A Chinese Hot Pot Chain Known for Seriously Over-the-Top Service Heads to Katy

The newest addition to Katy’s rapidly-growing Katy Grand development is Hai Di Lao Hot Pot, a Chinese eatery with more than 300 locations across the globe.

Leasing documents for Katy Grand indicate that Hai Di Lao will open in a sprawling 7,600 square foot space at the development. The original outpost of the chain opened in Shanghai in 1994, and has since expanded to locations across the globe. The chain’s first U.S. restaurant opened in Los Angeles in 2013, and has since expanded to New York City. Hai Di Lao translates to “fishing in the bottom of the sea” in Mandarin and is a reference to good fortune in China’s Sichuan province, according to Eater London.

In addition to the top-quality hot pots served by Hai Di Lao, the restuarant is also known for its decidedly over-the-top approach to customer service. According to Eater LA, diners at the restaurant can play board games, eat free snacks, get their shoes shined, or enjoy a manicure while they wait. The restaurant’s staff also reportedly can be seen “twirl[ing] ribbons of dough into noodles that they plunge into bubbling pots of broth on diners’ tables” during dinner service.

No word yet on when Hai Di Lao will debut in Katy. Stay tuned for an official opening date.

• Hai Di Lao, Unusual Chinese Hot Pot Chain to Arcadia [ELA]
• Global Hot Pot Chain Will Open Enormous Restaurant in Central London [ELON]