A New York City woman is claiming that she discovered a dead rat in her take-out salad from a Korean restaurant in midtown Manhattan, prompting an investigation by the city’s health department.
Hannah Rasbach, 27, expressed her distress, saying, “I’m not physically ill, I’m upset. I’m traumatized.” This was part of an unusual incident reported on May 5 at the ONGI location on West 37th Avenue.
The restaurant’s surveillance footage confirmed Rasbach’s presence there that day.
According to Rasbach, she noticed something unusual in her Togo Bowl, which consisted of spring mix, grilled salmon, and beef bulgogi. “When I tried to cut it, it didn’t feel right. It felt like greasy meat… I looked at it better, saw the tail and eyes,” she explained.
She shared images of the rat, estimating it to be around 4-5 inches long. Initially, she had trouble spotting it because she hadn’t mixed her salad well.
After the shocking discovery, Rasbach returned to ONGI to alert them, only to feel nauseous and vomit in her office’s bathroom afterward.
She described her interaction with the manager as bewildering. “She asked if I thought it came from the spring mix… Obviously, I don’t know where it came from,” Rasbach shared.
In response, representatives of the restaurant dismissed Rasbach’s claims, stating that security footage showcases a clean and thorough preparation process, ensuring that customers received their meals without any unwanted ingredients.
An ONGI spokesperson mentioned, “After reviewing the video and other evidence, we concluded that contaminants could not have been introduced in our restaurant.” They emphasized their commitment to providing high-quality Korean food and noted they’ve never faced similar allegations.
Owner Raypark reiterated that their kitchen standards are rigorous and questioned how such an incident could occur at their establishment.
As for Rasbach, she found it unbelievable that a rodent could have gone unnoticed by the meal preparers, disputing any suggestion that the rat had been planted in her salad. For now, she isn’t pursuing legal action, stating, “There’s no profit from putting rodents in my bowl. Where did you get the rodents?”
Rasbach has filed a complaint with 311, hoping for an investigation or potential shutdown of ONGI. Following this incident, she also consulted her doctor and was prescribed antibiotics as a precaution.
Reflecting on the experience, she said, “At this point, it’s too scary to go out for lunch and have takeaway. I’m going to bring lunch now because I feel like I can’t trust anything.”
