I opted to work from home today. The office poses too many distractions and I always find that I get more done working at home than I do at the office.
However, working from home has its perils and distractions too. Here are the perils I faced :-
Lunch - prepacked sushi I’d bought last night
Snack Time - Marks & Spencer crisps (yum!) and dried cranberries
Dinner - or will be at any rate - Grilled Ham Sandwich
Oh me oh my! On the plus side, I’m getting my work done. On the minus side, its time to watch the waistband!
Happy weekend everyone!
Yours fluffily
Look what came in the mail today?
My own New Zealand Natural (NZN) Ice Cream loyalty card!! I’m not much of an ice cream fan but I do like sorbets and I see that NZN does sorbets too! Woohoo!
NZN has a current promotion of 30% off on the 30th of every month which is so much better than Baskin Robbins’ since you get a 30th in every month (except February - but after all that CNY feasting who can put away more ice cream eh?) Since the New Zealand Natural Expressions Card gives me 10% off New Zealand Natural ice cream on normal days and points to collect to redeem for more ice cream, I’m starting to think that I’m going to need the gym more often from now on!
So, guess who’s having ice cream for dessert tonight! Woohoo! Thanks for your rec Beetrice!
There is nothing I hate more than eating shops that try to pull a fast one or scam or simply CHEAT you! I encountered one today - Tang House of Fishball aka The 60s Teow Cheow Fishball (they can’t seem to make up their mind) aka BIG CHEATS!
I’d seen this restaurant on tv a while back and was fascinated by the idea of eating their green celery noodles. Then, sis paid them a visit and proclaimed that their fishballs were very yummy. She is a fishball connoiseur so I’m not about to argue with her. The best part, according to her, is that they will let you have extra noodles at no charge! No charge? I asked. No Charge! She proclaimed, and J even had 2 heaping bowls of dried noodles which she recommended.
Intriguing.
So, it being February 29th, a day that comes only once every 4 years, I decided to try something new and found my way to Sea Park in PJ. This is not a food review so please look up my forthcoming review in the Pink Parisian. This is a rant about what cheats this restaurant is.
Read this sign on the pillar as you enter the restaurant. It says “Extra Noodles No Charge” does it not? Plain simple English. So, sis wasn’t bluffing!
Then, we sat down and the menu came. Oh lookee! The menu also tells me the same thing - “Extra Noodles No Charge“. Happy happy joy joy! So, we placed our order for 2 bowls of dry noodles and peripherals and waited for the food to arrive.
Lunch Buddy was really hungry at this point as the service is appallingly slow. You could watch paint dry waiting for the food to come. So, Lunch Buddy was really looking forward to having an extra helping of noodles.
This is where the trouble began. When we called the waiter over to order an extra helping of noodles, she told us it would cost RM1.50. Erm… hello? So, we said “Eh, your menu said Extra Noodles No Charge” and the flustered waitress then called someone else over to explain the situation to us.
The second lady (in English) explained that yes, there was no charge for extra noodles PROVIDED YOU ORDERED SOUP OR CURRY NOODLES ONLY.
Hello?
Lady: No charge only if you order soup or curry mee
Us: Doesn’t it say in your menu Extra Noodles No Charge?
Lady: Yes, but only for soup or curry.
Us: Does it say so in your menu?
Lady: No but my boss say one.
Us: Where is your boss? We’d like to talk to him.
Lady: Boss is not here.
Us: Your menu doesn’t say it is limited.
Lady: Correct correct correct (did she learn from Lingam?). You are correct. It is not in the menu but my boss say it is only for soup and curry not dry.
Us: Where does it say soup and curry???
Lady: There is a sign at the noodle counter.
Us: My sister came and ordered dry noodles and you gave extra helping at no charge. When did you change your policy?
Lady: That is always the policy. You must check with my boss.
Us: But he is not here and your menu doesn’t say so. So you are bluffing.
Lady: I can give you extra anyway if you want.
Us: But you said there is a charge and it is only for soup or curry noodles.
Lady: Nevermind lah…
Us: Don’t bother.
Now this is why I call these people daylight robbers and cheats:
- They plaster up signs in the shop as you enter clearly proclaiming that there is no charge for extra helping of noodles.
- They proudly proclaim in their menu that there is no charge for extra helpings of noodles.
- Nowhere in the shop or in the menu does it say “Terms and Conditions apply” or “For limited selections only” or at the very least “Only for Curry and Soup noodles”
- There is no sign anywhere near the noodles that extra helpings are only for soup and curry noodles - I checked and the lady lied through her teeth
The issue here is not whether I could afford the extra RM1.50 for noodles or not. After all, I was already going to pay an astronomical sum of RM6.50 for a bowl of celery noodles. The issue here is that the restaurant had refused to honor what they were advertising.
So, here’s presenting 60s Teow Cheow Fishball aka Tang House of Fishball the inaugural Paris B #1 Cheat award.
Tell your friends. Spread the word. There’s an “Email this post” link somewhere at the bottom isn’t there? Don’t let cheaters get away with false advertising. I’m going to take the issue up with the relevant consumer body for the false advertising bit.
Grr……..
