Batam Info / Interest / Help Thread

[nono1973]

At Grand Batam Mall, went over to try this 3 Wonton restaurant (name, Tiga Wonton) at the mall's top floor...

I ordered the mix salted egg noodle tho. And to my surprise, its very tasty and suits my taste bud. This is one of those very rare times that i find shopping mall's noodle restaurant makes very good noodles that suit me.

Overall rating i give to this noodle i ordered,is an easy 8.5/10.

Not cheap tho. Costing about 45k rupiah before tax and service charge.

Note here that i am actually comparing this version of salted egg noodle with the 22k rupiah Bai Long Noodle, 20k rupiah Meximo Pub noodle and 20k rupiah from Bei Long (a2 Food court). Not exactly fair comparison as their ambiance were different hence i am mainly comparing it solely base on taste, in accordance to my own taste bud.

Very close score of 8.5 to 9 over 10 points between all mentioned noodle stall above,hehehe...oh, and this tiga wanton noodle, i notice they give ONLY 3 wantan for every wan tan noodle ordered,hehehe...guess that live up up to their name.

The next honorable mention for noodle would be from Gadeno at Nagoya Hill Mall top floor which i didnt try it becos of its taste but more for its "flying look".

Under normal time, i would NOT have head over to a restaurant and especially so to Nagoya Hill Mall just to eat something out of just being it looks nice,hehehe....but this one is really unique, as its being served the way the photo was shown to my dining table.

This Gadeno restaurant was 1st recommended by a bro here in this forum (meaning place not found out by me), and just before i step into it i did read some review of it. 60% of those who tried this Gadeno's food gave it a THUMBS DOWN. Not becos of the food taste but becos of the staff's attitude in the restaurant.

THEY DONT LISTEN TO CUSTOMER'S REQUEST PROPERLY.

Those who reviewed this restaurant was right. The staff truly NEVER bother to listen up. I ordered apple, came in orange kind of service. Not many i believe can take this kind of service-level. I would say, similar to bro Blackpage's situation at Jco when he order his double shot coffee, turns out its a single shot and/or something else.

My expectation was brought down to rock bottom before i reach there tho,hehehe...

(observe carefully,there were chilli in the fried rice itself)

I knew the noodle dish was spicy before i ordered it (base on reviews i read), hence i told the staff no less than thrice. "No spicy, no chilli please." Even repeat myself to another waiter too. In between the waiting time, there was 2 dishes which i didnt order came to my table.

When it was served to my table, it was the spicy version. Same for the fried rice i ordered too. 2 dish, the flying noodle and the fried rice, both came with chilli and were spicy.

Anyway, my objective for eating in this Gadeno restaurant was mainly for that flying noodle shown above,hehehe...hence i can still forego all the rest of their no-good. I kind-of impress the other tables in the restaurant when my "flying noodle" comes to my table tho,hehehe....

Paid 40k rupiah for that plate of flying noodle dish tho.

And my final bill for that meal...

Not cheap, but well...its a one time experience. Taste of noodle, and being a noodle person, i would rate it a 6/10. And if it isnt spicy, probably might just rate it a 6.5/10. Still edible, but its really nothing compare to rest of the other noodle stall i visited around Batam mention above in this post (base on my taste bud).

Its CNY afterall, just pinch my nose and swallow it all (my girl helps me "swallow" some too).

Oh, wait...anyone interested to know how this Gadeno restaurant makes their noodle "fly"? There are 2 ways to know...one way is to skip this post and go visit their restaurant in Batam, pay 40k rupiah excluding tax and service charge to find out.

Another way, simply click on the below spoiler to find out,hehehe...

( Click to show/hide )

You save 40k rupiah and perhaps learned something,hehehe...anyway, this is just my one time out-of-curiosity experience. And am unlikely to return to that restaurant in Nagoya Hill Mall again, unless someone wish to foot my part of the bill to get "impressed",hehehe...

* I just learned that BCS mall also has one Gadeno Restaurant branch too. Might visit that one instead rather than the Nagoya Hill one. Hoopefully staffs there got no problem with their ear.

Just sharing.

...to be continue...

[Malaria55]

Originally Posted by nono1973

This incident sounds like a police raid to me. Hmm...and BCC is a 4 starred hotel. Thats not going to bring out well for this hotel.

Anyway, this hotel other than being one of the tallest building in Batam, nothing in it really caught my attention. Not even its breakfast nor its customer service level. The room however is above average, other than that...well, everything and anything in it is expensive.

Totally agree..stayed there last month for 1 night. Big rooms and OK breakfast. But not allowed online taxi to be called and picked up at their lobby!!! Which is ridiculous.

[Naka_Timo]

Originally Posted by decaptico

LOL!! this card look familar. Octapas member card...

[dogman]

Hi bros..will b making my 1st solo trip to batam since 2001..will b staying at formosa hotel..any things tat i shd look out for??read dozens of pages here..the more i read,the more interested i m...

[BFOMF5]

FYI.
"City Foodcourt" (beside i-hotel)
opening on this coming sat (8/2).

