A social media post recently went viral after a customer shared a photo of a sambal udang petai (spicy shrimp with stink beans) side dish from Bumbu Babah, a restaurant owned by comedian and radio host Ajak Shiro.
In the post, the user tagged Ajak and wrote jokingly:
@ajakshiro is it true your sambal petai prawn add-on with four prawns costs RM9.90? That’s crazy expensive. My brain froze looking at the prawns hahaha. They’re kinda cute though.”
The POST, which included a picture of the dish and a receipt confirming the RM9.90 price, sparked mixed reactions online with some saying it was overpriced, while others defended the restaurant, pointing out the rising cost of ingredients.
Open to feedback, not offended by complaints
Speaking to the media during the Suria FM announcers lineup press conference at Menara Star, Petaling Jaya, Ajak said he welcomed all kinds of feedback from customers including criticism, reported GEMPAK.
“If you say it’s expensive, my nasi padang starts from just RM5,” he said.
“As for side dishes, the most expensive one is around RM7. Some are RM4 or RM5. The sambal udang costs a bit more because it includes petai, which is also pricey.”
Ajak also added that customers who register as members can enjoy more affordable prices at his restaurant.
Learned a lot from running his eatery
The comedian, who ventured into the food business a year ago, said running Bumbu Babah has been an eye-opening experience that taught him to appreciate the relationship between business owners and customers.
“It’s okay to complain. Some customers even complain directly to me,” he said.
“One told me my beef dendeng felt like chewing on a wall. He had dentures, so I suggested he try the softer wet beef instead.”
“Complaints show they care”
Ajak said he never takes offence at criticism because he believes it helps him improve.
“For me, complaints are normal. I actually appreciate them because it shows people care. Whenever someone gives feedback, I’ll work to improve.”
