A Haidilao Hot Pot restaurant opened in Downtown Montreal — prepare for the royal treatment
Montreal, meet Haidilao Hot Pot, the newest hot pot spot on the block.
Located in Downtown Montreal, the new restaurant opened its doors earlier this year on rue Saint-Catherine O. I have been longing to go ever since and the moment has finally come.
Despite popular hot pot restaurants such as Happy Lamb and Liuyishou Hot Pot offering an all-you-can-eat experience, I was interested in seeing how Haidilao's à la carte menu compared and I have some hot pot thoughts.
After its founding in China in 1994, Haidilao has become one of the top hot pot restaurants in the world, with over 935 chain restaurants in China, Singapore, South Korea, the U.S., Canada and more. And now Montreal finally has a location.
Here's how my visit went.
From Fancy To Fancier
Upon entry, you're met with a café-style waiting room with seating (and snacks…yes, snacks) until your table is ready. This alone exuded opulence, and my friend and fellow foodie partner and I immediately knew this wasn't going to be just any hot pot experience.
The restaurant is quite large when you enter the dining room, with areas big enough for groups of eight or more to tables fit for two.
Once we got to our spot, we were invited to store our coats inside the bench, which opened up into a storage compartment. Why? So that the smell of hot pot doesn't linger on your coat or jacket after leaving. Genius, right? Just wait. It only gets better.
As we sat down, our server Michelle, who made our lunch visit so incredibly memorable, gave us both a Haidilao-branded apron, so that our clothes stayed clean during the hot pot extravaganza. We were then handed moist towelettes for our hands, and a cloth for our eyeglasses in case of any steam or spillage. Talk about thinking of every. single. detail. Right?
And as if that weren't enough, we were each handed a casing for our phones so that they avoided any mess, too. At this point, we felt like royalty. Toss in the refreshing jug of lemon-infused water your server leaves attached to your table for easy and accessible water refills and it was instantly game over.
What We Ordered
After getting settled, it was time to order. We selected what we wanted off a tablet and we did not hold back. We ordered a wide range of menu items such as the seafood platter, a variety of meats such as lamb, marinated pork and sliced beef short rib, the vegetable platter, two orders of dumplings, the crispy pork, a few noodles and two types of broths to cook it all in.
The menu also includes the Haidilao-style noodle option, where one of the cooks comes out and prepares the noodles right before your eyes, tossing spinning, and flipping the dough until it reaches the perfect noodle length and consistency.
The total for all of that? Roughly $75…each.
Now, listen. While a $150 lunch for two people is wildly expensive, we ordered a lot more than we would have had it not been our very first time. We found it to be costly but worth it for a once-in-a-while moment or a spot you go to for special occasions. Either way, it's safe to say you'll be getting what can only be described as the most high-end hot pot experience, ever.
Let's Talk About The Food
We opted for the classic spicy broth and a mild pork soup base, and when I tell you the spicy broth is spicy…believe me. Don't get me wrong; it's manageable. But your sinuses will likely tingle for hours after.
We tossed in our meat first, as the lamb and pork, in particular, took the longest to cook, then our veggies, which were made up of leafy greens, corn, mushrooms and lotus root. The seafood came next and in went the shrimp, squid, mussels, fresh fish and crab.
We also created a mixture of our own from the sauce bar for dipping purposes, and let me tell you that I could drink Haidilao's peanut sauce by the barrel if I were allowed.
Once our meat was cooked, veggies boiled and seafood poached, we dove right in and instantly noted the high quality of the meat and shellfish. The flavours were definitely flavouring and the overall ambiance made it all that more special.
Favourites included the marinated pork and sliced beef short rib, mostly due to its flavour profile and tenderness, and the dumplings were top tier, although we may have lost one or two at the bottom of the broth. We also couldn't get enough of the crispy pork, especially with the dipping sauce. The mussels and shrimp were also a highlight and paired exceptionally well with the spicy broth.
Throughout our lunch, we even had our broths replenished with Haidilao-branded splash guards — because again, they thought of everything. With the quality being next level and the service impeccable, Haidilao is certainly setting a new hot pot standard.
Final verdict?
Would visit again. But only every so often, otherwise it would be far too expensive. Nevertheless, the calibre of Haidilao's service and the attention to detail certainly made it a price worth paying. Not to mention it's centrally located and easily accessible by metro, offers options for all sorts of dietary restrictions and requirements, and can accommodate a lot of guests at once.
As we left, we were given our leftovers in a to-go bag (as I said, we ordered a lot, so we had lots to take home with us) along with our aprons, which you can also keep and reuse at your discretion.
We made our way back into the café/waiting room, received some complimentary mints and off we went.
Haidilao Hot Pot Hacks
OK, for those who stuck around for this long, you deserve to know about the secret cheat codes and hacks you can tell your server for some fun freebies and extras throughout your meal.
You didn't hear it from me, but if you tell your server "I'm a little fairy" you'll get a fairy wand. The phrase "it's my birthday" grants you a special dessert, which is common, I guess, but you don't just get a dessert…you get a performance. Furthermore, "I love golden bricks" might just get you a free dessert and "Do I look like a kid to you?" a free toy.
Bon appétit, Montreal.
Fondue Haidilao Hot Pot
Cost: $60 per person on average
Where: 1194 rue Saint-Catherine O., Montreal, QC
When: Every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
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