Batam Info Thread

[xXFreedomXx]

Originally Posted by iicycold

Next time i go Marine Live,i'll tell the boss,my "fren" ordered drunken prawn,but u all give him dead prawn. Hw dead prawn can becm drunken?

Haha it is frozen prawns. I am ok with it. Just don't understand how can frozen prawns cost more than live prawns

[xXFreedomXx]

Originally Posted by micmac888

Felt for u that u unable to enjoy it. Nothing is more frustrating than tangible reasonable expectations not met.

Still, need to put things in perspective so that next visit will not be as bad as this one (yeah have encountered too)

1. Waiting for 15 mins. I am accustomed to waiting "that long" at marine live. Depending on the seafood ordered, it takes time to prepare. It is not pre-prepared (which to me means something is not right if one can further infer). I have even waited for 45mins which is fast due to other earlier bigger tables waiting for their orders or incoming dishes. Unless one wants his assistant to cook .. yes will cut down waiting time... But no way for me. I insist Denny to cook my food and only him. Not just me but other customers also. it's tough being the only preferred cook to cooking all dishes for different tables.....

2. The drunken prawn... Happened to kohonly21 in past and he mentioned here as well. 2 people portion is 80k. 4 people portion is 120k. It was also mentioned here too. And yes, since the last 2 visits, we didn't order drunken prawn bcs OC can only take live prawns not frozen. And Denny did tell us is more expensive too bcs his direct source does not have live supply for him, and he needs to buy thru middleman (not direct) for the frozen ones. In other words, his live stock tend to be cheaper than frozen stock. Making sense for him to capital-invest in the aquariums , dual redundancy sea water filters , bacteria killers, pumps and whatnot.

3. Famous vegetable gone. Ya, can happen to any business.

4. Food not so good . U were chasing him/them. The chief cook was rushed , in addition to cooking for other tables as well. Adequate cooking times cut down per dish to speed up delivery. How can it taste as good as flavourful.

My humble suggestion. after understanding the above, next and every visit, say hi to Denny . Tell him to take his time to cook for u. And u will enjoy ur dinner.


And about the comment about the brother "frantically" promoting marine live , it does not mean much to infrequent batam visitors (less than 7 days a month, each month) but it means a lot to the frequent visitors who know better which is a gem and which is not and which is carrot chop.

When the food didn't turn out as good as I tasted before, I did suspect that it's not cooked by Danny himself. I would say in a way our fault as my friend getting impatient chasing for the food.

[micmac888]

Originally Posted by xXFreedomXx

I would say in a way our fault as my friend getting impatient chasing for the food.

went to marine live in the evening to have dinner and enquired about the entire episode out of sheer curiosity. Got the full picture now. They also noted their fault in that they should have managed/set customer's expectations better prior to ordering so that there be no misgivings.

Do talk to denny or acquaint with denny .... let him know you even if u rarely visit batam. this little effort will payoff quite well for all ur future dinners there

cheers ~~~

[micmac888]

Originally Posted by ErnestK

Plus 1.

Marine Live's boss must be counting his lucky stars for such a good friend who is willing to promote his restaurant for nothing in return, and even jump in to defend him for issues.

I am assuming u r refering to myself. would do the same for u too if I knew you, your operations and quality value offerings, yet you do not have an account here to defend your reputation in face of realistic operational constraints and expectations.

I live in batam and marine live seafood (specifically denny) is an outright seafood gem in terms of quality, price and commuting convenience. No need believe my words - go try as many seafood joints at least twice in batam to reach one's personal conclusion.

And because of the above, its the other way around - its I and a handful of frequent batam regulars who thank our lucky stars got MLS , else have to go wey wey hawaii red crab nonsense in downtown batam and spend more due to our frequency in batam than the infrequent visitor should marine disappear due to slow/no biz (unlike commission-giving restos).

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by HelloWAH

My thought and opinion is same as yours. You can post this sentence mean that not all samster is blind and no brain .They know what is happening here. Just keep quiet only. But you straightfoward and post what is in your mind. My decision is i fully agreed what you say is true. I believe hidden Agenda in mind is to help restaurant boss aka got friendship promote the restaurant.. My batam friend told me don,t go marine seafood. I ask him why and he told me is tourist trap. Expensive

And those promoter is friend with Marine boss. So the reason for promoting this restaurant is there. Morale of this story. Don,t anyhow believe what other people is saying.

