Haidilao is Hot Pot restaurant. Their popularity started in Beijing and Sichuan, before they came to Shanghai, recently. Haidilao is known for their unique attention to customers and special complimentary services. With dozens of locations throughout China, Haidilao is one of the well-known hot pot chains.

The staff is attentive to your every need, as you walk in, immediately. There is at least 1 person to every 2 or 3 tables at all time, with other staff re-filling drinks, bringing out dishes, and anything else. But the really cool thing is. . . is the stuff while you wait. Unfortunately, with this popularity come long wait times for tables. So Haidilao also has a manicurist table, shoe shiners, back & shoulder masseuses, a large kids play room, and Chinese chess tables all inside the restaurant. Yeah. . . WOW! . . . Really cool. Can you imagine going to a restaurant in the US, and getting a mani and pedi, while you wait for a table?

The great service at Haidilao doesn’t stop after you get your table either. They will bring you dish of table peanut snacks, a large carafe of juice or beer, and basically almost anything else. The large dipping sauce station was filled with sauces and condiments, both spicy and savory. With both English and Chinese menus, they cater to almost anyone. Our order of lamb and pork came out quite fast, with a pretty good back kitchen system as well.

The square hot pot bowls, which fits perfectly in the tables, brimmed with 1/2 pork bone consume and 1/2 sichuan mala broth. Initially, Miss A didn’t want to order the spicy mala one. . .but she ended up dipping most of the meats in this flavor rich soup.

But as I said before, the taste will end up being about the dipping sauce. I like a thick sauce with satay, lots of diced garlic, minced hot peppers, and a dash of soy sauce. Occasionally, I like to add an egg yolk – to thicken the sauce. Initially the sauce will be too thick and you may have thought you messed up. Another tip is to add a small spoon of the broth to liquify the sauce for the right consistency. Dishing sauce is a personal thing – you add more or less of the spiciness or savory components for levels. The other tastes just brings a little more fishy or tanginess or sourness.

The fish cake/balls were pretty good, but I liked the pork meat balls even more so. The small crab lacked meat, which I wasn’t a fan of anyways.

Haidilao also has a special hand thrown noodle presentation for the hot pot. A noodle specialist will come out and literally throw, pull, and drop the noodles in front of you in a mesmerizing dance. The noodles need to be pulled, and the dance just pulls them in a added value style. Other tables will see it and will order it as well.

It appears that Haidilao has taken hot pot into a destination restaurant event for the whole family.

Check out my pictures at http://bit.ly/g8dapX