Sinnonhyeon Haidilao Hot Pot Seocho Branch First Visit Review
I finally visited Haidilao Hot Pot Seocho Branch, which is said to be worth the long wait. Even though I made a reservation through the Catch Table app for a weekday evening, I had to wait about 30 minutes longer before I could enter. As expected of a popular restaurant, the waiting area was well-equipped, and while waiting, I was able to enjoy snacks served with drinks. These snacks were memorable for their addictive taste.
Before entering, I placed my order according to the staff’s guidance. The combination of four broths—clear broth, tomato broth, mala broth, and samgyetang broth—was the best choice. I particularly enjoyed the sweet and spicy harmony of alternating between the spicy mala broth and the sweet tomato broth, with the samgyetang broth serving as a perfect palate cleanser in between. It was interesting that the clear broth was used for cleaning the ladle.
Making My Own Sauce: Yeongji Sauce & Geonhee Sauce
At the self-serve bar, you can create your own sauce. I especially recommend the ‘Yeongji Sauce,’ which I enjoyed despite not usually liking peanut-flavored sauces. I plan to try the ‘Geonhee Sauce’ on my next visit.
For drinks, I initially ordered Coke but then switched to the unlimited refill option. Although I was too full to drink much, I thought it was worth it because the price difference wasn’t significant.
I also tried the skill I’d only seen in videos, rolling ingredients with chopsticks to cook them, but it was harder than I expected and took too long, so I ended up just putting the ingredients directly into the broth.
Discovering a New Flavor: New Jin Noodles
As we were finishing our meal, I added thinly sliced beef, mushrooms, and ‘New Jin Noodles.’ The New Jin Noodles had a chewy texture, somewhere between fen si (glass noodles) and regular noodles, and were the most satisfying noodle option. It was great to discover a new delicious ingredient besides my usual choices, and I realized that visiting with a friend who knows good food is the best way to truly enjoy Haidilao.
It’s located between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station, but I had trouble finding it at first because of the name ‘Haidilao Hot Pot Seocho Branch.’ The prices are a bit high, making it difficult to visit frequently, but I intend to revisit about once a quarter for a splurge. However, only if Catch Table waiting is available. I wish my friend would move to the neighborhood quickly so we could enjoy late-night meals together.
