100g for $3.98: Chinese restaurant in Alexandra raises eyebrows for charging dishes by weight

A Chinese restaurant in Alexandra has recently gotten some flak due to the pricing of their dishes. 

The restaurant, Hundred Grains, which opened its doors at Alexandra Retail Centre two months ago, allows customers to pick their own dishes and pay by weight, reported Shin Min Daily News. 

100 grams of each dish cost $3.98. 

The restaurant also serves rice, porridge and drinks at no charge. 

According to the Chinese daily, some customers who were unfamiliar with the restaurant's business model felt that the eatery was offering self-service economy rice.

These diners said they paid between $10 and $20 for a meal there, adding that the prices were unjustified. 

A restaurant employee, who did not want to be named, told Shin Min: "People often mistake us for an economy rice stall, but what we're selling is completely different.

"Economy rice stalls prepare their dishes in bulk, but we're offering a more refined dining experience."

The employee also explained that customers are not able to choose the portion sizes at economy rice stalls, and added that Hundred Grains offers different dishes.

The restaurant offers 42 different dishes daily, which include Chinese dishes such as Hunan stir-fried pork and pickled bullfrog. 

"Our dishes are placed on a heated tray, and our chefs will cook the dishes throughout the day to ensure they are fresh." 

Noting that some diners had to pay over $20 for a meal because they were unaware of the charges, the employee said that staff would remind customers to be more careful.

Diners attracted by special dishes

A woman surnamed Huang, who was dining at Hundred Grains for the first time, told Shin Min that she and her husband spent about $16 each on their lunch. 

"It's nice to be able to pick my own dishes, I can try different food by taking a small portion of each. Although it's pricier [than economy rice], the dishes here are tastier," said the 52-year-old. 

Another diner surnamed Cai shared that she was attracted to the restaurant because she wanted to try their variety of dishes. 

The 39-year-old teacher spent $12 on her meal, and said she's willing to visit the restaurant once a week. 

"I enjoy eating economy rice. The prices here are higher but they provide free drinks and rice, so that helps to reduce the cost a little. 

"I'll usually choose the special dishes," she said.

Some other diners added that they would steer clear of dishes containing bones to get more bang for their buck. 

READ ALSO: $5 or $9? Man gets varying charges for same 'cai fan' order on different days

claudiatan@asiaone.com