Tuna

[detlef]

Unlike other meats, for some reason Tuna exists in one of two states. Raw or well done. It's just that simple. Ordering your tuna medium is not only a crime, but also totally impossible to achieve. The meat goes from red and raw to cooked and grey, unlike beef, there's no pink. Of course, you can have more of it grey as opposed to just the very outer layer, but it's still rare on the inside. That's not medium as much as it's half well, half rare.

 

I freaking hate it when people order their tuna medium because you simply have no idea what they are expecting.

[SheikYerbuti]

Customer: I'd like the tuna, please

 

Waiter: How would you like that? Sushi bar or Bumble Bee?

 

Customer:

[Bier Meister]

[budlitebrad]

Gotta have it rare.

[keggerz]

Gotta have it rare.

+1

 

and wouldnt it be ok for your waiters to ask would you like that rare or well done and state the chef recommends rare?

[detlef]

+1

 

and wouldnt it be ok for your waiters to ask would you like that rare or well done and state the chef recommends rare?

Well, it's OK to ask. However, it's also OK for the customer to enforce their right to always be right and say, "Well, I've gotten it medium before". Which, again, begs the question of what exactly that means. Something one has little time to truly get to the bottom of in the middle of a dinner rush.

 

So, we just cook it longer that usual, give it to them half raw, half cooked and hope for the best.

 

I am, however, now inclined to simply say what you are proposing and just stand firm.

 

"We'd be happy to cook any of our meats or even some of our other fish to medium, but we only offer the tuna rare or well. Again, the chef recommends rare."

[Atlanta Cracker]

Why not just do like steak houses do sometimes when they explain what medium rare means -ie. "Our medium rare steaks come with a hot pink center."

 

So in your case your waiter would say. "Our medium rare tuna is cooked more on the outside but still has a rare center. If you prefer it to be cooked all the way through we'll be glad to serve it well done."

[Azazello1313]

if they insist on asking for it medium i think i'd just assume they want it cooked through. easiest, safest way to handle it.

[Atlanta Cracker]

if they insist on asking for it medium i think i'd just assume they want it cooked through. easiest, safest way to handle it.

 

 

funny, I would think they wanted it cooked as detlef described. You can always cook it a little more but hard to get the raw back in there.

[Sturphy]

I'll take mine raw over rice please.

 

detlef - The customer is NOT always right. And tuna is not beef. Lay down the law!

[Azazello1313]

So in your case your waiter would say. "Our medium rare tuna is cooked more on the outside but still has a rare center. If you prefer it to be cooked all the way through we'll be glad to serve it well done."

 

ya know that is probably an excellent way to phrase it.

[peteteacher2001]

Seared!!!!

[detlef]

I'll take mine raw over rice please.

 

detlef - The customer is NOT always right. And tuna is not beef. Lay down the law!

Actually, I was being ironic since I recall keggerz reminding me that very thing in another thread. Of course, I could be wrong and it may have been somebody else.

 

Honestly, I was just venting at the end of a busy night. We almost never have issues with Tuna because most nights of the year, we're not flooded with people who never eat out. Valentine's Day is a different issue so we had like 10 people aske for their tuna medium.

 

Typically, the people who order tuna at our place want it cooked the same way all you are talking about, so it doesn't come up.

 

All that said, I like Cracker's line and will use that in times like this.

Edited February 15, 2008 by detlef

[keggerz]

Actually, I was being ironic since I recall keggerz reminding me that very thing in another thread. Of course, I could be wrong and it may have been somebody else.

 

Honestly, I was just venting at the end of a busy night. We almost never have issues with Tuna because most nights of the year, we're not flooded with people who never eat out. Valentine's Day is a different issue so we had like 10 people aske for their tuna medium.

 

Typically, the people who order tuna at our place want it cooked the same way all you are talking about, so it doesn't come up.

 

All that said, I like Cracker's line and will use that in times like this.

 

It was me...considering i have been in retail for close to 20 years I certainly know that the Customer isnt always right...but with that said...

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT

[Sturphy]

It was me...considering i have been in retail for close to 20 years I certainly know that the Customer isnt always right...but with that said...

THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT

Buddy of mine out here owns a well known restaurant and he told me the customer is always wrong, period. And he'll tell it to their face.

 

Of course, he's not struggling to pull them in. But, he's also very reasonable. It's the people that come at him like they're entitled that he gives the heave-ho.

 

He's my hero. And he's very generous with his pours.