THE customers were charged $491 for a dinner for six at Newton Food Centre and it included giant prawns that costs $239.

ANNOYING: Instead of hawker touts (above), our columnist suggests having trained 'food hosts'. ST FILE PICTURE

American customer and his friends complain. Big brouhaha, public outrage and folks up in arms screaming, 'How can a hawker charge these kinds of prices?'

The media reports the facts and gets colourful quotes from the stall owner and workers.

The Government steps in and saves the day - hands them a three-month ban.

It's the same old story but with a new set of unwary customers at this very famous hawker centre.

We've all heard of foreign friends who've never been there before, telling us about this eatery. It's a 'call brand' hawker centre.

It's like how one automatically asks for a particular brand of beer at the bar. That's the vicious cycle that keeps Newton Food Centre going.

If you are a tourist, expatriate or a repeat visitor, and you suggest to your local friend (supposing they know their hawker centres fairly well) a meal at the 'famous Newton Food Centre', watch closely how their eyes roll.

This is not the first time such an incident has happened and it isn't the most ridiculous over-charging to date.

Some years ago, a $1,000-plus bill was sent to a Japanese customer for his meal there with his friends.

It included a platter of exotic 'tropical fruits', the kind that came with a quartered durian and some neatly sliced opened red and hairy rambutans, and cut pineapples served on its own skin, all nicely placed on a banana leaf.

I have a very credible source - one I have sworn not to reveal - who told of a complaint some years back from her friend, yet another Japanese customer (bless their hearts, they love food but don't check prices before ordering), for a bill at Newton Food Centre.

It totalled $10,000 for a party of 10 or so.

I kid you not.

In her hand was a copy of the bill. I was told it was a night of mindless feasting at one of those barbecue seafood stalls which included huge lobsters, prawns, crabs... the works.

Her parting shot to me was, 'Seetoh, how like that?'

But all were too easily forgotten and forgiven.

The authorities spent inconsiderable effort, money and time renovating and re-launching Newton Food Centre and it re-opened a few years ago with a bang.

They even launched a coffee table book about hawker centres in Singapore there.

The tourism authorities went on overdrive and placed it on a pedestal, proudly touting it as a local makan icon and decorated the entrances with pictures of happy people tucking into ice kachang and satay.

Nothing much that can be done about the bad eggs as long as the vicious cycle is not broken. Many still want a slice of the action and live to tell the story.

So, to stem the flow of all these ridiculous bills showing up ever so often, I feel there should be an introduction of the mother of all bills - legislation.

The owners of the stall, supposing they did not cleverly sub-lease the stall, should not be banned, but instead be banished to an ulu or remote hawker centre where no one will think twice about showing up with $491 in their pockets.

This way, the stall owner's livelihood will not be taken away from him and it's a way of reminding the others about integrity, especially at a high-profile food centre like Newton.

Food hosts?

Give these owners demerit points, the kind that will lead to their licences being revoked, and give someone else a chance to sell at Newton.

Make it compulsory to indicate the exact prices of the items and do not entertain tricks like 'based on market price'.

These touts, and many of them are casual drifters, should be licensed and rated after attending some officially recognised course on up-selling our food culture.

Much like a good tour guide, these people can be well sought after and they can earn commissions and/or flat rates.

Imagine seeing a group of trained and badged multi-lingual food hosts promoting the stalls going: 'Sir/madam, my name is xxx and I'm a food host. If it's seafood you are here for, I suggest the starter combo of chilli crabs, crispy baby sotong, barbecue stingray (actually skate wings), cereal prawns and sambal fish, all national favourites.

'The prices are clearly stated at each stall under law, and I estimate your meal will come to be about xxx dollars. You are free to patronise any stall and I will be most happy to facilitate your first Singapore seafood experience here.'

It can be done, someone out there just needs the willpower to see this through, and I think it will happen.

After all, Singapore consistently ranks as one of the top three cities in the world to do business in, not monkey business.

Makansutra, founded by KF Seetoh, is a company that celebrates Asian food culture and lifestyle. It publishes food guides in and around the region, produces a food television series, develops interactive mobile content and services, operates food courts and eateries, organises food tours and events, and consults on culinary concepts.

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