Wow, then your friend must be eating for free man, pls ask him to recommend the seafood place that he frequents, I wanna go to...

I may not be someone living in Batam, but being someone who is there 3 days every week, I can be loosely considered a PR liao.. I've ate in my fair share of seafood places and it baffles me how your 'friend' can classify it as a tourist trap when it's by far one of the cheapest that I've eaten at..

Allow me to enlighten you on what are tourist traps:

933 - 15% commission + 1 pk of ciggies + nasi goreng
Hawai - 10% commission
Wey Wey - 15% commission
Kelong - 20% commission + 1 pk of ciggies + nasi goreng

And the list goes on.... I hope your 'friend' not bringing u to such places to eat..

So in conclusion, I'll like to quote your morale of the story...

"Don't anyhow believe what other people is saying..."

[Black Page]

Originally Posted by johnkhb

Allow me to enlighten you on what are tourist traps:
933 - 15% commission + 1 pk of ciggies + nasi goreng
Hawai - 10% commission
Wey Wey - 15% commission
Kelong - 20% commission + 1 pk of ciggies + nasi goreng

This information is very interesting, although the fact that a place recognizes a commission to the taxi driver or whoever brings a customer, per se (by itself), should not be taken as a conclusive negative indicator.
More than about the restaurant quality, the information above is rather useful to recognize the sincerity of "friends" who offer us travel tips.

For example, one of the best places I know in Batam for eating seafood is the kelong Aneka Rasa restaurant at 4th Barelang Bridge, for food but expecially for the ambience over the sea. I really do not care if they pay 20% commission to my taxi driver, and I am even happy for him, until I am satisfied with the service and overall price paid.

In Windsor 933, I got one negative experience years ago. I found a kerapu overpriced in the bill (I guess its reported weight was double than real). The discussion with the cashier did not yield to anything acceptable for me, except a minimal discount. The conclusion for me was BAN. I never went back.
Since then, my restaurant in Windsor is 999. I never got bad surprises.

I do attend Wey Wey at Harbour Bay. I would not qualify it as tourist trap. The quality is standard and the price is on the higher side as in all restaurants at HB, but I like to eat on the water (although smelly when the tide is low).

But there is one more reason why I attend Wey Wey.
I keep restaurants segregated depending on who accompanies me for dinner.

I go to Windsor 999 when I am alone, or when I have a decent regular girl accompanying me, or when she is maybe not decently dressed but she is my close friend. This is because there I know several beer girls and the waitresses, and I want to keep my good reputation there.
To be direct: I don't want to go there with a girl booked from joint, who has been already seen many times there accompanying a variety of men from young to old, from thin to fat, that is evidently a professional working booking-out girl.
If I am with such a girl, I go to Wey Wey only. There, they have seen me with many girls and I really do not care if they recognize a booked girl.

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by MovingTarget

Another massage house that tied up with tour agency during that time was Go Massage. Go Massage was cleaned, they changed bedsheet and pillow case and pull the bedsheet in tension like army style albeit you can see some stains that cannot be completely washed off but you know it was considered clean. The therapists were good with good massage technique.

The whole list of clean massage places near to Nagoya Hill Mall below i got from bro iicy's post on his signature were all tied with at least one or few tour agencies :

https://sbf.directory/showpo...ostcount=33556

A lot of clean massage shop on the list can give a good massage if their massage therapies REALLY wish to do so. Believe me,most of them were in one way or another well trained. The problem like i say,they have too many customers,earning by quantity of customers,hence their standard of massage tends to drop. And at times,the "dirty massage shop"'s girls would likely have done a much better job.

Originally Posted by MovingTarget

The weird things was the receptionist/counter staff serving ginger tea to walk-in customers only. That means she will asked you to sit down and brings tea to you whereas those came from tour group, the recept/counter staff will point to you where you can serve yourself tea. If the group was large, you queue for your own tea. Kind of strange that I felt, isn't those from tour group also call Customers. hehehe ....

