[micmac888]

Zenbu Resto (Nagoya Hill Mall)
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Went ytd to Zenbu. The photos in the menu were really appealing. All looked good. Was at a loss to ordering what except what was suggested by johnkhb.

Total bill came out to RP300K (300,570) for 2.

My personal rating only (out of 5 stars) :

Food : 3
Ambience / Classiness : 4
Service : 3.5
Value : 2 (by batam standards), 4 (by SG standards)

If one has been around in Batam - by Batam standards - the prices are not great because there are much better Japanese restos in Batam - just not in touristy areas. But as Singaporeans accustomed to SG's expenses - it will be good value for money to them.

Food -
1 x Wagyu beef teriyaki bowl - is nice. RP99K is a steal. Was saddened - bcs only 5 slices of it. I finished them 5 pcs in less than 30 secs. LOL.

1 x Edamame (RP18K) - is alright. Nothing special

1 x Kinoko Soup (RP29K) - the photo looks wonderful - reminded me of the same preparation in Taiwan. But the photo, in this case, was deceptive. When the dish came - it was smaller than the palm of my hand. I took one sip and gave it to my wife - bcs it was too salty for me. She finished it though but later commented it was alittle too salty even for her.

1 x Modanyaki Unagi (RP85K). It's japanese wheat noodles with eel pieces covered in a layer of egg (semi-fried). The photo is just too deceptive. The photo shows chunky pieces of the unagi (eel) on top of egg-layer. When the dish came - there was no eel. Asked the waitress and she said its mixed within the noodles underneath the egg-layer. What we found out - KNN - is just scraps of the eel (not chunks) mixed with the noodles. Worse is - the price of mayo and cheese must have crashed - it was too cheesy and greasy for even a triple cheese-burger loving guy. My suggestion : avoid all Modanyaki dishes in Zenbu.

1 x Green Mix drink (RP26K) - a on-the-spot made real fruit juice of veges and fruits - sweet and sour. It went well on our stomachs to reduce that greasy feeling from the darn Modanyaki.

Didn't try the seafood teppanyaki although the waitress recommended bcs John has already tried - and yes - the waitress concurred it is a generous serving. Wanted to try other dishes that John hasn't tried to see if our combined experience on Zenbu's dishes can provide an all-encompassing view of Zenbu.

All said,


a. Really that Wagyu Teriyaki is delicious. I was seriously tempted to order another bowl .. but then thought .."hmmm.. that would be a total of 10 bite-sized slices for RP200K....... that's expensive (by Batam standards)"

b. Am sure the seafood teppanyaki is value for money.

c. John discouraged ordering tempura, and the waitress didn't even mention any of the tempura dishes for recommendation. So will concur to avoid tempura.

d. Their Modanyaki is an extreme calorie-rich, greasy-monkey, cheese/mayonnaise-price-crash disaster. It really killed any natural taste and texture of the noodle. It was just too oily. Went to a nearby coffee shop and drank hot teh-o-kosong-gao-gao to just kill that greasy feeling.

e. Make sure to confirm what you see in the menu is what you shall get. Die die must confirm. their photos can be deceptive.

Truth be told, I have personally come to conclude that restos in touristy areas just cannot be compared to those that aren't. Yet, for bros who come to batam for a few days and weekends - won't find the logic to travel "far"/"out-of-the-way" to try those good restos. In such cases, Zenbu's good value to them. Just avoid that shitty Mondanyaki dishes.

It's an experience and I love trying. Zenbu's experience was great for me still - bcs never try, never know.

Cheers and will lurk here and try restos mentioned (already Nono has mentioned a few and will try tomorrow).

enjoy!