Try topping this: $24 for nasi padang with fish roe, tofu and sambal goreng at Bedok stall

Complaints about overpriced and underwhelming meals are on the rise, with nasi padang often being one of the top contenders.

Just ask these Stompers who have expressed shock at being charged:

• $15.50 for nasi padang with beef rendang, tripe, vegetables and egg

• $11.70 for nasi padang with beef lung, mutton and fried potato

• $9.50 for nasi padang with fish sambal, cockles and beansprouts

But if you think these are bad, wait till you read about Facebook user Iluv Ben Ten's $24 nasi padang from Bedok Corner Food Centre.

In a post on Wednesday (Dec 14), the customer said his meal consisted of $2 tofu, $2 sambal goreng and $20 worth of fish roe.

He added: "The shop lady told me the fish egg is gonna be expensive... But who would (thought it's) gonna cost me this much..."

The price left him taken aback, but he was in a rush and did not want to make a scene.

"Since she had already packed the food, it (would not have been) nice to ask her to put it back, that's why I just paid and left," the customer was quoted as saying.

The Facebook post has drawn almost 300 comments and over 450 shares to date.

Most netizens were equally aghast at the price, which they felt was absurd.

One user commented, "Must be golden fish," while another asked, "Izit (sic) caviar curry?"

However, a few also pointed out that that fish egg isn't cheap, with one netizen saying, "To be, fair fish egg is expensive... at market sell 1 piece about 8 bucks."

One thing that everyone appeared to agree on is that consumers should always ask for prices clearly before making their purchase.

In an article last month, a Stomper also called for food stalls to display the prices of all items so as to avoid any unpleasant surprises.