Located on the 4th floor of Hsinchu's Big City Shopping Mall, Haidilao was quite lucky this time, as we were able to sit down without having to wait in line. The overall environment is bright and spacious, and the service remains exquisite and attentive, giving a warm welcoming feeling right from the moment you walk in.

This time, we chose three types of soup bases:
Classic Spicy Hot Pot: The intense aroma of Sichuan pepper and chili peppers is very appealing, with a spiciness that is pronounced but not overwhelming. It pairs excellently with slices of beef, highlighting the fresh texture of the meat. The duck blood and tofu soak up the broth, making every bite fragrant and satisfying 🌶️.
Tomato Soup: The acidity and sweetness are moderate, with a natural tomato fragrance that is perfect for cooking vegetables and seafood, enhancing the freshness of the ingredients 🍅.
Pickled Fish Soup: This soup base is quite distinctive, with an outstanding sour and aromatic flavor, and a hint of spiciness that is very appetizing. It pairs particularly well with the basa fish fillet!
Clear Water Soup: It may seem ordinary but is indispensable, as it balances the richness of the other strong soup bases, making it suitable for blanching vegetables or when you prefer something lighter.

For the meat, we chose marbled pork, beef belly, and selected beef. The beef belly has a uniform distribution of fat and is smooth to eat; the marbled pork has a nice chewiness and complements both the tomato and clear water soups well; the selected beef is firmer, making it suitable for the spicy hot pot, offering a richer aroma!

In terms of ingredients, the shrimp paste performed excellently, being bouncy and delicious; the basa fish has a fine texture and becomes even sweeter after absorbing the broth's flavor; the duck blood is as expected, tender and without a fishy taste, a soul mate for the spicy hot pot; the egg dumplings are classic hot pot ingredients, while not particularly astounding, they add a familiar warmth when cooked in the broth.

For the staple, my friend and I ordered pork fat mixed rice, where white rice is drizzled with pork fat and soy sauce, so fragrant and simply delicious. It pairs perfectly with the rich soup bases and a variety of hot pot ingredients, cutting through the richness and enhancing the meal.

Haidilao's branch in Hsinchu's Big City Shopping Mall still maintains the brand's consistent standards. Whether it's the variety of soup bases, the quality of the meat, or the attention to detail in the ingredients, we left feeling satisfied. I highly recommend first-time visitors to choose the combination of spicy and tomato soup, allowing you to enjoy the bold flavors of the spicy hot pot while also finding a refreshing balance in the tomato soup. Lastly, a special thanks to our server, You-Teng, whose service was excellent; we even had a table-side dance to celebrate my friend's birthday 🎉.

The previous working schedule was quite irregular, so after work, I'd often come to Haidilao for a late-night snack since Hsinchu doesn't have many late-night options. The last order time is 2 a.m., but there's no limit on dining time. A staff member mentioned that they once accompanied customers until over 6 in the morning—super exhausting QAQ.

Without a reservation during meal times, you'll often have to wait for a long time on-site, sometimes even over half an hour even in the middle of the night.

I go to Haidilao mainly because their service is really good. Even when they're busy, they are still very enthusiastic, and the staff have excellent memories XD. They often have small chats and sometimes even treat you to small snacks. Coming here when I'm really tired after work or in a bad mood makes me feel better.

As for the food, the quality is consistently stable, but the regular items won't particularly amaze you. Some dishes that are less common outside have their menu updated periodically. However, it seems the Hsinchu store has slightly fewer options than others.

I always have to order the hand-pulled noodles ❤️. Not long ago, when I went in the evening, the chef was off, so there was no performance. This time, I thought there wouldn't be one either, especially since they didn't ask if I wanted wide or thin noodles, which confused me. But it turned out there was a performance XD, as they managed to get someone for it.