Have Perut Will Travel...: KNO Day 2 │ Batik Hunt Pt 2 • Ta Wan DeliPark!

Picking Up After BT Batik Trusmi

We picked you up again just as we wrapped up our sizable haul from BT Batik Trusmi. With our bags heavier and spirits high, we stepped out onto Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro and hailed a fixed fare Bluebird taxi for IDR29,000 (≈ MYR7/USD2/EUR1) to Cambridge City Square.

Dead Ends at AGS and Markaj Pedjoeng

To our dismay, AGS Batik here had only operated as a temporary exhibition booth that had long ended. With nothing else online, we abandoned the search. We then took another fixed fare Bluebird for IDR33,000 (≈ MYR8/USD2/EUR2) to Markaj Pedjoeng Batik, only to find it closed down too. As a shot in the dark, we asked our driver, Pak Rahmad, to take us to the place where he usually buys his Batik.

Pasar Ikan Lama: A Hidden Textile Corridor

For IDR50,000 (≈ MYR12/USD3/EUR2), Pak Rahmad brought us to Pasar Ikan Lama, a well known textile market in the Kesawan area near Lapangan Merdeka, right in the heart of Medan. The market is filled with textile traders selling everything from raw fabrics to ready made clothing, drawing visitors not only from Medan but also from Aceh, Padang, and Riau.

Both sides of the street were lined with Batik shops. After browsing several, we settled on Toko Kain Madinah, where we bought a shirt and a dress for IDR375,000 (≈ MYR86/USD21/EUR18) — a satisfying find after two earlier disappointments.

Back to DeliPark Mall

All done with the sprawling Pasar Ikan Lama, we took one last fixed fare Bluebird taxi for IDR29,000 (≈ MYR7/USD2/EUR1) back to DeliPark Mall. We headed up to the fourth floor and strolled around the food court before settling on a Chinese halal restaurant.

Late Lunch at Ta Wan

We chose Ta Wan, Indonesia’s largest Chinese restaurant chain, famous for its congee and Chinese dishes adapted to local tastes. Its name comes from the Mandarin 大碗 (dàwǎn), meaning Big Bowl. The first outlet opened at Mega Mall Pluit in North Jakarta, now Pluit Village.

We ordered:

Cumi Goreng Thailand
Dori Saus XO
Angsio Tahu
Teh Madu Goji Berry & Lemon

for IDR297,088 (≈ MYR68/USD17/EUR15).

Sweet Treats and Coffee

Back on the lower ground floor, we searched for a supermarket but found Transmart closed down. Instead, we discovered Momoira, a quaint stall selling soft pillow cakes, and bought their best selling Chocolate Chip pillow cake for IDR68,000 (≈ MYR16/USD4/EUR3). Upstairs at Kenangan Coffee, we grabbed a Hot Latte and Iced Matcha for IDR74,000 (≈ MYR17/USD4/EUR4) before heading back to Empire Tower.

Calling It a Day

Truth be told, Cat and I were still feeling the after effects of the flu medication, so we decided to spend the rest of the day indoors to recover fully.

Hopefully we’ll pick you up again tomorrow morning, stay tuned!