Your saying reminds me of Golden Prawn Restaurant and other restaurants like Wey Wey,Harbour Bay sea food etc. They were also tied down with Tour agent. If you read Trip Advisor's comments on its respective sea food restaurants,you should have no trouble finding their customers who joined tour group saying their Sea Food taste not good and not fresh etc. But if you see those comments by the restaurant customers who didnt join any tour group,their reviews were actually not bad...just one thing,the Sea Food they serve usually cost much more and i am talking about 2 to 3 times more like those pricing in Windsor Food court (or more).

I think they divide their customers into few different category. From my perspective,those who join the tour group,they came in masses and paid with a mass discounted price from groupon etc, this group probably gets to eat the not-so-fresh sea food. Those who walk-in and paying a higher aka normal price probably get the fresher sea food and those who go base on taxi driver's recommendation? Hehehe...i guess they probably get the worse of both world. Expensive and yet not-fresh sea food. Sorry,someone like me who dont take sea food using sea food as an example.

But this same theory above applies for massage places on bro iccy's list too.

Another illustration,I am a customer,you are also a customer,we visit Batam in 2 different time for the exact same girl,you may have paid 300k to 400k rupiah for a hj with lousy service,but i pay 100k to 150k rupiah for a hj with good service. This kind of thing were often seen happening since the beginning of this Batam thread,isnt it? Hehehe...

Originally Posted by MovingTarget

S$10/- for 1 hour massage is really something for Singaporean when compared to Singapore massage house for per hour massage. Now, If you go to Bridge Massage, you can get S$8 for 1 hour body massage or S$7 for 1 hour foot massage. However, tour guide will never bring tourists to these places otherwise they have nothing for themselves. It is only people who been to Batam and knows where and how to go will have better bargain.

You got it right! In my point of view,S$0.50 apple usually taste better than the S$1 one from the same tree,hehehe...if the apple keeps changing hand,the apple will become more costly to the one who eats them. Conclusion,find the source of the apple to get the best price,taking out all the middle MEN.

Originally Posted by MovingTarget

So, with this Batam thread running as it is, it is going to help many people, if they bother to read.

I read this thread 4 times,i didnt even skip the tcss part. I soon become equipped with lots of Batam information and the understanding why newbie/s keep asking the same questions over and over again. I was penalized like all newbies and i dont like it,so i am using my limited strength to consolidated information here,at the same time try my best not to spoil the newbies and yet still be able to have them go Batam more confidently on their own.

Reading is one thing,understanding whats being read is another. If one bothers to start reading but lacks the understanding of what they have read,they can still ask. But if one fails to 1st read,it can only mean they choose not to help themselves. And if they choose not to 1st help themselves,then even God cannot help them.

As usual,everyone shares a little bit here and there in this thread,over time i can collect quite a lot of information which will make my (or maybe others) future Batam trips better and more enjoyable.

[DDAMn]

Anah BBQ is still the best find for me thanks bro micmac for the share.....

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by Black Page

This information is very interesting, although the fact that a place recognizes a commission to the taxi driver or whoever brings a customer, per se (by itself), should not be taken as a conclusive negative indicator.
More than about the restaurant quality, the information above is rather useful to recognize the sincerity of "friends" who offer us travel tips.

When is the next time u'll be in batam...? Let me buy u a meal at Marine Live...

[HelloWAH]

Originally Posted by johnkhb

Wow, then your friend must be eating for free man, pls ask him to recommend the seafood place that he frequents, I wanna go to...

My local friend say is expensive because the food is priced at foreigner price. For foreigner they will say not that expensive because foreigner will say cheap because of the strength of their currency.

For local sure expensive. Just know one thing is enough. Marine boss your friend ?

And btw not only my friend say expensive. Do you like to know who else say is not cheap here? Got a few samster here also say food not cheap. You slowly slowly read and you will know who.


If who support what i say marine food is expensive, just support me by giving me some support points, thanks.

PPS. Want to help friend bring in business, just say so. No need to say until the restaurant can fly.

[iicycold]

Originally Posted by xXFreedomXx

Haha it is frozen prawns. I am ok with it. Just don't understand how can frozen prawns cost more than live prawns

Not the 1st time u went to Marine Live. U had a gd exp the last time.

https://sbf.directory/showpost.p...ostcount=33565

i tink yr case is like wat nono says,rite place wrong timing.

Looks more like Marine live's cooking isn't so consistent nwaday.

Originally Posted by xXFreedomXx

..I would say in a way our fault as my friend getting impatient chasing for the food.

