'None of the dishes were meat': Diner shocked after paying $19 for Indian rojak in Tampines

Crispy, hot and delicious — Indian rojak is a treat for the tastebuds, but how much are you willing to pay to enjoy it? 

Facebook user Sirbutdork's lunch set him back by $19 after he ordered Indian rojak from a stall along Tampines Street 32 on Monday (Feb 12), he shared in a post to Complaint Singapore on Wednesday.

"Eight items selected, none of [the dishes] were meat," he recounted, sharing his shock upon receiving his receipt for Singapore-style Indian rojak at Habib's Express.

In a photograph uploaded with his post, a few items are visible in his meal, inclusive of cucumbers, fried prawn fritters and two bowls of sauce.

Aside from seafood, no other meat dishes can be seen on his platter.

Sirbutdork also uploaded an image of his receipt, which simply shows an $19 bill without any breakdown of pricing.

Describing his meal as "the most expensive meal" he's ever had in a "heartland coffeeshop", Sirbutdork added that he's "paying for the privilege of being a Singaporean".

In comments, some users sympathised with diner Sirbutdork, similarly expressing outrage at the exorbitant price of his rojak, calling it "daylight robbery".

"Oh my god that's way too expensive," a user said.

Another said: "Sometimes they anyhow count thinking nobody would check. Receipt wasn't even itemised."

Worth the price?

However, some netizens also felt that the diner could have handled things differently and walked away if he wasn't satisfied with the price of his food.

"I would have chosen, asked the person to count and if I agree with the pricing, then I would let him proceed," a user said.

"Indian rojak is very expensive these days," another commented.

On Hardware Zone, users were also taken aback by the cost of this diner's Indian rojak, with some comparing it with their own neighbourhood rojak prices.

According to one user, he usually pays up to $12 for 10 items in his rojak, while another user estimated an eight-item rojak would cost $14 to $15 in his area.

Some users also recommended going to other well-known restaurants where the same price is corroborated with quality.

Based on the online menu at Al Mahboob Rojak, a restaurant in Tampines popular for the dish, eight non-meat items can go for around $16 to $18, depending on the ingredients selected. 

It is worth noting that items such as cuttlefish body or half a squid are sold for $8 and $10 respectively.

AsiaOne has reached out to Sirbutdork for more information.

ALSO READ: $2.20 'cai fan'? It's a miscalculation, Bukit Panjang stall owner says

khooyihang@asiaone.com