A Hot Pot Restaurant with Chinese Characteristics
It could only happen in China.
Haidilao—literally “scooping from the bottom of the sea”—is a wildly successful hot pot chain that has turned dinner into a full-blown variety show. The food is excellent, but that’s only half the story.
While waiting for a table, you’re offered free drinks, hot soy milk, cold plum juice, even watermelon seeds to nibble on. There’s a little reading corner if you feel studious, and a counter where you can buy lottery tickets if you’re feeling lucky. By the time you sit down, you’ve already lived a full day’s worth of emotional experiences.
If you’re dining in a private room, the entertainment begins. A performer appears, swirling across the floor, and—poof!—changes masks in a split second. Bianlian, or “face changing,” is an ancient Sichuan art form in which emotions transform faster than Beijing’s weather. Just as you recover from that spectacle, the “noodle guy” bursts in. He doesn’t just pull noodles. He dances with them, twirls them over your head, flings them in the air, and even brings his own sound system. You half expect him to take song requests. (Please, watch the video. You’ll laugh your teeth off!)
Every diner is entitled to a head massage or a manicure. I opted for the latter. As I was being pampered, I chatted with the weary-looking manicurist. She told me she’d started work at 8 a.m. and wouldn’t finish until 4:30 the next morning. “Working through the night?” I asked. “Yes,” she said, smiling faintly. This branch, near Nanjing South Railway Station, doubles as a refuge for stranded travelers: people who’ve missed their trains or can’t afford a hotel. I’ll bear that in mind.
Once again, it struck me: the success of Haidilao, like so many Chinese miracles, rests on the shoulders of migrant workers. My sister assured me the staff are well paid. I certainly hope she’s right.