you?" me
"Your restaurant just made me sick as a dog!" the customer
"Oh? what did you eat and when did you eat here last?" me
"One hour ago." the customer.
"One hour ago what?" me
"We ate here one F$%^king hour ago!" the customer
"Ok, and what did you eat?" me
"we ate____________insert whatever your imagination can come up with.
"Really? But we have 28 employees here and we eat the same chicken, rice, fruit, etc, etc, and no one has gotten sick yet."me
"Are you calling me a liar?" the customer.
"No, sir, i am not. I was just simply stating a fact. No one has shown signs of being sick, yet." me
"Well, i'm telling you that i'm sick as a dog right now and this is the last place we ate at. i know for a fact that it was your restaurant!" the customer
"it usually takes longer than an hour to come down with symptoms." me
"So you are calling me a liar!?"
"No, sir, i'm not. i'm simply stating a fact. it usually takes longer than one hour to come down with symptoms.

Anyway, i've been working in retaurants for 31 years now. I currently know and speak with managers from other restaurants here on the beach, including other restaurants where i work during the summers (Oslo, Norway), and the profound line of reasoning and logic follows fairly closely to the line of infallible reasoning that i exemplified above. So, i'm sorry, i will reiterate what i've said before...until more than one person comes forward declaring that they got sick from eating at Ocean Village, i think it's not only premature to accuse them as the cause of the "Food Borne Illness", i think its downright irresponsible and crazy.

And for people here to jump on the band wagon when there is not one shred of proof or piece of evidence that clearly demonstrates that it was Ocean Village as being the one responsible, not only shows a gross lack of objectivity and impartiality, but a pack-like-mentality.

Frank

Frank, given your reasoning I understand this may sound preposterous, but do you suppose others may have suffered the same symptoms reported by Lindsey Kaufman but just happens they don't read or post on DR1? I realize it may sound far fetched but it is a possibility

 

[DRob]

I've eaten at Jose O'Shay's numerous times, usually at least once a trip. Food was overpriced, but never made me (or anyone in my party) sick. As a matter of fact, it's a "go to" spot (along with Rocky's Bailey's, and Morua Moi) if I'm traveling along the North Coast with someone with a sensitive stomach.

I usually go to Sosua Ocean Village for my workouts. The restaurant is never packed, but not empty, either, and I've yet to see people throwing up violently shortly after eating.

 

[belgiank]

Well Belgiank,

If you're referring to the restaurant where i work, i'm sorry if i gave you the impression that i agreed with you. however, I may have agreed with the line of reasoning you used in your argument where, if i remember correctly, you said 18 of 24 people got sick from eating at a restaurant in Cabarete. Were you referring to our restaurant? If so, i apologize if i gave you the impression that i agreed with you...i'm not very bright!! It went completely over my head.

Secondly, if 18 people got sick eating burgers at our restaurant, let me tell you that, on top of being highly unlikely, it's also nearly impossible, and i'll explain why. Are burgers come pre-packaged from Michigan. they're 100% Black Angus, they're meticulously wrapped from a U.S plant, and they come in a box of 24 frozen. Anyone here please feel free to stop in whenever you like and ask for me. i'll gladly pull a couple boxes out of the freezer for you so that you can see how they come pre-packaged. They're meticulously wrapped!

When someone orders a burger, the burger is pulled directly from the refrigerator and the patty is unwrapped from its plastic and put on a grill. all our burgers are grilled over fire. the burgers never touch the counter or cutting board.

I've been working here four years; i'm sitting at the bar right now. i've never had one person in four years tell me that they've gotten food poisoning here. that's the truth. never heard it once. If you are telling me now that you had 24 people sitting at our restaurant and 18 of them got sick after eating a pre-wrapped black angus hamburger, let me say that first, that seem so highly unlikely as to be bordering the fantastical, and secondly, it's the first i've ever heard of this.

Now i have some questions for you:
1.)When did this take place?
2.)Did you contact the manager and tell him? If so, which manager? there's only been 5 managers in the last 8 years here. If you do not know his name, can you describe him to me?

Answer me these questions and i'll look into to it and get back here with the answers.

Also, It would seem to me that if 18 people got food poisoning from our restaurant, that would be pretty big news here in Cabarete, don't you think? I'm curious as to why i have never heard of this, especially since i've been here in Caberete for 8 years, and on the island for 47 years--off and on--but i've never missed a year.

FRank

Frank,

I did not say they got food-poisoning. I said they got sick, had heavy diarea, and vomiting. I said all 18 had the burger, this does not mean it was the meat, it could have been the lettuce, the fries, the tomato, whatever. The reason I did not mention the name is because I did not want to blacken that establishment. I am sure you guys take all the necessary precautions, but you seem to forget those burgers had to travel quite some distance before they got to you. Have you seen some of the refrigeration trucks here?

My reply was only to point out it can happen everywhere, at every restaurant, and that, unfortunately, here there is no such thing as regular check-ups by the health department. I found your remark directed at Lindsey a bit crude, and the way you apparently handle some of the complaints are not perfect either. I am sorry.

But if you want to know. It happened on the last day of the dog-competition held in Perla Marina. Me and my friends went there to have a meal, before some of them returned to SD. Some stayed a night in a hotel, and returned the next day. All people were from SD, STI or Jarabacoa (where we were living at the time), so there was no chance to complain.

 

[frank12]

Frank,

I did not say they got food-poisoning. I said they got sick, had heavy diarea, and vomiting. I said all 18 had the burger, this does not mean it was the meat, it could have been the lettuce, the fries, the tomato, whatever. The reason I did not mention the name is because I did not want to blacken that establishment. I am sure you guys take all the necessary precautions, but you seem to forget those burgers had to travel quite some distance before they got to you. Have you seen some of the refrigeration trucks here?

My reply was only to point out it can happen everywhere, at every restaurant, and that, unfortunately, here there is no such thing as regular check-ups by the health department. I found your remark directed at Lindsey a bit crude, and the way you apparently handle some of the complaints are not perfect either. I am sorry.

But if you want to know. It happened on the last day of the dog-competition held in Perla Marina. Me and my friends went there to have a meal, before some of them returned to SD. Some stayed a night in a hotel, and returned the next day. All people were from SD, STI or Jarabacoa (where we were living at the time), so there was no chance to complain.

I apologize if my comment towards Lindsey was a bit crude. I sincerely do; i didn't mean to be mean.

My guess about your party getting sick would be the tomatoes or lettuce as the possible culprit, althought there is no way of knowing to be honest.

Still, i appreciate the intelligence response and i also appreciate you alerting me to being a little rude towards Lindsey. i didn't mean to come across as mean. i guess, over the years, i have heard a lot of crazy accusations.

On a side note, i just went to Cabrera today and had a fantastic lunch at hotel "La Catalina." After all of these years i finally made it up there. Beautiful place! Highly reccommend it!

Thanks, Frank

 

[Castellamonte]

Yup, perfect example of my point. Thanks, Frank12.

 

[LindseyKaufman]

Sounds like we are all singing Kumbaya. No need for any of you to apologize. Every one is entitled to their opinions. The patient has recovered and everything is coming out just fine, if you know what I mean.

You all made this a lively thread. I found it interesting reading, if nothing else.

Lindsey