Crappy Chilli Crab.
The ads and promos looked so good and the 5-star venue is just a stone's throw away from where we live at the Madinat Jumeirah. We both love and miss chilli crabs, so when we heard about the Singapore Chilli Crab Festival we were very much looking forward to a gastronomic weekend.
Low and behold, at 4pm we were turned away again to say that it was closed and would reopen at 6pm. We didn't want to hang around, so we decided to come back later and returned at 7.30pm. Of course this time, no tables were available and a shabby line had formed. We decided to wait for a table and were finally given one after 30 minutes. Although we were hungry, the wait was not too bad as there was a great jazz band playing live and so we sat back and enjoyed the music and atmosphere.
After 15 minutes of waiting however for a waiter we had to flag down and ask for a menu, let alone get someone to take our order or serve us, we decided we would go somewhere else and get some real food and service!
I was surprised when the following day, Gypsy Boy suggested we go back and try again! Off we went and it looked like overnight, they had gotten some of their act together. There were 2 queues, one where you place your order and pay for your meal in exchange for tickets and the second line where you take your ticket and pick up your meal.
Of course, it was a little too good to be true. We were quickly disappointed when we saw how just how much crab we got for our money. 100 AED (27 USD or 42 SGD) got us 1 tiger beer, a crab shell filled with shredded crab meat in more of a sweet tomato-based sauce [than a chilli sauce]! We were really glad we didn't get the satay, even though I was eyeing it up on the menu, when we found out that 35 AED (10 USD or 15 SGD) only would've got us 3 measly sticks!
What I don't understand is, why pour so much money into promoting such an event when there isn't anyone prepared to put a little effort into organising it. The worst thing is many people felt ripped off. One thing's for sure, if this is an annual event as they say it is, we definitely won't be going back next year.
Oh and the picture posted above is the one shown in one of the promotional ads for the event, the actual crab we got at the event looked nothing like this.
5 comments:
Sorry to hear you are disappointed.
Know you aren't one for complaining so it must have been bad!
Good for you giving them a second chance!
Not at all. It was more funny than anything really - especially now of course!
I think it would be more satisfying to cook your own chilli crab :|
Over at the supermarkets here, theres the pepper sauce and chilli sauce that you can just pour in the wok along with the crab.
Sorry to hear that you had such a bad deal out of that. I'd be unhappy too
Oh, that's so convenient. I do have the recipe at hand though and I think I'll head down to get some crabs this weekend! Will let you know how it goes!!!
I think the irony of the event was that it was meant to be a promotion of Singapore, and yet the were so disorganised and left people feeling ripped off at the end of it... Nothing like the efficient Singapore we know and absolutely nothing like the famous Singapore Chilli Crabs!!!
it's bad big time!!!!!!!!!!!! I was there on the 2nd night...it was a BIG crab shell....with some shredded crab meats as garnishing i supposed...lol....horrendous!!!!!!!!!!!! Im speechless and disgusted because Im from singapore...left after 30 mins...
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