Category Archives: Restaurant

Germ Free Vegetarian Dining: 5 Disease Culprits You Won’t Encounter at A Vegetarian Restaurant

These days, it seems like germs are everywhere. From the swine flu to the avian flu, we seem to be under siege from deadly bacteria and viruses. Fortunately, when you dine in a vegetarian restaurant, there are some illnesses that you can forget about for an hour or two. Here are 5 germs that you are less likely to encounter when you choose a vegetarian dining option for your next meal.

1. Salmonella
This illness-causing bacteria is carried primarily in meat and eggs. Most often, people ingest the bacteria when eating meats or eggs that have not been fully cooked. Since your vegetarian meal contains no meat or eggs, you do not have to worry about proper preparation time.

Salmonella can sometimes spread from contaminated meat to other foods and surfaces if the preparer touches the item after handling uncooked meat. Vegetarian restaurant kitchens are safe from any possibility of cross contamination. Even if a germ managed to get on your veggie before it arrived at the restaurant, the bug is eliminated when your chef washes your veggies before use.

2. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) a.k.a. Mad Cow Disease
Rare but deadly, BSE is caused by a mutated protein that enters the body and causes the brain and spinal cord to degenerate, eventually leading to death. It is carried exclusively in meat products and is transmitted by consuming the affected beef. Your dinner at a vegetarian restaurant is guaranteed to be BSE-free.

3. E. coli
E. coli is a bacteria which produces toxins that can cause serious illness and even death, particularly among those with a weakened immune system. It is most commonly transmitted in undercooked meat, such as the hamburger-related outbreak on the West Coast a few years ago. While unwashed produce can occasionally contain E. coli, basic washing eliminates the bacteria. Simply put, as long as your restaurant is washing its vegetables before use, you’re completely safe.

If you’re still worried, go organic for your vegetarian dining. Certified organic farms were found to have a lower incidence of E. coli than other producers. If you want to be doubly sure that your meal is bacteria free, an organic vegetarian restaurant is less likely to have E. coli than other restaurants.

4. Shellfish poisoning
Nearly everyone has known someone who has gotten sick after a seafood dinner. Clams, mussels, oysters and scallops are the most common culprits. These two-shelled bottom feeders often build up toxins as they filter the water for their nutrients. When improperly cooked, those toxins remain in the meat, entering your system and leading to a few days of gastrointestinal misery. You can avoid any risk of shellfish poisoning by opting for a vegetarian dining option instead.

5. Clostridium perfringens
This is another illness-causing bacteria carried in poorly prepared meat and poultry. While the subsequent gastrointestinal upset is not usually fatal, it is weakening and can last for 24 to 48 hours after consumption. Most of us have experienced it at some time or another without knowing it, since studies have shown that the majority of the population has antibodies left over from previous infection. To save yourself from a case of the “stomach flu,” choose a vegetarian restaurant instead.

Dangerous, disease-causing bacteria lurk in incorrectly prepared meat, poultry and shellfish, and you can get your dose unknowingly from a meat-serving restaurant. Choose a vegetarian restaurant instead for a germ free dining experience.

The Benefits of Gourmet Catering Restaurants

Using a catering restaurant for your next event has a great many advantages than simply bringing your party or event to a fine dining restaurant. The choices available to you will open up to include many more venues when you opt to use a company that is dedicated to bringing fine food wherever it is needed instead of bringing the diners to the food.

There are a number of fine dining restaurants in the Los Angeles area that also offer catering services to better serve their customers. This will allow you to host your event wherever you want. The catering restaurants will bring their gourmet food to a rented hall or to your home if that is where you prefer to hold your event.

Catering services will generally include service as well as the food. This means that you won’t have to worry about the wait staff when you are planning your event. Planning an event can be extremely stressful, from deciding on the menu to ordering the flowers for the décor, there are a number of choices and decisions that must be made. Using the Los Angeles based catering service can certainly help to alleviate some of the burden.

When hiring the catering restaurant for your event, you should sample the food, of course, and inquire about staffing, table settings and linens. A full service catering restaurant will have everything that you need for your event.

You will also be able to accommodate the special dietary needs of your guests when you use a catering restaurant. Offering a vegetarian option on the menu is easier when someone is preparing the food. You should survey your guests with their menu options in advance so that the catering restaurant will be able to prepare the correct number of special meals.

Choosing the right catering restaurant is one of the more enjoyable tasks that you will have to do when planning a big event. You will have an opportunity to sample some gourmet treats when you are making your decision on the restaurant that will cater your event. In fact, there are so many Los Angeles catering restaurants that you should set aside several days to sample and discuss your budget with these businesses before you choose the one that you will use.

A smaller event may only require a self catering service from one of these restaurants. This will allow you to simply choose the type of food and the amounts for your smaller party. Many of these restaurants will also allow you to choose some of their other services that are typically available with a fully catered event such as staff, dishes, platters, chairs and other items that you may need for the day. Picking and choosing the items that you need for your party can save on your budget as well.

Take the time to list the available catering restaurants in Los Angeles and visit each one to be sure that you are getting the best food for the price that your budget will allow.