This is a small business run by a single parent whose only 9 years
old child is very allergic to any degree of food contamination.
The operator is used to an extreme "clean-freak fussiness"
approach at home in raising his son.
Now that the operator and his son eat at the restaurant (more like live
there) .. the same rather extreme approach applies to the restaurant.
Who else uses bottled water for cooking, boils tap water prior to any use and even filters drinking water with, not one, but two of the most expensive filters available? In fact even your ice cubes are made with doubled filtered water, fed directly to the ice-maker, and dispensed into the glass, never touched by hand. As well, Paul several "own" products such as yogurt and even one of the cheeses he uses, right from scratch with additive or chemicals.
We disinfect all kitchen & dining ware in such a "paranoid" way you'd be glad to read about .. first, a strong bleach treatment; then all dishes, glasses, pots, utensils .. etc. are exposed to a second process, high temperature disinfection at a 210 degree in an industrial dishwasher; followed with alcoholic solution treatment; then soap and rinse and high temperature drying. No other restaurant on the Island (and I know most restaurant owners and we walk into each other's kitchen without invitation) - no other restaurant dishwasher is set past 185 degree .. 180 degree is acceptable, but ours is set at 10 degrees higher in wash and 35 degrees higher in final rinse. That's after the bleach and manual treatment. As I said, we, my son and I, use the same dishes.
We place all cooking utensils in boiling water between use, folowed by alcohol, bleach then soap - and then the dish washer!
We have our kitchen staff "Food-Safe" ministry of health certified.
As you see to the right, we post a strong sign in the kitchen that reads:
If in any doubt .. throw it out.
Good enough is never good enough!
We take no short cuts .. no compromise ..
Our employees practice all recommended safety procedures .. not just
using gloves and changes gloves!
As I said, "my only begotten son whom I love" is served
from the same pot we serve an out-of-town stranger who
walked in for the first time!
And, truly no second grade vegetables, fruits or
meats and no leftovers!
We certainly are as clean - if not cleaner than any home kitchen. Certainly, to our knowledge - and we have many friends who work in many restaurants - no other eating establishment comes even close!
And you'll be glad to know that we have been repeatedly inspected for 4 years since we opened up in 2002 .. of course these were unannounced health inspectors' visits.. and .. we were given the highest rating - the safest - the lowest risk category as a restaurant. (Restaurants are rated high-risk (bad), modetate-risk (OK) or low-risk (very good). I'll dare to create a new category and call it No-risk because I know, I cook, I know. The inspector stated in writing in his last report that he did not find one single violation! (out of something like 144 possible violations) - not once, but over a 4 years period since July 2002. You won't find too many restaurants displaying a health inspector report! In fact, we know from friends who are cooks, servers and managers of several restaurants, that several have had many problems with health inspectors. Several busy and glamorous restaurants have kitchens that do not correspond to the glamorous dining areas to say the least. Having said that, I must emphasize, we are not a clean kitchen by comparison; we are a clean kitchen, period!
Surely you'll find kitchens with new tiles, fancy benches and equipment, shinny new floors .. but, you know what .. one of our employees left us (on very friendly terms as usual) for one of these fancy restaurants because he wanted a full time position, a bigger place in a better location meaning busier and more tips. He came to visit yesterday and said: "Don't eat there Paul. I told my parents the same thing. It looks fancy and it looks nice and shinny, but .. you know .. twice yesterdays, once the cook (owner-boss) dropped a piece of pita on the floor, he picked it up, blew on it (thus adding his own breath germs)
and put it on the plate and told me to serve it. Later, he dropped a piece of meat, he wipped it and placed it on
the plate to serve it. If I object I'll be fired". The former employee went on to comment how clean our practices at
Friends are depite the old facilty image.
Certainly quality health & safety and the clean-conscious approach to cooking is something we take pride in.
We have to and we want to. This is a big plus that puts us ahead above the rest. I could never understand
how can a cook or a kitchen staff helper do something like that mentioned above - which I thought happens only
in comedy movies - and not feel terrible and guilty!! .. .. and I wonder, if it wasn't a big place that generates lots of
money, just a small place where he and his kid or kids eat out of the same preparation, would he have done that?
of course not! Any former Friends employee may complain about not enough hours, but they will all tell you in
honesty two things; how clean and careful food preparations; and how generously, especially food-wise, they
are treated to any food and drinks for free all the time.
Back to the main point, the fact is, the ministry of health ratings of restaurants based on kitchen
inspections, has given Friends the top grade for 4 years to date. In fact, since we first opened 4
years ago, July 02, to the date of updating this page, May 06, Friends has been given the safest -
lowest risk grade without one single violation up to now, May 06! This says something .. it means a
lot, especially operating an old kitchen with old tiles and equipment which is what the inspector sees. He
doesn't see how the cook really cares or doesn't!
We are certain that our Patrons will appreciate this quality service and will come to us not just for the
good tasting food, but also the clean food.
Friends ..
Clean food & fresh ingredients .. truly clean & healthy food beyond any expectation.
We must, we do and we shall.
