Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Good rates,bro

I got 1020k for a sin $ in the morning. I tink it shld be even higher by nw.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

I'm going to Batam this weekend for the first time. Message me if you are you are going too.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Marine Live Seafood - **STEAMBOAT FISH**
=================================
(no photos .. bcs didn't expect it at all.. pls read on)


Conclusion : One Sentence - bye bye WKeng ~~~~



2 nights ago, that whampoa keng steamboat (soup) was seriously lingering in both our minds. Heart/mouth decided to go although mind kept fighting against it.

When reaching Utama, last ditch mind-defence (lol), I told her : "let's detour to Denny first.... tell him about that whampoa keng" .

We drove to Marine Live , met Denny.. chit chat and then started telling him about (what-my-tastebud-can-tell) the ingredients and color in the steamboat soup, the visible ingredients in the soup, the fish parts, the sze chuan, yam, etc.

Denny then told us how steamboat soups are made (long preparation - to boil from a big pot to half of it so as the the soup be concentrated and flavorful from the ingredients etc etc). And that the best fish for steamboat gotta be "Ang Zhor" (Hokkien) meaning Red Snapper. From the conversation, he got hot and heavy. He was all fired up.

He stood up and said : "let me make one for you - no MSG. If it's not nice to you (micmac) and I know you are demanding, consider as I trick you, OK ?" It sounded either confident or foolhardy. Either way, his eyes burned with passion.

My partner immediately called the same 2 friends (who went WKeng with us, the local stingy guy+gf) to come for dinner. That way, we would have a collective opinion.

Denny scooped the last red snapper, weighing at 700grams (RP182K, since 1KG = RP260K). And said he will only charge for the fish for the steamboat.

RP182K is "same" as WKeng's small portion fish head/parts steamboat @ RP180k.

Whilst Denny went to prepare and friends coming, I drove to DC Mall to buy steamboat ingredients Denny doesn't have - beancurd skin and Dao-Gua (hokkien).

Denny's Steamboat Fish *BLEW* us away. The soup was delicious. How delicious : stingy friend didn't talk during the dinner - he kept drinking the soup, eating the fish, and saying to himself "good... mmm.. good... mmmm.... not bad... mmm ...mmm" LOOOOL! The girls liked the yam alot and saying to themselves about the texture and freshness and cooked just right - not soft not hard - unlike WKeng.

Comparison :

Portion : Marine Live bigger than WKeng's small size fish steamboat, but no unlimited soup.

Price : Same (Marine Live 700g red snapper @ RP182K, whilst WKeng's at RP180K)

Ingredients : WKeng's only fish parts, Marine Live is a whole live fish. Both also had yam and cabbage/vege. Marine Live no MSG.

Winner - beyond collective doubt and dispute : Marine Live

==================

True enough, stingy-friend still hungry. He decided to "test" Marine Live. He ordered his personal favorite - char beehoon (biasa). Dish came, didn't look as appealing as Fresh Beer's version. He took one bite, and finished the whole plate and asked how much, Denny replied RP18K. Stingy-friend immediately made best buddies with Denny Loool...LOOOOOOOOL. It is cheaper than hawker stalls (typically RP22K upwards) and fresh beer (RP30K) with live fresh prawns and fish meat etc.

Final note by Denny was the soup can even be better - but must inform him 1-2 days before so he have time to boil/concentrate the soup, and also see if got red snapper.

I was glad. Very glad - told Denny I would have paid more, noting the ingredients and whatnot in the steamboat.

All he said was "No need, I am really happy just customers come over and chit chat with me over beer" (he loves liquor)


RP182K (and RP18K char beehoon) not include "John recommended me to Marine Live" discount yet :D:D


**DISTINCTION**


Edit : Prices are before the RP's "devaluation" to 10K per 1S$. Expect all prices everywhere to increase if it becomes the norm.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Wait,wait...there is this super new City Central Hotel. I am trying to beat bro Naka's deal,hehehe...:D

Know where is Formosa Hotel? Left side after walking out of Formosa front door is Dynasty99,opposite Dynasty99 is Queen8933...beside Queen8933 is Lovinna Inn Nagoya,directly behind Lovinna Inn is City Central Hotel. Superb location!

Actually dont wish to reply you so fast until my 19th trip summary is out,but you act very fast...lol. So must expose this almost brand new hotel to all liao...lol. Scare you lose out...

Info as below,by now the hotel should be only about one month old :


Got good ,got bad. Good in the sense 99% things inside hotel all brand new. Bad is their receptionist is inexperience,breakfast is...well...dont wish to say much since its free (none of us took their breakfast..lol). I was there in my last trip (19th trip,on weekdays). Overall experience is 8/10.

1. No hair dryer
2. No fridge unless you take the 588k room
3. No door bell
4. Receptionists were pretty looking but inexperience (with guest enquiries).
5. No in house massage (but location is only a stone throw away from Indo rasa Massage)
6. Room service food only from the restaurant beside the hotel which close at 10pm.

The rest should be ok.

Looking at the moon, the star and the sun,today 26th of Aug is the MOST auspicious weekday of this month to go Batam,hehehe...thats why i was drooling non-stop when bro 1stclass go Batam today.

Great info!

Thank you for sharing,lucky i ask my friend change for me liao. 10020/SGD opposite formosa,hehehe...

Enjoy!

