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Tammy McKinley : 29-95
Kathy Gibson wants to know if it is unreasonable to expect restaurants to de-vein shrimp. She writes:
“I went to a restaurant and ordered a bacon-wrapped shrimp dish and the bacon had come off one shrimp to reveal a disgusting black vein. I asked for the manager who acted surprised and told me the next time I came he would comp me the same dish.
Since it was a splurge when I did order it and I had only gotten through half the dish when I found out the shrimp had not been de-veined, I decided to take the manager up on his offer. (Then I was) told by the person who took my order that they don’t normally de-vein the shrimp. What? I thought that was cooking 101, so I thought I would ask Whine & Dine readers what they thought. Thank you in advance for either confirming my thoughts or letting me know I’m just being picky.”
Readers, your thoughts please?
READER RAVES
Toni Bostwick: Catfish Station, 12921 FM 1960 W., 281-894-5186
“I cannot rave enough about the excellent ‘made-to-order’ seafood from the Catfish Station drive-thru-only restaurant. Besides catfish baskets and po-boys, they also serve jumbo shrimp, all hand-battered and served with their own homemade tartar sauce. The seafood and sausage gumbo is absolutely the best! You are encouraged to call in your order, although the first time we went it took less than 10 minutes from the time we ordered until it was delivered to our car.”
Mark Salais: Cafe Shoppe, 2006 Walker, 713-247-0900
“Don’t be fooled by the name and the unassuming EADO (east of downtown) location, next door to an Asian gift store. Caffe Shoppe serves some of the freshest and most flavorful Vietnamese food in the city. From the traditional pho, French bread sandwiches and rice and vermicelli bowls with beef, chicken or pork to the fried rice and spring rolls, I am never disappointed when stopping in for my weekly fix. Lots of regulars pick up to-go orders or have a seat to socialize with the always friendly owner, Kim. This is good food without the pretentiousness of a Mai’s or the clutter of an overwhelming Kim Son-type menu. BYOB or enjoy a smoothie or Vietnamese ice coffee. It is within walking distance to Minute Maid and the soon-to-be-completed Dynamo stadium.”
Paul Maddock: Bistro Le Cep, 11112 Westheimer, 713-783-3985
“Recently a senior golf group I am with had a dinner at Bistro Le Cep. There were more than 40 of us, and to make it hard on the staff... each couple ordered from the menu with separate checks.
“The meal and the service were impeccable. Drinks and dinner came swiftly, the service was friendly, everybody raved about the food, the checks were made available quickly.
“I would recommend anybody to look at their online menu and go by for a very pleasant meal.”
If they are butterflied, yes, but if you order boiled in the skin, not so much.......
Absolutely the shrimp should be de-veined. They probably don't do it because it's time consuming.
If the shrimp were peeled before cooking, they should have been de-veined. As a matter of fact, most restaurants use a "tool" that is especially made to de-vein the shrimp at the same time they are peeled. I even have one at home.
I was always taught to de-vein shrimp before cooking and I always have. Yes, it takes more time and effort to do it right, but that "vein", if I am not mistaken, is the shrimp's colon. And who wants to eat that!?
It's not human poop! Egads, don't let it ruin your meal if you find one. Just remove it if you find it unsightly. Same with all you "THERE'S A HAIR IN MY FOOD, WAITER!" screamers. Human hair is not POISON!! Besides which, it's probably yours!
It's actually not time consuming — most restaurants have a tool that makes deveining quick and easy. However, have you never eaten peel-and-eat shrimp? You're okay eating the whole rest of the shrimp, just not the intestines?
Boiled shrimp are almost never deveined.
Shrimp that I cook and eat are never deveined.
Shrimp that I get when I eat out sometimes are, sometimes aren't.
Does it really matter.
Deveining shrimp depends on the dish, if it's butterflied and fried, of course it's deveined. But it's not for most shrimp dishes, especially boiled. I can't even imagine someone freaking out over a vein in a shrimp, that's an extremely spoiled and indulged individual. That manager went back to the kitchen and laughed his butt off at her, and they probably are still making fun of her for that one....if you are a true seafood lover, you know that you are always gonna be eating some unsavory bits, and they taste so good...
I ordered fried shrimp from Cheddars tonight and it was not deveined and yes I sent it back! If you have peeled the shrimp then dont be lazy, clean it!
It's personal preference
Boiled shrimp are not deveined
When you go to a crab and shrimp boil in a big steamer, no one deveins the shrimp they are dumped on the table and you dig in
It's an extra operation that has to be performed, even though you are using the deveining tool:Request from your waiter that your shrimp be deveined when ordering
It's not a health issue so most restaurants cook shrimp without deveining;
If it was a health issue Health Dept would be involved
You probably would stop eating sausage, hamburger, if you saw the process of making it
I find it funny people are saying it is disgusting that the shrimp is not deveined. I bet a majority of the same people who it disgusting eat oysters(I know they are not deveined) and they are eating the everything in the oyster. Like other poster stated, shrimps are not deveined if they are boiled. Happy eating.
If I order shrimp in their shells I don't expect them to be deveined, although it would be nice. But if the shells are off the veins better be gone also. BTW I only eat shrimp that is sourced from our own Gulf waters. No foreign raised seafood for me.
Deveined!! And only shrimp sourced from our own Gulf waters. No foreign farmed seafood for me.
If I am going to a restaurant and paying the price for shrimp enbrochette, I want the poop chute taken out just as I don't want to find pieces of shell. Just my humble opinion, but I think it should be as automatic as shelling with that dish.
When I get boiled in the shell, I know what I'm getting and especially if they are larger, I've got to take the vein out (my preference).
When I make enbrochette or any other dish using shrimp from medium to colossal at home - I absolutely take the vein out. The bigger the shrimp, the bigger the "vein".
Now you've got me wanting shrimp for dinner - thanks!!!
I guess we should entitle this post "You're So Vein." (Apologies to Carly Simon.)
Thanks, folks, I'm here all week. Make sure to tip your waittresses!
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