The golden soup everyone is talking about

One of the ways Having Luck Hotpot stands out from the competition is its ambience. The hotpot establishment has decided to mimick the atmosphere of the iconic Hong Kong-style dai pai dong, or streetside stalls, though all its seatings remain indoors. Situated alongside the seats are large tanks containing live seafood that diners can pick themselves.

"Today's diners not only care about the food on a plate, but also a sense of place. You need to have a unique character to distinguish yourself from the pack," explains Zhao.

The main selling point of Having Luck Hotpot is, of course, the taste and quality of its broth. Zhao is fastidious when it comes to the soup base. He only uses free-range, corn-fed Qingyuan chickens from Guangdong province. These chickens also need to be between 105 and 115 days-old, an age range he says results in the best-tasting soup base.