I am not debating this particular circumstance.I am more aimed at other comments. One does need to know when to be Machmir and when to Makil.
DY: You mentioned the Salad. I once had gotten a new job and was forced to go on a busness trip with my new boss on my first day.I assumed (rightly) that he would be taking me out to dinner, Being unfrieldly and not being sociable and not going would not have been a good idea and I didnt know what to do and I asked my Rabbi and specifically said the Salad was OK as long as radishes and onions were not taken because fancy restaurants have seperate salad utencils. I had actually never heard of this before and actually was shocked by the answere.