We all dream of a magical restaurant experience: laughter around the table, clinking glasses, perhaps celebrating a promotion or a birthday with loved ones. But as one recent evening in Singapore showed, sometimes you walk in hungry and leave with your jaw on the floor (and your bank account gasping for air). Curious what would make a diner call the police after ordering a crab? Buckle up…
When Dinner Turns into Drama at Clarke Quay
Restaurants around the world promise a taste of local life and, usually, a pleasant break from cooking. But a recent story from Singapore proves dinner out can turn delight into a dreaded experience in the time it takes for the bill to arrive. This saga, widely reported by the English newspaper The Sun after making waves in Asian media, stars a tourist on a South-East Asian adventure seeking a taste of Singapore’s famed gastronomy.
Junko Shinba, our unsuspecting heroine, was strolling Clarke Quay—a hotspot beloved by Singaporeans—accompanied by family and friends. The group stumbled upon a seafood restaurant going by the cheerful name of Seafood Paradise. Now, they’d likely already figured out that Singapore doesn’t exactly have bargain-bin prices, but nothing could prepare them for what awaited under a glossy menu page.
The Crab Conundrum: A Pricey Recommendation
After settling in, the group ordered their meals. That’s when an eager server, clearly enthusiastic about sharing the local delights, recommended a crab dish. According to him, the crab would set them back 29 euros. Sold by his charm (and the promise of tasty seafood), Junko took the plunge and ordered the dish. There was just one teeny, tiny detail missing: the fine print.
- The price given was not for the whole crab, but for every 100 grams.
- The special of the day? Alaska king crab—one of the world’s biggest, meatiest (and heaviest) crustaceans, traditionally prepared with a saucy flair in Singapore.
Suddenly, the meal took a turn. The crab weighed in at over three kilograms—yes, you read that right, a monster of the sea. The bill skyrocketed to 1,234 euros, with a whopping 900 euros just for the crab alone. Unsurprisingly, Junko was floored—especially as other dishes on the menu were nowhere near as eye-watering in price.
An Unpalatable Surprise: Calling in the Police
Feeling the sting of an unexpectedly « salty » bill (not just from the crab, mind you), Junko knew something had gone terribly wrong. “The server of this restaurant suggested the crab. When I saw the bill, I called the police,” she explained to journalists. Stunned by the astronomical sum, she insisted that the server call law enforcement.
When officers arrived, the restaurant staff presented another customer’s similar receipt—just to prove the jaws-dropping bill wasn’t a targeted scam. Make no mistake, according to the staff, this was apparently business as usual at Seafood Paradise.
At this point, the restaurant manager did show a crumb of understanding, offering a 100 euro discount on the meal. Ultimately, a friend of Junko picked up the tab—and perhaps, a cautionary tale to last a lifetime.
Dining Out: Joy or Jest?
Before you start clutching your wallet at the sight of a seafood menu, let’s remember: the world of restaurants isn’t always a culinary dream. Food poisonings, scams, and the ever-dreaded overpriced bill can spoil the party faster than a soggy soufflé. As recent events in Singapore highlight, not every recommendable dish comes with a clear explanation, and some servers appear all-too-happy to let you learn the hard way.
So, next time you’re eyeing that « fresh catch » suggestion, here are a few survival tips for your peace of mind:
- Always double-check the pricing, especially with seafood priced by weight.
- Don’t be shy to ask exactly how much your dish will cost, crab claws and all.
- Trust, but verify—enthusiastic servers are not always out to make you a deal.
In the end, dinner out should be about enjoyment—not a brush with the authorities or a lesson in high finance. Stay skeptical, eat well, and remember: some crabs are best enjoyed in moderation, or at the very least, with a calculator on hand!
Iveta is an aspiring journalist with a passion for storytelling and a deep love for coffee. Always curious and creative, she dreams of sharing stories that inspire, inform, and connect people around the world
