Red Ribbon Bakeshop & thier Ensaymada: Rant and Rave

Yesterday, my mom had this sudden ensaymada craving. Thus she called up Hizons in J.Bocobo Street to order a few pieces of their delicious ensaymada and mocha cake (yes!!). She then instructed our driver to pick it up. The yummy ensaymadas and mocha cake(micorwaved on High for 15 seconds) arrived during lunch time. Then, that afternoon, she had a meeting with her Church group, and her good friend Tita Mia gave her a Red Ribbon ensaymada by chance.

This morning as she was about to open the sealed ensaymada. She noticed that there was a dark spot on the ensaymada. Curious on what it was – she took a closer look – and guess what she discovered? A tiny cockroach! It was embedded on top of the ensaymada! She didn’t believe what she saw – she even asked the helper to identify what it was. I too was in disbelief! Since the ensaymada was in a sealed plastic – I didn’t expect to see a small cockroach there. I think that it was only recently that Red Ribbon packaged their ensaymadas in a sealed plastic – maybe to maintain that their items are ‘fresh’. But upon seeing this – I don’t think it’s fresh! How on earth did that cockroach get embedded on the ensaymada? Maybe it climbed up there? Pre-baking, during baking, post-baking? Your guess is as good as mine.

I honestly wouldn’t notice the cockroach. I would just have let it pass and assume that it was burned cheese! But when you look closely – the antenna was also there! Yikes!

My mom called Red Ribbon Libis to report – and she was told to go to the branch where she got it from and exhange it for a new one. There were no apologies given. The Red Ribbon staff in Libis said that they will still have to take it to their laboratory and have it tested. Why do they need to test it for, when if fact it is right there – seen by the naked eye!? It’s impossible that someone just put it in on purpose since it’s sealed right? We had no way to contact the Hemady Branch because their telephone was under repair.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I dislike Red Ribbon – in fact I love the establishment because of their Mango Cream Pie! It’s just that ‘nawalan ako ng gana’ because of their unsympathetic response to my mom’s report. Anyhoo – to prove this story – here are some images of the ensaymanda. See for yourselves.

There’s a BEST BEFORE code printed on the wrapper it s BB 101406.

Update:
1:30PM – My mom decided to have the driver go to the Red Ribbon Hemady Branch to report and show the staff the ensaymada with cockroach. Our driver was instructed to call us when he arrives in Red Ribbon – after 15 minutes – the area manager names Miss Rose called my mom and apologized – she said ‘Ma’am nahihiya po ako sa inyo!’ She then told my mom that the ensaymada with the cockroach will be sent to their laboratory for testing so that they can determine what happened. Since the best before date is on October 14, 2006 – the ensaymada should still be fresh. Before ending their conversation – Miss Rose offered my mom a whole cake – for the hassle and stress of the cockroach embedded ensaymada.
2:00PM – We received the cake that was gifted us.

In the end – at least bumawi sila big time! Its just that now, I will think twice before munching on anything. I will closely inspect the food before putting it in my mouth. Lesson learned. I did NOT write this to bash nor promote any enstablishment, I am merely sharing our experience and to inform the many – to be observant when it comes to the food they eat.

Forgive the date of the ensaymada – I forgot to change the date setting of my digicam. As you can see the Best Before date – it’s correct!