A comfort food restaurant said it is conducting a “thorough investigation” concerning diners who were rushed to the hospital after eating at the establishment.
Nono’s on Sunday said it “sincerely” apologized for the “distress caused by a recent incident” in one of its restaurants.
“Our teams are conducting a thorough investigation to ensure that such incidents do not happen again as we remain committed to assuring everyone’s safety and well-being,” Nono’s said in a statement on August 25.
“We aim to treat our guests with utmost respect and consideration, and take accountability for falling short of our own standards,” it added.
“We resolve to be a learning organization and that means we are determined to improve and regain your trust. We will always be dedicated to doing better for our beloved guests and community. Thank you for your understanding and we pray for your continued support,” the restaurant said.
The experience
The statement comes after a Facebook user shared their experience of dining at one of Nono’s branches which she said was The Podium on August 21, around 7 p.m.
Cesca Alexander said that four of them ordered a big plate of Salmon and Lemon Cream Pasta to share.
“We noticed the bread on the side was stale. Despite not waiting too long to eat it, it was chewy and rubbery. We requested a new serving of bread and a waiter brought us a plate of toasted bread, instructing us to ‘consume immediately,'” she wrote on August 23.
“After eating the pasta, we all had the same comment — something was off about it. It was bland. It didn’t taste right. It didn’t seem fresh. It made us feel ‘umay’ right away, to the point that we felt like vomiting,” Alexander added.
One of Alexander’s companions, who was pregnant, was the first one to experience discomfort.
They were advised by the mall nurse to go to an emergency room (ER) in a hospital after experiencing vomiting, dizziness and “high” heart rates.
A representative from the restaurant met them in the ER and informed them he was there for the “updates.”
“Kristel was diagnosed with Food Poisoning. Abi with GERD [or] Electrolyte Imbalance (she was advised to stay in the hospital for ECG and further observation, but she declined),” Alexander said.
“And myself with Acute Gastroenteritis. We waited a while longer for Ina. Based on her updates via Messenger, they’d given her a couple of shots and dextrose. Similar to Abi, she declined staying in the hospital for further observation. She was diagnosed with Hypersensitivity Reaction, probably secondary to Food Intake,” she added.
The restaurant offered to cover their medical expenses, but it proved “too much” for them.
“In the end, they settled with reimbursing the amount of our meal. We were given P2,131 back. Only a reimbursement after such a terrible experience and no accountability,” Alexander said.
They were also told by Nono’s store manager that it takes “four to eight” hours for food-borne illnesses to take effect, implying that they might have gotten sick “from earlier meals” instead.
“We were also told that they checked everything from their end, even checking their water and cooking the same meal we had. And apparently, nothing was amiss,” Alexander said.
She edited her post to say that the senior marketing manager of Nono had already contacted her on August 24.
“We are now coordinating with her to move forward,” the diner said.
Alexander also informed the public that the restaurant had already released a statement about the incident.
Nono’s prides itself in serving “comfort food” meals, specializing in “Filipino favorites and Western staples beloved by people of all ages.”
The restaurant opened its first branch at the UP Town Center in 2017.