i dedicate this post to hai di lao. the best hot pot restaurant of all time. i take that back. the best restaurant of all time. wild claim huh? see for yourself.
1. hai di lao is conveniently located in many high traffic areas, some of which walking distance from my house and my office. plus.
2. it is clean and comfortable (though the menu is not in english nor are there pictures to point to). the bathroom is clean and normal with abundance of toliet paper and for those more old school, a couple of throwback toliets in the mix aka holes in the ground. my judgement of an establishment often relies on the bathroom experience. i approve.
3. the service. omg the service. they even try to speak english to me though i try to order in chinese. and they attend to your EVERY need...sometimes you don't even realize it's a need until they tend to it.
-you need a refill, they sense it before you take your last sip and run over to fill it
-you have your jacket on the back of your seat, they will cover it for you so it doesnt get dirty or smell too much from all the spurting hot pot juices
-you wear a nice shirt and don't want to get it dirty, they bring you an apron (that appropriately says something a bit funnier than 'i hope you're hungry')
-you wear your hair down, they bring you a hair tie without asking
-you have dirty hands when bringing said hair tie, they will put your hair up for you
-you wear glasses, they bring you a piece of cloth to clean your glasses when they get foggy due to hot pot steam
-you are chinese and keep your cell phone out everywhere, they bring you a mini plastic bag for your cell phone...which still allows you to use your touch screen technology while protected
-you express liking something a lot, they bring you more or some to take home
4. they have noodle homeboys. they wear track suits. and they make homemade noodles. and they dance. like break dance. with your noodles. amazing art form. i do not have any photos bc i was drooling a little too much and then the plastic on my cell phone case got wet and it just didnt happen.
5. the sauce bar. i have only known the sauce 'bar' aka table of basic sauces at quickly in nyc but this is beyond.
6. large facilities. the place is huge and seats many many people. somehow it is still crowded. times like these you are reminded of shanghai's population. HOWEVER, i come to point 7, last but certainly not least.
7. while you wait for your table, you may watch a movie, get your shoes shined and/or get a manicure!!!! oh yeah and you get popcorn and oranges while you do all that!
im sorry...did you read point 7?! this bad boy french mani was all done in my 20 minute wait for our table. amaze!!
ok so you might be asking 'how much is this all?' cheap i tell you!! both times ive gone and only spent 100 kuai!! yes, including the mani. dealiiooooooooo. joy is the only emotion on this face of mine. see you later this week hai di lao.
1. hai di lao is conveniently located in many high traffic areas, some of which walking distance from my house and my office. plus.
2. it is clean and comfortable (though the menu is not in english nor are there pictures to point to). the bathroom is clean and normal with abundance of toliet paper and for those more old school, a couple of throwback toliets in the mix aka holes in the ground. my judgement of an establishment often relies on the bathroom experience. i approve.
3. the service. omg the service. they even try to speak english to me though i try to order in chinese. and they attend to your EVERY need...sometimes you don't even realize it's a need until they tend to it.
-you need a refill, they sense it before you take your last sip and run over to fill it
-you have your jacket on the back of your seat, they will cover it for you so it doesnt get dirty or smell too much from all the spurting hot pot juices
-you wear a nice shirt and don't want to get it dirty, they bring you an apron (that appropriately says something a bit funnier than 'i hope you're hungry')
-you wear your hair down, they bring you a hair tie without asking
-you have dirty hands when bringing said hair tie, they will put your hair up for you
-you wear glasses, they bring you a piece of cloth to clean your glasses when they get foggy due to hot pot steam
-you are chinese and keep your cell phone out everywhere, they bring you a mini plastic bag for your cell phone...which still allows you to use your touch screen technology while protected
-you express liking something a lot, they bring you more or some to take home
4. they have noodle homeboys. they wear track suits. and they make homemade noodles. and they dance. like break dance. with your noodles. amazing art form. i do not have any photos bc i was drooling a little too much and then the plastic on my cell phone case got wet and it just didnt happen.
5. the sauce bar. i have only known the sauce 'bar' aka table of basic sauces at quickly in nyc but this is beyond.
6. large facilities. the place is huge and seats many many people. somehow it is still crowded. times like these you are reminded of shanghai's population. HOWEVER, i come to point 7, last but certainly not least.
7. while you wait for your table, you may watch a movie, get your shoes shined and/or get a manicure!!!! oh yeah and you get popcorn and oranges while you do all that!
im sorry...did you read point 7?! this bad boy french mani was all done in my 20 minute wait for our table. amaze!!
ok so you might be asking 'how much is this all?' cheap i tell you!! both times ive gone and only spent 100 kuai!! yes, including the mani. dealiiooooooooo. joy is the only emotion on this face of mine. see you later this week hai di lao.
wait... such a place exists?!?!?! ugh i need to move shanghai.
ReplyDeleteThey even put your hair up like you put your hair up! Hai di lao > din tai fung
ReplyDeleteHey, Myra, somehow I stumbled across your blog and caught up on your life. Glad to hear you are adjusting well to your life in China. Looking forward to reading more. Your house hunt would have been perfect for an episode on House Hunters International.
ReplyDelete