Woman annoyed over paying a 'ridiculous' $608 for lobster la mian, says 'dishes were so-so only'

Most of us know that lobster is an expensive meal item but a woman was shocked when she was charged $608 for a lobster la mian dish at Paradise Teochew Restaurant.

Stomp contributor Stephanie told Stomp that she and her party visited the restaurant at Ngee Ann City to celebrate her father's birthday on Saturday (April 1).

She spent a total of $3,050.67 for 12 people.

"I ordered the lobster la mian and some other dishes," she said.

"The dishes were so-so only and not up to my expectations.

"The most ridiculous thing is the plate of noodles cost me $608.

"The lady claimed the lobster is from Australia, that's why it was more pricey.

"In the first place, when she recommended me this dish, she should have told me how much per gram ($38 per gram x 1.6kg).

"When I asked her why it was so expensive, she told me it is from Australia, and should be from Tasmania because Perth lobsters are cheaper.

"She didn't advise me on the prices first before she took my order.

"The presentation of the noodles looks like this, all de-shelled, without head, tail and shell and no proof to show that this is a whole fresh lobster.

"It might have been a frozen lobster.

"My advice to people who want to frequent this atas (high-class) restaurant is, please check the prices of the dishes before you place an order."

In response to a Stomp query, a restaurant spokesman apologised for any miscommunication and clarified that Paradise Teochew only uses fresh live whole lobsters, not frozen lobsters.

"We are sorry to hear that the customer had an unpleasant experience at our restaurant and would like to extend our sincere apologies," the spokesman said

"Firstly, we apologise for any miscommunication that may have occurred regarding the pricing of the dish.

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"While we do indicate the fixed price of premium Australian lobsters in our menu, we understand that not all customers may be aware, and we regret any confusion caused.

"We will be reviewing our staff training protocols to ensure that all our customers are provided with complete information about the pricing and ingredients of our dishes.

"Regarding the presentation of the dish, we understand that the customer may have expected a whole lobster, and we regret any disappointment caused.

"We would like to assure that our kitchen team only uses fresh live, whole lobsters in our dishes at Paradise Teochew, and we do not use frozen lobsters. 

"We will be taking steps to address the concerns and ensure that all our customers are satisfied with their dining experience."

This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.