12/22/2008:

Here’s a reader letter from “GG” that goes into detail about brazen mice just eating the food droppings over at East LA Mexican Restaurant (508 Washington).

mice-at-hobokens-east-la-mexican-restaurant.jpg

Of Mice and Margaritas

“I had a really disgusting experience at East LA on 12/18/08 and I want to be sure everyone knows to stay away!

My friends and I arrived at East LA around 8pm and stayed until about 10:30pm. Shortly before we left, my friend pointed to the floor and said “Oh my god! It is! Look! Mice!” There were four (FOUR!) mice running around under the tables eating food and pretty much just hanging out. My friend said she thought she saw one when we first arrived but didn’t say anything, thinking she was imagining it.

I flagged over one of the servers and based on the look on my face he said “Mice? I know…” I was really fired up at that point because I couldn’t believe that the restaurant was aware of the situation and was still serving customers. It is so unsanitary it is to have rodents running around!”

Read the rest of the letter after the jump!!

(Chips and Mice-amole, continued…)

“The man said I would have to talk to the manager, and I asked him to send him over. The manager didn’t come back to our table so I flagged down our server. She said the manager had just left and didn’t want to talk to customers. She said she brought this issue to his attention earlier in the evening and claimed he said “So what? What do you want me to do about it?”

One of my friends actually pulled out her camera and was chasing the mice around the back of the restaurant trying capture evidence. I’m sorry to say, they moved a little too quickly. I even had to push a fork on the floor at one point when a mouse was getting too close to my feet.

Our server suggested I contact the Board of Health, and I called first thing this morning. They are contacting an investigator about it, but one of the women on the phone told me, “Oh no, that’s the mayor’s restaurant,” which I in fact confirmed on http://www.hobokennj.org/html/mayor/mayor.html. Knowing that, I’m not sure how the situation will be handled.

I was particularly embarrassed because I was with a few friends that live in Manhattan who have only been to Hoboken once or twice. I kept apologizing, telling them I had never seen anything like this before. I’m afraid, however, that they went back to the city thinking that this is something that is condoned in Hoboken and warrants no more than a shoulder shrug.

And not that free food would make this in ANY WAY acceptable, but East LA still had the nerve to give us our full $100 bill.”

“GG” Followed up today – and said:

“I rounded back with the Board of Health today and was told that they closed the case because the inspector did not see mice while walking through. The inspector is not in the office this week, but the problem has obviously not been handled.”

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