FOOD/DINING OUT
The Chinese Hot Pot Phenomenon, Haidilao
If you have not tried the hot pot at Haidilao, you are in for a real treat
“Hot pot is less of a dish than it is an experience, encapsulating the communal dining ethos that so many Western restaurants have only recently taken on. Think of it as an adaptation of the stone soup fairy tale: you team up with a group of friends to cook an array of ingredients — thinly sliced meats, mushrooms, head-on shrimp, Chinese lettuces, fresh noodles, and more — in a single pot of simmering, seasoned broth heated on an induction burner or electric range. Once cooked to your liking, you dip it in the sauce of choice and eat it. Rinse and repeat until extremely full.” — thrilllist.com
My family recently had the pleasure of dining in at the coveted new hot pot restaurant in town, Haidilao.
Hot pot is a cooking style in which raw ingredients are cooked tableside in a large pot of boiling broth. With a variety of broths, meats, vegetables, seafood, noodles, and garnishes, there is a lot of room for creativity.
Haidilao founder Zhang Yong has risen to the top of Forbes Singapore Rich List of 2020 with a net worth of $13.8 billion, thanks to his successful restaurant chain.
People usually wait in line for hours to dine in at this restaurant. However, we were fortunate to walk in without a reservation for lunch on a weekday afternoon.
We stepped into the restaurant in a state of gustatory anticipation.
Shabu-Shabu vs. Hot Pot
When we entered the restaurant, we were immediately transported back to our ex-pat days in Yokohama, Japan.
The decor and style of the restaurant were traditionally Japanese. Booth style seating was available similar to that found in shabu-shabu restaurants, with benches on either side of a table, where diners share a common hotpot.
“The only similarity between shabu-shabu and hot pot is that both of them are cooked with somewhat similar veggies and meat slices. However, the shabu-shabu is only parboiled in the sauce and doesn’t require the egg dips. On the other hand, the hot pot is meant to be cooked thoroughly!” —missvickie.com
Spotless Restaurant
The owners spared no expense in exceeding customer expectations. The attention to detail was evident everywhere.
The service was impeccable, and the staff was attentive and professional.
The restaurant was scrupulously clean and conscientious about following COVID protocols. The staff wore masks and gloves and were constantly sanitizing surfaces.
Dining Experience
Immediately upon being seated, we were provided branded aprons so as not to get our clothes dirty, hair ties to keep our hair off our faces, small plastic cell phone bags to prevent broth from being splashed on them, and sanitizing wipes.
Next, we were walked through the ordering process since all the food is ordered at the table from an iPad.
We were impressed by the turntable shelf trays at each table — a massive plus for space management. Hotpot/shabu-shabu dining typically requires a myriad of plates and bowls.
The Menu
The food was served a la carte style. You could order from one to a maximum of four broths.
There were several broth selections to choose from. We chose the pork bone and the Thai tom yum. The tom yum broth was our favorite as the tartness and spice level were on point.
We ordered several combination plates such as sliced pork, seafood (shrimp, mussels, fish balls, scallops), mushrooms, vegetables, and noodles. The quality of the meat was top-notch. The vegetables were fresh and crisp. The pork had to be cooked for about 10 to 15 seconds per slice. The vegetables had to be cooked for two to three minutes per piece.
Dedicated Server
We had a dedicated server for our table, who attended to our every whim and desire. If I even mentioned aloud that I needed anything, the waitress brought it to the table, be it extra napkins, bowls, or ingredients. She checked on our broth levels periodically and kept replenishing them with boiling water.
It was an enjoyable experience to cook all the food ourselves over one shared pot.
Sauce Bar Station
The restaurant even had a sauce bar station where you could mix individual ingredients such as minced cilantro, oyster sauce, and black vinegar.
Many different sauce recipes were posted on the walls of the sauce bar to allow customers to replicate the recipes themselves easily.
Numerous sides such as potato salads, edamame, chopped vegetables, sliced fruits, and a Chinese soup dessert were also available.
Restrooms
The restrooms were decked out with complimentary toothbrushes, toothpaste, toothpicks, mouthwash, razors, shaving cream, and cotton swabs for the patrons.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend Haidilao to anyone who is looking for a great hot pot experience. It is the epitome of quality customer service.
You will not be disappointed.
Have you ever tried hot pot? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
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