02/21/2026
Shyla's Hideaway
I've had a very long debate with myself about posting this, I won....granted this got a little long but I have something to say.
So, I received a piece of hate mail at the post office today...this is the 2nd one from the same "patron". The 1st letter was a about how offended they were that I changed my fries from the crinkle cut fries they loved to what I serv now...to sum up their words: I am obviously a money monger who chose to go to a cheap crappy fry not worth eating; won't lie, I was a little offended about the money monger comment. There was also a picture of my old crinkle cuts circled and labeled good, I mean there was obviously some serious time and thought put into this. I thought it was rather humorous at the time cause, well...wow! what a thing to get your dander up about, like it was a personal attack against them...I kept the letter for a long time but I eventually (unfortunately) threw it away. Now, to the letter I jyst received and posted below...I am now getting pretty annoyed with this person, not because they don't like what I've served them (you can't make everyone happy) but because they could of told me...to my face...or to their server when they are asked how everything was, THIS is when they could've stated they were unhappy. THIS is when we can take care of the issue...I have asked my girls if anyone wasn't happy: no one complained. Anyone can say anything about me that they want...I'm not always the friendliest, I'm often grouchy, bitchy can even be used HOWEVER I do care and am proud of the food I send out of my shoebox kitchen and believe it or not I can take criticism of my cooking. Sorry, I'm getting off track.
I do have a response for this "patron" this time:
1st of all: Do not send mail to my personal address with a printed off copy of an email like you had just emailed it off to a food critic. You can't talk to me like an adult?
(FYI I didn't cut out the addresses: "super anonymous")
2nd: "laughable salad" ummmm...iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, Napa Cabbage, purple Cabbage, carrots, radishes, zucchini w/ cherry tomatoes and croutons....granted I chopped it all up (I don't like big chunky veggies sitting on top of lettuce) but the tomatoes...not sure how much more you want in a veggie salad.
3rd: "fried" rice...disgusting? So harsh. I do think I have made it better but this is how I always make it and I've never heard the word disgusting...
4th: Fried vegetables...gross? If anyone out there got gross veggies I apologize, I mean I snagged some off the grill that were gonna get tossed cause they were there to long but I like my veggies cooked all kinds of ways so...I guess personal preferences.
5th: Shrimp...tasteless? I have no idea how to address this one...straight up nonsense.
6th: so called dessert...absolute joke? Did it taste bad? not enough? I need a little more criticism here, I don't get it. Various fruits (strawberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, Mango, Pineapple, blueberries...) topped with a Cheesecake flavored yum...complaints was not what I was hearing when I visited tables. Recipe is on pinterest: Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad.
7th: my fruit salsa...now I know you don't know your head from your ass! What the hell kind of fruit salsa you eat? Ya Google/pinterest fruit salsa: pineapple salsa comes up (pineapple, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno and lime. I add Mango cause: yum)
8th: IF YOU WANT TO BE AN F-ING FOOD CRITIC LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOASTED PIE CRUST AND FRIED FLOUR TORTILLA CHIPS! You half-wit dip s**t.
9th: you didn't like the price? You should've spoke up when you were asked how everything was.
And finally: threatening me with possibly never frequenting my business ever again? I got one better DON'T COME BACK. EVER.
I do know who you are and I will not serve you. Ever. Think I'm lying? Call in your hamburger order and see how long you wait to never get served again.
I almost forgot: Bless your heart.
