The photo that went viral on social media.
Camera IconThe photo that went viral on social media. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Hans Cafe Belmont reponds to social media bug storm

Joel KellySouthern Gazette

The woman bought takeaway tom yum soup from the cafe on January 30 and posted on Facebook she was “delighted to find baby cockroaches” in her meal.

The post has been shared more than 3000 times, received more than 500 likes and attracted comments condemning the local eatery.

Her photographs showed at least two small insects in her soup but the quality was too poor to identify the type of insect.

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She said on Facebook when she complained the cook told her it happened occasionally and he would bring her a replacement meal, but she declined.

The woman declined to talk to the Southern Gazette.

Hans Belmont manager Vannary Ing said business had been extremely slow since the Facebook post.

He said the woman’s concerns were valid but he did not think the insect was a cockroach and the post had damaged the business’s reputation.

Mr Ing said the incident was unfortunate but local authorities had given the cafe the all clear.

City of Belmont’s environmental health officers responded to a complaint from someone who saw the Facebook post and visited the premises on February 1.

Chief executive Stuart Cole said the officers found the premises to be in order with no cockroach activity.

“The premises employs the services of a pest control firm who treat the premises monthly and their most recent inspection and preventative treatments occurred the day before the complaint was posted on Facebook,” he said.

Mr Cole said it was most likely small insects were found in the meal due to inadequate cleaning of leafed vegetables.

“While this should not occur, sometimes insects are not removed during the washing process and the operator has been reminded to be more vigilant,” he said.

Reports confirmed no cockroaches over the last three inspections.