"We don't have a rodent problem- only mouse problem"

Awesome!!!  I'll feel better eating my sweet & sour pork now, Peking Wok.  You know how you're hungry an hour after eating this type of food?  Ever wonder why the stomach problems come around sometimes?  Well, I think we have your answer to the stomach problems coming up.

There's always joy in eating out, because you don't have to prepare the food yourself.  Order up your hearts desire, then sit back, relax and bs with whoever is with you.  While at the same time sipping on your ice water, ice cold soda, or ice cold beer.  Then the food is delivered to your table steaming hot.  You feel served like a king, with someone always at hand waiting for your command.  It always tastes better than what you can slap together at home.  These people do this everyday, so they're good at it.  Probably have a secret recipe handed down from great-great-great gramma or grampa.

I tend to not think about what goes on in the back, because that's none of my business.  Food's always good, so who cares, huh?  Ever see comedies where the cook pulls out a surprise condiment to go on the hamburger for someone he doesn't like?  Only happens in the movies.  Hope so.  These restaurants have rules that they have to follow, so they'll follow them.  Or will they?

Here's a couple of videos that KTUU shot behind the scenes at some restaurants that didn't follow the rules. The first is Peking Wok, the title of today's blog is a quote from the video.  The second video is at Sushi Ya.  Both are restaurants in Anchorage.  You may have to pause the videos for a while to let them load.

Now these are two restaurants that I will never eat in now during my rare trips to Anchorage.  Doesn't matter what steps they have taken to fix the problems.  Chances are good that they will start breaking the rules again, I think.  Only to fix problems again next inspection.  I think it's great that KTUU did these videos.  Maybe the restaurants will feel like they have to put in 110% to stay on top of things now.  We can all enjoy mouse-dropping free food because of them. 

On the other hand, it makes me sick to see reporters at their best- they are like gross, diseased little vultures preying on those going through tough times.  Ever see a reporter egging an athlete on?  Poking difficult questions at someone who is emotionally broken down?  Like an athlete that has just given it all they had, only to come in second place?  Questions like "how do you feel coming in second place?"  Or how about when a major disaster just happened?  They plunge themselves into middle of it all, with the news crew back at the station asking them what they see.  Even though the camera is zooming all over the place clearly showing widespread carnage.   They make me more sick to my stomach than eating at a restaurant where the food gives me food poisoning.  Click.  (tv remote changing channels to a better news show)

Anyway, my stomach's growling- so I gotta go whip up something to eat.  The next time you go out to grab a bite to eat, I encourage you to ask just one question---

"Do you mind if I have a look around in the back?"