Yr fren 1st time in Indo? Try few other sea food restaurants during peak hr next time,yr fren will surely die of hunger. i took a while to get used to their slow motion food serving culture.

Compare zi char store in SG to btm sea food store,the food was served much faster from SG zi char store. Yr fren probably not used to it. Don't believe me,try it out to see for yrself nxt time.

Originally Posted by johnkhb

Let me buy u a meal at Marine Live...

U r likely to surprise him with the bill.

[Xhuuya]

woah nono bro , u already explore that much bro O_O
even im alrd at batam for half year still dont know dat much lhe )
i can give you all information about Kue lapis or layers cake
as you guys know , kue lapis is one of the gift from batam "Oleh-Oleh" we local said .

1.To buy kueh lapis , most important point is to try the free sample they give us. Mostly shop in nagoya hill or other shopping mall had sample

2. to make sure the Quality of kueh lapis is same with the sampler, Some shop give better and tastier sampler . recommended to buy small (half portion) so you can try it right there.

3.Never buy the lapis from Taxi or Tour !!! Many kue Lapis in Batam giving commision !! Some of them giving about $2 - $7 for each Kueh Lapis !! the normal place average is about Rp 150.000 - Rp 200.000 for Original one !!

4. Buy it from the store that sell only Kueh lapis , not some restaurant or bread store selling em.

For your information , many store in Batam buy kue lapis from single baker and sell with higher price , dat "single baker" didn't open store, they focus on reseller and send some to singapore.

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by HelloWAH

My local friend say is expensive because the food is priced at foreigner price. For foreigner they will say not that expensive because foreigner will say cheap because of the strength of their currency.

For local sure expensive. Just know one thing is enough. Marine boss your friend ?

And btw not only my friend say expensive. Do you like to know who else say is not cheap here? Got a few samster here also say food not cheap. You slowly slowly read and you will know who.


If who support what i say marine food is expensive, just support me by giving me some support points, thanks.

PPS. Want to help friend bring in business, just say so. No need to say until the restaurant can fly.

I have brought my fair share of Batam locals there and they have also agreed that it's cheap... So has micmac88 and other bros... So my conclusion is that your friend must be very poor...

Anyways, I originally didn't see the need to explain to u, but u are questioning my integrity...

Boss of Marine Live Seafood was not my friend to begin with; I chanced upon his restaurant while I was passing by the area and decided to give it a try.. Was pleasantly surprised by the food quality and pricing and thereafter, got to chat with the boss cum chef Denny... And yes, after going there many times, I now consider him a friend...

Do I have an agenda? Yes, I say before.. Because his place is not in a touristy area and because he don't give commission to taxi drivers, his business is not great... If his business continues to be not great, he might eventually close shop... If he close shop, I will lose the chance to eat his awesome food at an awesome price... That's my agenda if you consider that to be one...

Support u...? Sure... I support you with my zap of -4 points.... Cheerios...

Thank goodness not everyone in this thread is as cynical as u..

[nono1973]

Originally Posted by KohOnly21

I plan to find out more on the 10 X Voucher System.

If i am not wrong, 10 X Executive Suite Room with Massage = around 2.5 Juta+, per session less than 300k

10 X Suite Room with Massage = around 3.3 Juta+, per session around 350k

Oh,at which part of the Spa did they put up this voucher promo? Believe me,i took quite a bit of photo and information on their pricing,including all their food/beverage pricing,i may have missed that part out.

What i wish to know is if the x10 packages is transferable,hehehe...example i bring 10 men inside their Spa ,can i use that voucher system for all 10 men in one go? Expiry doesnt really matters to me in this case and i am also usually in Batam during their off peak period.

In my last trip,i was practically "Spa-Alone"...meaning i am almost the only person in the spa itself,hehehe...until about 2 hours later where the 1st group of customers steps in. I like this kind of Spa where nobody would rush with me to use ANY of their facilities (especially their O2 room).

[hawkeye007]

Originally Posted by DDAMn

Anah BBQ is still the best find for me thanks bro micmac for the share.....

Yes...!! Micmac88 brought me there abt 1 month ago and OMG the bbq fish (stingray & another varietal), bbq chicken and sayur asem were soooooo good...

Must go and eat again... Hehe...