[Gaze]

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

Latest update here for mask and sanitzer mall and paramacy all out of stocks...i just back ytd...but for your info hbb terminal there are still stocks for mask n sanitzer...i know its not related to this forum but for our health just to let you guys know can get some for prevention..

Any further updates on face mask supplies and prices? Im heading to batam this coming wednesday and hope it dont run out of supplies.

[PowerBenz]

Originally Posted by Gaze

Any further updates on face mask supplies and prices? Im heading to batam this coming wednesday and hope it dont run out of supplies.

I heard that mask price increased to 150rp per box.. not sure its ture anot...

[Gaze]

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

I heard that mask price increased to 150rp per box.. not sure its ture anot...

I always thought that pharmacy prices are fixed.

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by Gaze

I always thought that pharmacy prices are fixed.

Suppliers are jacking up their prices. Pharmacies are now getting them from suppliers/wholesalers at 90-100k per box. Selling price now at 150-170k per box versus the usual pre-Corona pricing of 30-40k per box

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by PowerBenz

I heard that mask price increased to 150rp per box.. not sure its ture anot...

It’s true, prices are heading upwards to 150-170k per box

[TheBob]

Originally Posted by Gaze

I always thought that pharmacy prices are fixed.

Fixed price, but no stock no use.

N95 - cheapest 700k for box of 20 pcs at Kimia pharmacy
Surgical mask - 150k for brand like Sensi and earloop type. Can get cheaper like 120k for less reputable brands.

There are some sellers trying to pass off dust mask, fashion mask and sell for 80k, 90k. These are useless for what we want the masks for.

Last check at GoGo Supermarket at HarbourBay
last evening only left generic brand N95 at 13k per piece.

And, prices are going up still.

Lastly, don't buy more than 2 boxes (50 pcs each) cos for once, the x-ray guy is working and instruction for them is 2 boxes max per person. More than that, will have to send via courier. This is applicable at HarbourBay, not sure about Batam Center.

[TheBob]

Originally Posted by hawkeye007

It’s true, prices are heading upwards to 150-170k per box

Painful experience. Managed to buy 3 carton (at 80k per box) but can't bring out. Have to send via courier.

[iicycold]

Originally Posted by tomssss

wait till u meet him for the 1st time, with his hello kitty pink color hanging bag.

those mask would be matching with that 'bag' around his neck.

wa brother, hw long u last seen him? he long time no use tat bag liao la....lol

nwday if u go btm, can only see him wear tis hello kitty musker walkin ard then can recocknize him liao lor....lol



got mani versi sm more...sm time he will change different style.



4 me, if u wan recocknize me in btm, mus open eye big big 2 see person wearing tis musker....lol



since mus wear musker 4 prevention, my as well wear wit style, tio bo....



nono's motto...safety mus lumber one....lol...who knws, can impress the btm custom ger officers too.

no musker? nvrmind, can stil follow japan or cheena style...lol

( Click to show/hide )

or simply borrow yr ger ger's bra 4 use as musker lor....lol

i gng 2 be headin 2 btm soon, but exchange rate 4 sin$ no so good in btm nw....

i mus stock up my doraemon musker b4 i go 2....lol

[Gaze]

Originally Posted by TheBob

Painful experience. Managed to buy 3 carton (at 80k per box) but can't bring out. Have to send via courier.

Thanks! If I courier out 50boxes, how much does it cost and will I be liable for taxes?

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

NO thank you...even queue 45 mins in an airport I hate it...if I want to spend CNY in Batam then I will go a few days before CNY and stay a week till all mad rush over..

Yea, if you have no programme on just a day or 2 before CNY, Batam should be a nice place to be at, and then leave the island 2 to 3 days after CNY itself. I left few days after CNY 3rd day, hence no crowd at all. Ferry was less than 50% full,hehehe...

I have reunion dinner commitment, hence my best date/timing i could go to Batam were usually eve of CNY or on the 1st day of CNY itself. All i can do is to be getting the correct timing that best suits me but the crowd would often be from the Singapore side. Batam immigration would mainly be crowded during the day before sunset. Well, unless you disembark from Batam Center ferry terminal whereby one would likely be queuing for hours to get pass immigration (one of my friend took a little more than 2 hours to get out of there). Clearing immigration custom from Harbour Bay ferry terminal took no more than 15 mins during CNY after disembarking from ferry...hehehe...i timed it with my stop-watch (about 9.5 mins upon disembarking from ferry, i reach the arrival door of the ferry terminal).

Batam side, i have already beat the crowd. Even shopping malls like Nagoya Hill Mall, BCS and DC mall was quiet when i reach them,hehehe...quiet here means its quieter than normal weekends in Batam.

1st day and 2nd day of CNY, temples were super ultra crowded (day time), but i wasnt there,hehehe...i was at massage shops and those quiter malls instead.

3rd day and 4th day of CNY, shopping malls were more crowded (day time), but i wasnt there,hehehe...i was at the temples.

Batam is crowded to many during CNY, but not to me,hehehe....Singapore is way more crowded instead.

By the 5th day of CNY, i am back to Singapore. And when Singapore side is no longer crowded.

Now its the time to work like "shit",hehehe...