Manager admits restaurant was negligent after diner bites into cockroach during meal

The New Paper
May 29, 2023

Crunch. 

A diner at a Korean restaurant at Clementi Mall realised something was weird when she bit into something “crunchy” midway through her army stew.

When she spat the item out, she discovered there had been a cockroach lodged in between the beef slices. 

The diner, surnamed Lee, told Shin Min Daily News she visited Ha-Jun Korean on the fourth floor of Clementi Mall last Friday (May 26) at about 3pm. 

Lee ordered an army stew and was halfway through her meal when she came across the creepy crawly.

"I almost swallowed it. After realising it was a cockroach, my mood was ruined and I felt so disgusted," said the 30-year-old graduate student. 

"After I complained to the staff, they said they would refund me $10." 

Lee also spoke to the manager, who told her they would bear her medical expenses if she felt unwell later on.   

"I asked them to provide written proof of the incident, but they refused, so I left," said Lee. 

Since she did not finish her meal, the manager also offered another bowl of army stew, but Lee refused. 

"I have patronised them before as their prices are quite affordable, but I didn't think something like this would happen." 

When Shin Min visited the eatery last Saturday, the manager, surnamed Chen, admitted that the cockroach in the dish was a result of negligence. 

She confirmed that they refunded Lee for the meal and offered to bear the medical expenses if necessary. 

Although they said they were unable to provide written proof of the incident, one of the restaurant’s staff had sent Lee a WhatsApp message to note the incident. 

Chen said that employees clean the premises before opening and after closing, and regularly conduct pest removal operations.