A visit to SM Mall of Asia will leave one wondering about the long queues at two newly opened food outlets, Haidilao Hot Pot and Paris Baguette. Haidilao opened earlier this year, while Paris Baguette is just a month old. Both have quickly become popular destinations for food lovers and mall-goers.
Haidilao, a renowned global brand from China, and Paris Baguette, based in South Korea, have chosen SM Mall of Asia for their first locations in the Philippines. This gives SM Mall of Asia a unique bragging right, as first impressions are crucial for food brands. While other branches are likely to open in the future, it’s significant that Mall of Asia will always be remembered as the debut location for these two brands in the country.
The people in Haidilao’s queues are in for a pleasant surprise. While waiting or right after dining, there's an offer of a free manicure at a booth nestled in the perimeter of the restaurant—a great perk for customers. The interiors of the restaurant are quite modern, moving away from the traditional look of hot pot establishments. The private rooms are equipped with TV monitors, and if you request specially trained waiters, you can enjoy a 'noodle dance.' This is all part of Haidilao's promise of good fun and great food.
In any hot pot tradition, the focus is on the stocks and broths offered, as well as the ingredients to be boiled in the pot. On these two counts, Haidilao is out to impress with enviable options. There's a spicy Sichuan broth, a tomato-based broth, a mushroom broth, and even a clear broth for plain boiling. As for what you'll be cooking in the pot, beyond all the usual suspects, I loved how they offered goose intestines, "towelya," bamboo strips, and a variety of seasonal vegetables from China.
There’s a station for making one’s own sauce - and you can really go wild here!
Paris Baguette will be very familiar to those who have visited or lived in South Korea. It has also expanded throughout the region, and has gained popularity on the strength of how much Koreans love their bread and desserts, and insist on the high quality of ingredients used. There’s such an exacting standard that Paris Baguette sent a team to train the kitchen staff, and even have the front of house personnel be very familiar with the products and system.
From sandwiches to hot meals, including a delicious mushroom soup served in a big bun with salad, and onto cakes, macaroons, and sweet delicacies, there’s so much to try out at Paris Baguette. To ensure a perfect match, the brand even allows certain SKUs to be specific to a country. In this first Paris Baguette branch, you'll find a Cream Cheese Ensaymada and an Ube Cheese Tart. Moreover, Korea and Japan are known for their excellent packaging, so items in a box are individually wrapped to promote freshness as you consume them.
More than words, the pictures you find here should convince you that there are wonderful food options at SM Mall of Asia. Haidilao Hot Pot and Paris Baguette are just two of the most recent additions, making SM Mall of Asia a foodie’s paradise. Don’t miss out!