Morgan Hill restaurant ordered to pay hefty fine for secret substitution of food

A high-end Morgan Hill restaurant must pay $120,000 in civil penalties and restitution after employees were caught secretly serving customers tilapia when they ordered petrale sole, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office said. Sole is a more expensive cut of fish.

Investigators said Odeum made the seafood substitutions from October 2014 to March 2016.

“When you go out to a restaurant, you should get the food you order and pay for,” said prosecutor Jennifer Deng.

State health and safety codes prohibit restaurants from misbranding or falsely advertising the food they serve.

Odeum will be offering $30 gift certificates to all customers who ordered petrale sole during the period in question. Customers must file a claim form and all claims must be submitted by May 31, 2017.