I WAS puzzled reading your "Eating Out" page by Karen Stephen, August 30. Take a vegetarian mum, dad and 10-month-old to Hard Rock Cafe.

Mum and dad have veggie burger and chips -- expensive, I thought at £7.25, but Karen thought it worth every penny. But what made me wonder -- are this family for real in giving a vegetarian child fish fingers?

Now, I know a lot of people don't eat red meat, but that does not make them veggies. Chicken, fish and shellfish are animals of some sort, they all have flesh. So you either are a vegetarian, or you aren't, there really is no in between.

If you eat creatures, you are not a veggie. The catering trade also seems confused about what is and what isn't -- as, many times, tuna appears as a veggie option. What do these people think a tuna is? And also salmon has been suggested more than once.

For the people who are just playing at being a vegetarian, might I suggest a simple reminder is "If it has a face, I don't eat it".

(A Real Veggie)

N Powell

Lever Edge Lane

Bolton

Karen Stephen replies to "a real veggie" N Powell. Thank you for taking an interest in my Hard Rock Cafe review -- it makes it all worthwhile to know people are reading Eating Out. I take on board what you say. I have not eaten meat for 22 years but have eaten fish. The same goes for my husband. And we will encourage our son to do the same. Well done for not eating any flesh.