Debunking Beer Can Chicken: A Waste Of Good Beer, And Dangerous
Famous Death Row Last Meals
Photo: VirtualErn, Flickr
We can't help but wonder if Guido Rahr, president of the Wild Salmon Center in Portland, Ore., thought he was smack in the middle of ABC's hidden camera series, "What Would You Do?"
Rahr spotted Atlantic bluefin tuna on the menu at Sinju Restaurant's Pearl District location while having lunch, and proceeded to do exactly what groups like Seafood Watch, Environmental Defense Fund or Blue Ocean Institute encourage: he politely spoke up. And as a result, got himself banned from the restaurant. That's right, according to Rahr, they said he was no longer welcome at Sinju and would refuse to serve him.
In an email dated August 16, to Mike Chen of Sinju's management team, Rahr writes:
"I have been a regular customer of Sinju for years and the Wild Salmon Center has given Sinju quite a bit of business. So when I saw Atlantic Bluefin tuna on the menu, I felt it was important for Sinju to know that this is not just another declining species, but perhaps the most high profile endangered fish species on earth."
Rahr had been eating at Sinju for nearly a decade. The headquarters for his environmental group is located in the Ecotrust Natural Capital Center, across the street from the restaurant, and is home to several other conservation and sustainable development groups who share similar concerns about endangered species.
Rahr didn't just mention that bluefin was overfished, he took the time to come back with printed materials detailing the seriousness of their plight in the hopes that at the very least, the team at Sinju would think twice before putting the fish on the menu again.
"I was surprised that Sinju's reaction to all this was not to stop selling bluefin, or to even politely disagree with a loyal customer, but to ban me from eating at Sinju," he continues in his letter. He has not yet received a reply from the restaurant to his letter.
Rahr, who says he doesn't recall seeing bluefin on the menu prior to this incident, is still stunned.
"I'm a regular customer. I didn't just walk in out of nowhere, and I did it in such a respectful way. I mean, this is Portland we're talking about," he says.
While the restaurant isn't alone in being pressured to stop serving bluefin, their ban on Rahr for broaching the topic has caught the attention of industry watchers. Kristofor Lofgren, owner of Bamboo Sushi, recognized as one of the most sustainable sushi restaurants in the nation, located just three-miles from Sinju, says he's disappointed that Sinju wasn't open to a conversation about conservation, but adds that environmentalists need to be more thoughtful about their own food choices.
"When you're the head of an environmental organization devoted to the preservation of one of the most important species economically and culturally to the Northwest, and you eat at a place that doesn't serve wild salmon, that was surprising to me. I'm surprised that Ecotrust, or any members of Ecotrust, would support or align themselves with any organization that doesn't directly support their initiative and mission back," says Lofgren.
That's An Interesting Look, Madge
The List #0147: Escape a Car Underwater
Charlie Sheen Gets Back To His Roots
Visit the Maldive Islands Before It's Too Late
Reptiles Make Home in UK Man's Cable Box
16 Pasta Dishes Worse Than Yours
Springtime Budget-Busters -- Savings Experiment
Distraught Mom Becomes Face of Oklahoma Storm
WHOOPS! Obama Makes Big Gaffe
Is This Woman Too Pretty To Work?
Mariah Carey Suffers Wardrobe Malfunction on Good Morning America
Candid Portraits Of Strippers After Hours
The Story Behind Hairspray
Amanda Bynes Arrested, Undergoes Psychiatric Evaluation--See the Shocking Mugshot!
Mariah Carey Curses And Busts Out Of Dress On Live TV
Carrie Underwood Donates $1 Million to Oklahoma Tornado Victims
Ryan Gosling Almost Didn't Star In His Signature Movie
Teens' Plot To Murder Classmate Shocks Town
AMAZING PHOTO: UFO Spotted Over San Diego
Killed Soldier In London Attack Identified
Abercrombie Announces Plummeting Sales Amid Controversy
What It's Like To Talk To A 2-Year-Old
Luke Wilson Caught Staring At Fan's Chest
Rapper Accused Of Faking His Own Death To Escape Payments
Danny Tanner Is Fighting With Topanga
New Trayvon Martin Evidence Features Incriminating Photos, Texts From Teen
Best Friends Reportedly Die Holding Each Other In Tornado
Jury Foreman: '18 Days Of Testimony Hurt' Jodi Arias
Teenager's 'Awww'-Inspiring Drawing Wins Big At Google
Brave Woman Stood Down Armed London Attackers
Jodi Arias Jury DEADLOCKED
Mum-Of-Two Faces Down Woolwich Attack Suspects
8-28-2010 @3:16PM Michael Villar said... Conundrum: How do I boycott a place I wouldn't go to anyways
8-27-2010 @1:06PM Charmian Christie said... Hard to understand why anyone would ban a loyal client. Especially one who is being respectful. Did he do it for publicity knowing Rahr was fairly high profile?
