| Haidilao Hot Pot |
| Cháoyángqū Nán Mòfáng Lù 29 Hào |
Reviewed by Sarah P.  |
My Chinese sister-in-law arrived from England and was extremely excited about how close we lived to this hot pot joint. From the outside it looks, well, like nothing much. And the 45 minutes we spent in the sparsely decorated entry with two toddlers and 150 of our newest friends was, well, not much fun frankly. But it did build a level of anticipation and if we hadn't had the kids with us, there are worse ways to spend an hour than sipping soya milk and eating snacks. The nail bar in the waiting area was hilarious and a wee bit stinky, but hey, if you are waiting an hour for hot pot, I can think of worse ways to pass your time.
Upstairs turned the experience around for me 100%. Great food, spicy broth that brought tears to the eyes of our family's most die hard chili fans, a white broth that was tasty and a nice contrast, fresh ingredients, high chairs and a purple themed decor that was relatively tasteful. The service was attentive and generally not overbearing.
This is the kind of place where you go for an evening. It suits entertaining out of town guests or business collegues, and the food exceeds expectations. Be sure to order the "one long noodle" and the end of your meal which is stretched via a dance by a member of the staff to the delight of your eyes and tastebuds.
|
|
|
|