Bro,City Central cannot book online leh...but the walk in price is minimum 288k for standard room as shown on the picture above. Is there one that is 150k/night?

Hehehehe...only 1 way to find out,try both methods (bargain and dont bargain) and lets see which one brings more trouble. In my perspective,you are wise.

Yes,yes,yes...this month's girls really solid. Early bird catches the BEST worms tho,hehehe....

Hehehe...if the photo book shows a 8/10 girl in it,i will remember to minus 2 points out of it,and if its a 9/10,i will drop my expectation to 7/10. With the super high rate of STD and HIV running within the country, wearing a CD to protect oneself for any sexual activities is every monger's minimum defence.

Wish you have an even better next trip to Batam,bro.

Cheers!

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

hi bro, thats a funny exp u had b4 :D i am not that fussy end of the day not choosing wife. just 3points...
1. slim no lau lau
2. cannot too old
3. must be siao char bo

hahahaha :D

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Price wise, these places are cheaper. If you are those who don't care about faces or body shape.

There are a few with bigger breast, n nice body. Again, each have his own taste.

ABI massage gals are mainly MILF.

Formosa chop carrot.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

I think hor, now quote "Micmac recommended me to Marine Live Seafood" will get a heftier discount liao... Hahahah...

Looks like U're inspiring Denny to greater culinary achievements siah... Looks like I've gotta make a trip down to Denny's this weekend for some fish steamboat liao; maybe ask him to add his homemade tofu into the steamboat... Sure steam one, pun intended... Hehehe... Slurpssssss...

Btw, I think u got typo... U meant that if the steamboat was not up to your standard, Denny will TREAT u right, not TRICK u... Lol...

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

I wished too AR! You are always one of the topics of chit chat at Marine Live. And I seriously , 8-hands-to-God (include my partner, and now stingy-friend + his gf), we sincerely thank you for this super-GEM.


Indirectly perhaps ? Else I eat at that carrot-chopping place due to its mind-lingering quality ? No way, unless absolutely no choice . So THANK YOU AGAIN for recommending Marine Live


Nope, not typo - he did say that, in chinese "如果不很好吃,不到你標準,算我騙你，好嗎？" That statement was literally a one-way ticket for him if he failed. He said that all fired up - it was awesome (all sense of the word) LOL! And seeing a chief-cook/chef with such passion - I won't pass it up.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Bro Nono..you did it again..

Great info..since I travel very light I shall try both Hotels and report back here.

Thats why I appreciate this Batam Thread. Batam cheongsters readily trade and share info..none better than bro Nono currently..but oso tribute to the many seasoned Batam contributors which I cant name all..we all know who they are and appreciate the info given. This what the forum should be about.

I do promise after my Sept visit I will write a TR. It will not have juicy details but I will share some of my own lobangs on food and other stuff I like to do in Batam.

Have a nice day everyone and dun forget to vote on 11 Sept !:)

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Ahahah! Thanks for your funny comments. You guys really know how to make my morning happier before starting to work! I love this SB forum.
Did you notice that the 5th finger I broke is the 5th small finger of the foot? (see bold text in my original post)
Now, I know Far East is the region of very sophisiticated lovers, but I wonder if even in Japan they master the art to finger and tickle pussy with the 5th finger of the foot...:D :D

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Please allow me to correct your English...

Fingers that those long appertures that are stick out of your hands... I think u are referring to TOES, those short stubby ones that are attached to your feet..

Fingers = Dita
Toes = Dita dei piedi

:D:D

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

ROFL-Helicopter hahahahaha~~~ HAHAHAHAHAHAH..

It's all good .. all good - not poking fun at anyone .. just that mind-images of fingers to foot is ... ROLF-helicopter HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH~~~

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

ah...uncle learn smthg english today.

Uncle eat rice today,uncle also eat chicken. Then uncle got eat cucumber. Uncle also drink soup.

Total is uncle today eating is hainan chicken rice. U all got guessing correct or no? :D

jus for laughing only

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

Hey bro,
Just log-in & saw your post on City Central. I didn't realized you stayed there on your last trip. I assumed u were too comfortable w Formosa to go elsewhere.

Btw, I saw a group of 4 (Sgp looking guys) in the Coffee Cafe next the CC hotel 1 late morning during my last trip, i thought 1 of them looks like u but was thinking its your private "solo" trip. So i thought it may not be. Else, I was thinking of coming in to say "Hi". :o


I had the opportunity to visit MLS/Denny too, thanks to you guys. Had very basic food for 1, Seafood tofu & Ngoh Hiam. Must say his home made tofu is good (8/10). The Ngoh Hiam is kind of dry (3/10) though, maybe due to its small "hot-dog" size nature.

Thanks to you guys for sharing affordable yet good local food. Denny must be wondering this "John" must be v famous! Got many friends recommended by him to go there. Haha...

Paisei ah. John i also use your name. :D

P.s.
I'm happy to see more local food sharing here since my 1st solo "request" a few mths ago. Wow!!! this thread fly like no tomorrow. So much to catch up.

Re: Batam Info Thread
 

No problem BigBird, more than happy to share these gems..

Like I had previously said, I am sharing also partly because of selfish reasons... I wanna keeping his business roaring so that he'll stay open and I will always have an awesome seafood place to go to in Batam, versus those tourist-trap places like WeyWey or Golden Prawn/Fish/Crab/Whatever...