Sad when a chef who relies on seafood can't bother to preserve his own future let alone that of an entire species.
Reply
8-30-2010 @3:08AM D-Bo said... I can tell you from years of personal experience, the owner is notoriously difficult to work with in any capacity so this type of behavior is not surprising.
8-29-2010 @10:12PM Joel Lafargue said... The reason is simple, actually:
Rahr was banned because he was basically TELLING THE RESTAURANT HOW TO RUN ITS BUSINESS.
In restaurant circles, this is considered a mortal sin. And it has nothing to do with being liberal.
8-29-2010 @10:49PM mark said... NO SOUP FOR YOU!!!!
8-29-2010 @11:22PM Vic L said... I agree with the Soup Nazi- NO Sushi For You!! If the fish wholesalers dis not sell it then Sinju could not serve it. If no one bought it then it would rot. If no "Elitist" as yourself Mr Rahr patronized places as this then it would not be on the menu. Yoou are just pouting as a child who has never accpeted the word "NO" spoken to him-well get used to it "BUB"!!!
8-29-2010 @11:40PM Messa said... The owner of the restaurant is obviously a moron. All he had to do was listen politley, nod his head once in awhile, tell the customer that he would seriously consider what he had to say....and then, do whatever the hell he wanted. Banning the customer did nothing but give him bad press.
8-29-2010 @11:55PM Gary Laws said... I think the customer was looking for publicity, otherwise how would the media get the story?
9-02-2010 @5:56PM frank said... Joel, it's not a mortal sin for a customer to make a suggestion to a restaurant. Especially if it was done politely. In fact customers make their feelings known all the time, by complimenting the meal, leaving a tip, complaining if something is not right. Should they be banned too? This gentleman was not out of line in offering a suggestion to the owner of the restaurant.
8-27-2010 @1:18PM Tristan Phillip said... We only have the world of Guido Rahr that he was respectful. Color me skeptical that a passionate environmentalist would be respectful to a restaurant until I hear from the other side.
Video/audio recording would be the best support.
Reply
8-29-2010 @8:44PM shirley mayer said... Isn't your response al bit of overkill??
8-29-2010 @9:14PM drew51 said... It is not illegal to record a conversation as long as one person involved in the conversation is aware of the recording.
8-29-2010 @9:13PM Aukake said... Hey Joe.............wake up!!! A place of business can indeed tape and record as long as a sign is posted that it is going on.
Also as far as a business banning a customer, they do have the right to do so. WE also do not have to understand why they do anything.
9-01-2010 @12:00AM Anonymous said... Dude, Joe, it's called wiretap. It's been used to monitor government officials for quite some time now. And guess what: THEY HAD NO CLUE THEY WERE BEING TAPED. Are you suggesting FBI/CIA/AIDS are common criminals? No, they hunt for the criminals. LRN2RGU.
8-29-2010 @10:17PM Cheryl said... Hmmmm .... Corporation vs. Consumers .... Corporation vs. Consumers with Corporate media sensationalism ..... let's weigh in on these two choices. From which do you get the biggest pile of horse manure??
8-27-2010 @1:34PM Noadi said... The restaurant is well within it's rights to ban him but it was an incredibly stupid move. The proper way to deal with it would have been to nod politely and say you would consider it (even if that's a complete lie). By kicking him out they've turned the situation from a problem with a single annoyed customer to a public relation problem that is going to hurt their business.
Reply
8-27-2010 @2:35PM syd said... Talk about shooting the messenger! I can't believe that a restaurant serving so much seafood would be so completely out of the loop in regards to the fish on their menu and the issues with blue fin tuna. As an endangered fish...I am surprised it is possible to purchase legally. ??
Reply
8-29-2010 @9:33PM e said... Who says its endangered? A FRICKIN LIBERAL???
8-29-2010 @9:56PM Who? said... You tell them, e!! Next they will say that we can't eat humans!
8-27-2010 @11:55PM Schmice said... Time for a boycott of this and other ecologically irresponsible restaurants. Even if Rahr is understating his reaction, that isn't the issue. The issue is whether they are serving an over-fished species that could face extinction. EVERYBODY IN PORTLAND SHOULD AVOID EATING AT SINJU UNTIL IT CHANGES ITS MENU.
Reply