Abalones, like shitake mushrooms, taste better dried. The drying process and the subsequent long and painstaking cooking alters the taste somewhat. In the wrong hands, it would still taste like dried rubber tires, so the skills of the chef is factored in the cost of the dish.
I think there was no cunningness or greed involved lah. There are always people who prefer to drink the same Lipton Teabag in a hotel that costs $7.50 to the kopitiam teabag that costs $1.00.
The restaurant owner mentioned that the price was stated very clearly in the menu - as with most menus in Singapore by law. The Japanese couple may have mistaken that it was 2300 - YEN which is about $38.00 - a reasonable price for a simple one-plate meal.
One thing about the Japanese is that they are very trusting of Singapore and Singaporeans in general - this we must thank the Wiseman LKY and former President. Don't believe - you can ask the forummer here who drifted to Japan.
I think there was no cunningness or greed involved lah. There are always people who prefer to drink the same Lipton Teabag in a hotel that costs $7.50 to the kopitiam teabag that costs $1.00.
The restaurant owner mentioned that the price was stated very clearly in the menu - as with most menus in Singapore by law. The Japanese couple may have mistaken that it was 2300 - YEN which is about $38.00 - a reasonable price for a simple one-plate meal.
One thing about the Japanese is that they are very trusting of Singapore and Singaporeans in general - this we must thank the Wiseman LKY and former President. Don't believe - you can ask the forummer here who drifted to Japan.