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Restaurant Allegedly Cooks Rats, Thuy Cafe Denies Accusations

The Huffington Post     First Posted: 07/29/12 10:12 AM ET Updated: 07/30/12 10:37 AM ET

Allegations that a Vietnamese restaurant cooks vermin have the business' owner "rat"-led.

WTSP reports, in the video above, that Thuy Cafe in St. Petersburg, Fla. cooks rats, according to an anonymous complaint. Those accusations are vehemently denied by the restaurant's management.

The complaint claims employees were capturing rats from the roof and garbage dumpster and cleaning the rodents before cooking them in a tin shack behind the restaurant.

When confronted with the allegations by The Huffington Post, the owner, Thuy Le directed us to Thuy Cafe's Facebook page which features a full-throated defense.

From the Facebook page:

I was stunned, appalled and outraged this morning when one of my loyal customers called me and told me that there was a news segment broadcast on Channel 10 News alleging that Thuy's was capturing and cooking RATS at our café!

This allegation, which apparently came from some "anonymous source" (which I believe was prompted by jealousy) was not supported by any evidence whatsoever, is totally untrue, utterly false, and blatantly defamatory.

The post insists, "THUY CAFÉ HAS NEVER DONE, AND WOULD NEVER DO, ANY SUCH THING!"

In an email to HuffPost, Le added, "The worst part was that the story also contained "file footage" showing rats being cleaned and cooked IN VIETNAM(!), thereby easily implying that similar activity occurs at Thuy Café!"

It's worth pointing out that rats are not always considered animals to be avoided in culinary experiences.

This week, artist Laura Ginn served up a $100 multi-course rat dinner.



 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Zhana Roiya
08:11 AM on 07/31/2012
Mmm I have my doubts as to whether this is a lie the meat is cheap and free for the owner. WE look at it as gross but other people look at it as acceptable. I stopped eating most chinese food and meat altogether. But I noticed that the chicken in most Asian takeout restaurants looks like no chicken meat I have ever seen. That flat rubbery substance with ridges in it.