Diner complains of blackened, unfresh lobster in dish but restaurant says it's charred from grilling

She was unhappy over her seafood meal which she claimed was blackened and not fresh, only to be aggravated even further by the manager's response when she complained.

The 32-year-old woman, surnamed Zhang, told Shin Min Daily News that she had gone to Manhattan Fish Market at Northpoint City in Yishun on Jan 19 at about 7pm.

Zhang and her friend ordered several items, including a seafood platter priced at about $59, reported the Chinese evening daily. A check by AsiaOne on the menu online showed a Flaming Lobster Platter, which includes a lobster and scallops, among other seafood, priced at $59.90.

When the food came, however, Zhang noted that the seafood in the platter did not taste fresh. But as it was still edible, the both of them continued with their meal.

Said Zhang, a teacher: "As I used to work in the food industry, I suspected that the ingredients had been kept for too long."

She also claimed that the lobster was blackened and informed a staff member, who notified the manager.

"The manager came out and simply looked at the platter without saying a word nor offering any apology," Zhang said.

She added that the manager later told them that the restaurant could void the item from their bill or prepare another one for them. Another option was a 10 per cent discount on the final bill.

"We chose the discount as we'd already eaten more than half of it. It wouldn't be fair for them to cancel it or prepare another dish," said Zhang.

What infuriated them however, she said, was being told by the manager when they went to settle the bill that they should have informed the staff earlier and not done so when they were almost finished with the meal.

Zhang told Shin Min: "Even though the manager gave us a discount, his attitude was unprofessional and rude. It's unacceptable."

When contacted by the Chinese evening daily, the restaurant manager, Iman, 51, explained that he was simply explaining his position and was not trying to blame the customers.

"If customers feel that something is wrong with the food, they should inform the staff to get it changed. After all, it's the customer's right. It's worse if they end up getting an upset stomach from it," Iman was quoted as saying.

When asked about the blackened lobster, Iman claimed that the lobster had a blackened appearance as it was charred from the grill.

As seafood dishes tend to give off the smell of ammonia, this could be mistaken by customers as a sign of it not being fresh, he told Shin Min.

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candicecai@asiaone.com