Shanghai Restaurant's 2,550-Baht Tomato Egg Dish Sparks Online Uproar
A Shanghai restaurant's 2,550-baht tomato and egg stir-fry sparked viral outrage after videos revealed it uses emu eggs and premium imported tomatoes, with production costs around 200 yuan but a price tag dozens of times higher than typical
A restaurant in Shanghai, China has become a hot topic on social media after launching a special "tomato and egg stir-fry" menu item priced at 520 yuan, or roughly 2,550 baht, sparking widespread criticism about its value.
The dish is a traditional Chinese homestyle food made with simple ingredients like eggs and tomatoes, typically an affordable staple prepared in kitchens across China. However, the restaurant "Jinlong Dapin Anlou" in the Huangpu District of central Shanghai has priced it dozens of times higher than ordinary restaurants, attracting significant media and internet attention.
Buzz intensified when multiple bloggers visited the restaurant, filmed the preparation process, and posted videos on social media that quickly went viral. The clips revealed the chef uses large "emu eggs"—distinctive dark green shells—instead of chicken or duck eggs, requiring a small hammer to crack due to their exceptional hardness. Rather than cracking the egg into a regular bowl, the chef cracked it directly into a wine glass, which some bloggers viewed as adding ceremonial flair to an ordinary dish.
The tomato ingredient also proved unusual: a premium variety called "Provence tomatoes" in China, known for their juiciness despite originating from the Netherlands. One blogger described the taste as "tender and well-rounded," while the chef revealed the restaurant sells only one serving daily, with production costs around 200 yuan, primarily from imported emu eggs and other premium ingredients.
Online criticism divided into multiple camps, with some calling the price "unreasonably expensive" while others saw it as a matter of buyer and seller choice. One comment noted: "The restaurant clearly displays its prices; customers choose voluntarily, so there's no real problem."
Meanwhile, the tomato and egg stir-fry remains debated in China over whether it should be sweet, with northern and southern Chinese preparing it differently—illustrating how even an ordinary dish can spark online controversy.
