Singaporeans shocked to be charged $290 for fish in Genting, restaurant regrets distress caused, Singapore News

“The restaurant also told us the river patin was an exotic fish, better than the river soon hock it was offering at RM228 per kg. Never did we dream that an economical patin fish could be so ridiculously overpriced, so much beyond that of a good soon hock.”

The patin, also known as silver catfish, is a soft and fatty fish with a strong creamy flavour, whereas the soon hock, also known as marble goby, is a firm and flaky white fish with a mild sweet taste, and generally considered more premium than the patin.

The Stomp contributor lamented that the patin tasted just “normal” and he would have preferred the soon hock he saw advertised in the restaurant fish tank.

He said: “We learnt a lesson not to be complacent when we order seafood items outside Singapore. We hope that other visitors to the Genting region can be alerted to such pitfalls.”

In response to a Stomp query, a Loong Kee Restaurant spokesperson said the restaurant promptly carried out a thorough internal investigation following the billing concern raised by the customer.

“Based on our records, our staff followed the standard ordering procedure by explaining the fish pricing and weight to the customer. It was also communicated during the ordering process that the selected fish was relatively large and would be portioned before cooking,” said the spokesperson.

Typically, for 12 to 13 people, the fish would be between 1.5kg to 1.8kg.

“That said, we acknowledge that there is room for improvement in how the portion size was communicated in this instance, as it may not have provided the customer with sufficient clarity and assurance,” added the spokesperson.

“We understand that any confusion or concern regarding billing can affect the overall dining experience, and we sincerely regret any distress or inconvenience caused.”

The spokesperson said Loong Kee Restaurant takes the matter seriously and has conducted an internal review, “with further steps to enhance staff training and strengthen service communication protocols”.

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