Haidilao is known for many things — impeccable service, adorable robot staff, and most recently? A diner who clocked a fellow customer in the face with a bowl of sauce, all because he found the other's behaviour unsanitary.

Jason Esais Gao Weijie, 34, was fined $4,000 after he pleaded guilty for voluntarily causing hurt to Eugene Lee Wei Liang, 33, in a court hearing on Thursday (Nov 14).

The incident occurred in the early morning of Jan 12 when the victim had gone out with a group of friends for supper.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, Lee was eating from a bowl while he waited in the queue at the condiment counter. When it got to his turn, he placed his used bowl onto the counter and picked up a sauce bowl to fill.

Gao, who was standing behind him, witnessed the entire scene. He felt that Lee's actions were unhygienic and immediately demanded that he removed his used bowl immediately.

Lee waved him off and said he would take it away once he was done filling his sauce bowl. This angered Gao, who flew into a rage and began arguing with him.

Once he was done, Lee grabbed his bowls and turned to leave. However, Gao was still fuming and immediately grabbed at his neck from behind before decking him in the face with his own bowl of sauce.

Onlookers had to physically pull him off in order to separate the two.

The entire ordeal was captured on the restaurant's CCTV and the footage was reviewed in court this morning.

Gao has paid $8,000 in compensation to the victim, who spent $2,420.71 on necessary recuperation fees.

His lawyer pointed out how he had made compensation at a "very early stage" and the amount was "way above" the fees incurred by the victim.

Additionally, he did not have a history of violent behaviour and showed remorse before he was charged, and therefore urged the court to impose a lighter punishment on Gao, who could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for causing hurt.

rainercheung@asiaone.com

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