What was really in her salad? NYC woman claims rat in bowl, eatery says not possible
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It was supposed to be an ordinary lunch break in Midtown Manhattan.
But what happened next has left one woman shaken—and an entire restaurant defending its reputation.
The details are bizarre, the backlash immediate, and the truth? Still up for debate.
On May 5, 27-year-old Hannah Rasbach says she was eating her usual lunch—a spring mix and beef bulgogi bowl from Korean eatery Ongi on West 37th Street—when she discovered what she believes was a dead rodent buried beneath the lettuce.
According to Rasbach, she’d eaten “half to maybe two-thirds” of the bowl before realizing something was very wrong.
“I thought it was a piece of beef bulgogi that was not fully chopped up,” she told people. “so I moved the lettuce over and could tell what it was pretty quickly. I was in shock.”
She described the animal as being 4 to 5 inches long. “I’m traumatized,” she said. “I can't trust what's in anything.”
Ongi isn’t denying Rasbach bought food there that day—but they are strongly denying her version of events.
In a statement, the restaurant said it reviewed security footage of the entire meal prep process and found no evidence of contamination.
They also pointed to a surprise May 7 health inspection by the NYC Department of Health that reaffirmed their "A" sanitation rating and noted: “No vermin were observed on the premises at the time of inspection.”
“The contaminant in the bowl is not something that was in the bowl when it was sealed and handed to Ms. Rasbach,” a spokesperson said, adding that the idea something so large could have been missed by multiple employees is “implausible.”
That’s where things get murky. Rasbach says she returned to the restaurant shortly after the incident with a coworker to show the manager what she found.
“She didn't really act super shocked,” Rasbach claimed, saying the staff asked her whether she thought it came from the lettuce or the bulgogi.
Later that day, Ongi’s owner, Ray Park, called to apologize and followed up via text. Rasbach says he was kind and apologetic.
Notably, Rasbach isn’t pursuing legal action. “What am I getting out of this?” she asked. “Where would I have gotten the rodent? I don't understand how that would have happened.”
But the impact is real. Rasbach says she’s now avoiding beef and takeout altogether, packing her own lunch out of fear and lingering disgust.
For its part, Ongi says this is the first time it’s faced such an allegation and insists it stands by the integrity of its kitchen and team.
While the internet debates whether Rasbach’s story holds up, one thing is certain: in a digital-first world, allegations like this travel faster than the facts.
Even with video footage and a clean bill of health, Ongi may face reputational damage that outlasts any news cycle.
Also read:
Have you ever encountered something strange in your food—or dealt with a restaurant dispute that left you shaken? Do you believe food establishments should release prep footage to settle controversies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
But what happened next has left one woman shaken—and an entire restaurant defending its reputation.
The details are bizarre, the backlash immediate, and the truth? Still up for debate.
On May 5, 27-year-old Hannah Rasbach says she was eating her usual lunch—a spring mix and beef bulgogi bowl from Korean eatery Ongi on West 37th Street—when she discovered what she believes was a dead rodent buried beneath the lettuce.
According to Rasbach, she’d eaten “half to maybe two-thirds” of the bowl before realizing something was very wrong.
“I thought it was a piece of beef bulgogi that was not fully chopped up,” she told people. “so I moved the lettuce over and could tell what it was pretty quickly. I was in shock.”
She described the animal as being 4 to 5 inches long. “I’m traumatized,” she said. “I can't trust what's in anything.”
Ongi isn’t denying Rasbach bought food there that day—but they are strongly denying her version of events.
In a statement, the restaurant said it reviewed security footage of the entire meal prep process and found no evidence of contamination.
They also pointed to a surprise May 7 health inspection by the NYC Department of Health that reaffirmed their "A" sanitation rating and noted: “No vermin were observed on the premises at the time of inspection.”
“The contaminant in the bowl is not something that was in the bowl when it was sealed and handed to Ms. Rasbach,” a spokesperson said, adding that the idea something so large could have been missed by multiple employees is “implausible.”
Rasbach says she returned to the restaurant shortly after the incident with a coworker to show the manager what she found. Image source: Behind the Buzz / YouTube
That’s where things get murky. Rasbach says she returned to the restaurant shortly after the incident with a coworker to show the manager what she found.
“She didn't really act super shocked,” Rasbach claimed, saying the staff asked her whether she thought it came from the lettuce or the bulgogi.
Later that day, Ongi’s owner, Ray Park, called to apologize and followed up via text. Rasbach says he was kind and apologetic.
Notably, Rasbach isn’t pursuing legal action. “What am I getting out of this?” she asked. “Where would I have gotten the rodent? I don't understand how that would have happened.”
But the impact is real. Rasbach says she’s now avoiding beef and takeout altogether, packing her own lunch out of fear and lingering disgust.
For its part, Ongi says this is the first time it’s faced such an allegation and insists it stands by the integrity of its kitchen and team.
While the internet debates whether Rasbach’s story holds up, one thing is certain: in a digital-first world, allegations like this travel faster than the facts.
Even with video footage and a clean bill of health, Ongi may face reputational damage that outlasts any news cycle.
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