(Don McArthur)
This particular story centers on some locations in New Jersey, but I wonder if this problem is actually more widespread.
New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa has announced the results of "Operation Swill," and says that liquor provided by 29 restaurants and bars is being tested to see if the liquor provided to customers is the liquor advertised.
The most notorious allegation?
State investigators say at least one bar in New Jersey was mixing food dye with rubbing alcohol and serving it as scotch.
That particular bar was unidentified, but Philadelphia's ABC Action News found a woman who had been served at one of the bars being investigated:
Kristen Ferrari of Pitman, New Jersey suspected she was getting cheated at happy hour at Villari's Lakeside in Sicklerville a couple weeks ago. Villari's is another of the restaurants under investigation by the Attorney General and visited by Alcohol Beverage Control agents today.
"I ordered their mojito and it was horrible," Ferrari said.
She said her taste buds told her her drink was made with low quality liquor, but she was still charged the cost of a premium drink.
"They charged me $10 for the drink and it's just wrong," Ferrari said.
Now at this point Alcohol Beverage Control is testing the samples taken from the 29 establishments, and is supposedly using "new technology used to test samples taken covertly by undercover detectives."
So how long until this technology is available to consumers?
And is it just a bizarre coincidence that none of the 29 bars and restaurants has an Atlantic City address?
Railroad Café, East Rutherford
The Brick House, Wycoff
Sunset Tavern, Burlington
Graziano's Ristorante, Chesilhurst
Villari's Lakeside, Gloucester Township
Yesterdays, Marmora
TGI Fridays, West Orange
Italian Affair, Glassboro
Bells Tavern, Lambertville
TGI Fridays, East Windsor
Brunswick Grove, East Brunswick
TGI Fridays, Old Bridge
TGI Fridays, North Brunswick
TGI Fridays, Piscataway
TGI Fridays, Freehold
TGI Fridays, Marlboro
TGI Fridays, Hazlet
Murray's, Dover
TGI Fridays, East Hanover
Sona Thirteen, Morristown
Blackthorn Restaurant, Parsippany
Ruby Tuesday, Bridgewater
TGI Fridays, Linden
Café 34, Matawan
Applebee's, Kearny
Cucina Calandara, Fairfield
TGI Fridays, Woodridge
TGI Fridays, Springfield
TGI Fridays, Clifton
