'Unacceptable and disgusting': Customer finds rat in salad at popular restaurant
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Content Warning: This story contains graphic details and images related to a food contamination incident that some readers may find distressing or upsetting. Reader discretion is advised.
A recent incident at a popular north-west Sydney restaurant has raised serious concerns about food safety and hygiene standards.
What was meant to be a simple meal turned into an unsettling experience for one customer, prompting both public backlash and an immediate investigation.
What followed has left many questioning how such a lapse could have occurred—and what steps are being taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
A Sydney restaurant has apologised after a customer found a rat in her salad, sparking outrage and prompting an investigation into the incident.
The troubling discovery occurred at Tatsuya West Ryde, a popular Japanese eatery in north-west Sydney, and quickly gained attention after a Google review was posted with pictures of the dead rodent.
The woman who made the complaint shared the chilling detail that she had already eaten half of the salad before the rat was found.
'What’s even more shocking is that they continued to serve food to other customers who weren’t aware,' the woman claimed.
The incident was described as 'unacceptable and disgusting' by another customer who was sitting nearby at the time.
While the restaurant stayed open following the discovery, a food safety investigation was launched to determine how the rodent made its way into the meal.
In response to the one-star review, Tatsuya apologised for the incident, acknowledging the seriousness of the issue.
The restaurant explained that the problem stemmed from a delivered salad box, and they were working with their supplier and local food authorities to investigate the matter.
'We sincerely apologise for this incident,' the restaurant said in a statement.
The owner later expressed deep concern over the situation in a statement, calling it a 'serious lapse in our internal processes.'
'An unexpected and deeply concerning issue arose during service, for which we acknowledge a serious lapse in our internal processes,' the owner said.
While the owner refrained from graphic details out of respect for those affected, they were clear about taking full responsibility for what had happened.
'We fully recognise that the incident occurred within our operations and may have caused distress to the customers involved, as well as to the wider community that places its trust in us,' the owner continued.
The restaurant also made it clear that it was not focused on assigning blame but on taking 'strong corrective and preventative actions.'
The owner emphasised that they were treating the matter 'with the utmost seriousness.'
To prevent further issues, the restaurant voluntarily reported the incident to both the City of Ryde and the NSW Food Authority, taking swift action to quarantine related ingredients.
Pest control services were engaged, and the restaurant underwent a thorough deep clean.
In addition, staff were retrained, and an internal review was launched to ensure that the highest standards of food safety would be maintained.
The restaurant owner reaffirmed their commitment to improving their standards: 'Our responsibility now is to act decisively, improve our standards, and rebuild the trust that this community has placed in us.'
The incident has left many questioning how such a breach in food safety could have happened at a well-regarded establishment.
Despite the backlash, Tatsuya is determined to rebuild trust with its patrons and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
'We offer our heartfelt apology to the customer involved and to everyone affected,' the restaurant concluded in its statement.
The restaurant’s actions have been monitored by the local authorities, and Ryde Council has been contacted for further comment.
In a previous story, we highlighted another unsettling incident that left customers questioning food safety practices.
The situation sparked a similar outcry over hygiene standards in the restaurant industry.
Source: Instagram/7newsaustralia
You can read more about that troubling event here.
With food safety being a top priority for restaurants, how do you think Tatsuya can rebuild trust with its customers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
A recent incident at a popular north-west Sydney restaurant has raised serious concerns about food safety and hygiene standards.
What was meant to be a simple meal turned into an unsettling experience for one customer, prompting both public backlash and an immediate investigation.
What followed has left many questioning how such a lapse could have occurred—and what steps are being taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
A Sydney restaurant has apologised after a customer found a rat in her salad, sparking outrage and prompting an investigation into the incident.
The troubling discovery occurred at Tatsuya West Ryde, a popular Japanese eatery in north-west Sydney, and quickly gained attention after a Google review was posted with pictures of the dead rodent.
The woman who made the complaint shared the chilling detail that she had already eaten half of the salad before the rat was found.
Rat found in salad at Sydney restaurant sparks outrage. Source: Nine
'What’s even more shocking is that they continued to serve food to other customers who weren’t aware,' the woman claimed.
The incident was described as 'unacceptable and disgusting' by another customer who was sitting nearby at the time.
While the restaurant stayed open following the discovery, a food safety investigation was launched to determine how the rodent made its way into the meal.
In response to the one-star review, Tatsuya apologised for the incident, acknowledging the seriousness of the issue.
The restaurant explained that the problem stemmed from a delivered salad box, and they were working with their supplier and local food authorities to investigate the matter.
'We sincerely apologise for this incident,' the restaurant said in a statement.
The owner later expressed deep concern over the situation in a statement, calling it a 'serious lapse in our internal processes.'
'An unexpected and deeply concerning issue arose during service, for which we acknowledge a serious lapse in our internal processes,' the owner said.
While the owner refrained from graphic details out of respect for those affected, they were clear about taking full responsibility for what had happened.
'We fully recognise that the incident occurred within our operations and may have caused distress to the customers involved, as well as to the wider community that places its trust in us,' the owner continued.
The restaurant also made it clear that it was not focused on assigning blame but on taking 'strong corrective and preventative actions.'
The owner emphasised that they were treating the matter 'with the utmost seriousness.'
To prevent further issues, the restaurant voluntarily reported the incident to both the City of Ryde and the NSW Food Authority, taking swift action to quarantine related ingredients.
Pest control services were engaged, and the restaurant underwent a thorough deep clean.
In addition, staff were retrained, and an internal review was launched to ensure that the highest standards of food safety would be maintained.
The restaurant owner reaffirmed their commitment to improving their standards: 'Our responsibility now is to act decisively, improve our standards, and rebuild the trust that this community has placed in us.'
The incident has left many questioning how such a breach in food safety could have happened at a well-regarded establishment.
Despite the backlash, Tatsuya is determined to rebuild trust with its patrons and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
'We offer our heartfelt apology to the customer involved and to everyone affected,' the restaurant concluded in its statement.
The restaurant’s actions have been monitored by the local authorities, and Ryde Council has been contacted for further comment.
In a previous story, we highlighted another unsettling incident that left customers questioning food safety practices.
The situation sparked a similar outcry over hygiene standards in the restaurant industry.
Source: Instagram/7newsaustralia
You can read more about that troubling event here.
With food safety being a top priority for restaurants, how do you think Tatsuya can rebuild trust with its customers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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