Diner Criticizes Freshness and Quality of Ingredients at Expensive Seafood Restaurant

A customer’s frustration over a $198 seafood dish went viral on social media after he expressed his disappointment in a post on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on February 13, 2024. The diner, identified as Tao Yong, was outraged by the quality of the meal, particularly the prawns and other seafood, which he deemed “inedible”.

Tao shared that the dish, a 盆菜 (Pen Cai), included unfresh prawns, overcooked sea cucumber, and poor-quality vegetables. He pointed out that even broccoli from a supermarket was better than what was served, calling the ingredients worse than clearance items. He also criticized the gravy, claiming it looked unappetizing. “$198, you dare to sell this rubbish?” he exclaimed.

Many online users agreed with Tao’s assessment, commenting on the poor condition of the prawns and yellowing broccoli. One user even remarked that the prawns had turned blackish and the cauliflower was yellowing. Others questioned the hygiene of the dish, noting that if such food were served in Australia, the establishment would likely face fines and a potential closure by health authorities.

However, some users pointed out that the post lacked essential details. A few commenters urged Tao to disclose the name of the restaurant so that other potential customers could avoid the establishment. “What’s the name of the stall? At least you can help others avoid it,” wrote one critic.

Despite the outrage, Tao refrained from sharing the restaurant’s name, causing frustration among users who felt the post lacked enough information to be useful. One even called the post “useless” without the name of the food establishment.