Jordan R.
Yelp
[To start, I think it's important to state that this review is not intended to demean the Mira Mira staff or the establishment in any way. What I am writing is an accurate description of my recent experience as a patron as well as a few suggestions to help future patrons with food allergies in the future. Also my experience speaks more about the management of the restaurant than any individual staff member who was really just doing their job as they were instructed.]
Mira Mira is a diner I frequently walk by and I was really looking forward to taking my partner there for brunch this past Saturday for the first time. The decor, patio and food were all excellent, the process of having brunch at Mira Mira was not.
I made a reservation for our brunch a few days prior and upon arrival I was asked by the hostess if I had any allergies.
I told her "yes, I have a peanut allergy", and upon her inquiring further I told her that I can become anaphylactic but only if I were to ingest peanuts or peanut butter, but I can smell it and be fine and I can eat anything prepared with peanut oil.
She informed us, much to our shock, that it was the policy of Mira Mira that they will only seat patrons with peanut allergies if they have an epipen on them. Without an epipen, they have to decline service.
We couldn't believe it, and of course this policy is nowhere stated on their website or in the reservation that I made, but fortunately there was a pharmacy a few doors down from the restaurant, so five minutes and $125 later I had an epipen and we were good to go for brunch; or so I thought.
Upon returning from the pharmacy, epipen in hand, we were promptly seated outside.
Our waiter, who was lovely, asked if I was the one with a peanut allergy. I said yes, and he quickly swapped out my regular menu for a separate menu for those with allergies. I am allergic to peanuts only and not all nuts, but I was told, flat out and in no uncertain terms, "don't even look at the rest of the menu, you're having the frittata".
I looked down and sure enough, under the 'Nut allergy' section of the menu, the frittata was the only option anybody with any kind of nut allergy was allowed to order.
Could I have had the hot turkey sandwich? No.
Could I have tempura battered onion rings? No.
How about the Jerk Chicken Salad? No.
Nova Scotia lobster croque madame?? Nope.
It was abundantly clear to me in that moment that literally my only option that morning was to have the frittata and that was it. But why?
I was puzzled, though not upset since the frittata happened to be the only menu option I had been considering anyway prior to the menu swap; and I wondered why it was that I could not order bacon, sausage or any other side? (Other than to possibly order a bowl of fruit, to complement the fruit that was already being served alongside the frittata by default)
How could it be that the kitchen could not be sure that peanut butter or some other peanut product had not somehow contaminated a side order of bacon? Notwithstanding the fact that nothing on the menu contains peanuts to begin with?!
Based on what was communicated to me by all staff involved in our brunch, all I could wonder the entire morning was:
1. Is it not the responsibility of the kitchen and establishment to ensure that cross contamination does not happen in the interest of food safety in general?
2. Is the separate menu with single option presented to people with a nut allergy, not to mention the original denial of service without an epipen present, not an admission that cross contamination is so likely at the restaurant that they can only be sure that a pre-prepared plate and a bowl of fruit would be the only safe items to eat in a restaurant that does not serve peanuts?
In my 33 years of dealing with a peanut allergy, not to mention my partner's career in international fine dining had we ever seen anything like what we saw this past Saturday.
What was communicated to me, though not said explicitly or directly by any Mira Mira staff, was that I was on onerous burden and that they would rather not serve me at all instead of potentially serving a burger or fries that they cannot be sure do not contain peanuts.
My experience at Mira Mira made me feel bad. Regardless of intent, I felt like I was treated poorly by the staff at Mira Mira due to no fault of my own. Certainly I did not choose to have a peanut allergy, but I do; and I have never been treated this way ever at any restaurant in my entire life.
When our food eventually came it was delicious, as was the espresso. We had a really nice time during our brunch, but honestly this experience should never have happened.
It's not my job to manage this restaurant, but I all I can suggest is that they warn potential patrons that having an epipen on their physical person is mandatory for entry at the time of booking a reservation.
