Chinese Hot Pot: An Experience You Will Not Want To Miss

“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.

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 summer weekday afternoon.

We stepped into the restaurant in a state of gustatory anticipation.

Shabu-shabu vs. Hot Pot

We were immediately transported back to our ex-pat days in Yokohama. 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 can order from one to a maximum of four broths. There are 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 offered a sauce bar station with individual elements for you to mix, including minced cilantro, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and black vinegar.

Many different sauce recipes were posted on the walls at the sauce bar to make it easy for the customer to replicate the recipes themselves.

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.

A version of this article originally appeared on Medium.