I think Gokudo Shabu Shabu Hot Pot carried their business culture to their new Burnaby location quite well. However, the solution to get 2 groups of two people sitting in a 4 person table was very poorly done. Gokudo Shabu Shabu is still the cheap alternative to a self cook hot pot, hence the constant line up in front. I would still come here for hot pot, but you are picky about your dining experience then Gokudo Shabu Shabu is not for you.
Pearl Castle Cafe is a below-average bubble tea restaurant where you can meet up with friends over drinks and perhaps get a quick bite throughout the process. The food is made with below-average ingredients and is not well taken care of. Even so, the average cost per person is approximately $16. With the recent improvement of the Vancouver food scene, we have a lot of better options than here. I would probably only come here with friends who I have known for more than 15 years for old time’s sake.
Dynasty Seafood Restaurant may not look like much from the exterior and that’s because they have focused their location on the Northside of the building to give customers that Northshore views through downtown. The food is between average to above average, not top-notch. I like how the servers seem to take every customer seriously even when they are busy. If you go with a medium-sized group who are cost-conscious, you can typically control the spending to about $13-$15 per person. Otherwise, this place costs typically around $20 per person. I think Dynasty Seafood Restaurant is just average, but it seems to be the best choice for a dim sum lunch around the area.
Among the salted egg desserts we have tried, the Salted Egg Yolk Cookies from TK Food is the least successful candidate because the only relationship it has to a salted egg is on the labeling. We cannot recommend this product.
To be honest, I don’t know why Boiling Point has such a long line up. Sometimes, I just feel like going there especially when the weather gets cold. This establishment really gives me the feeling that they treat everything like an assembly line. The soup has lots of taste, and that’s what Boiling Point is good at, but it’s obvious they come from artificial flavouring. There is evidence showing the ingredients are not fresh, and everything is overcooked except the raw egg in the pot. Every hot pot is so packed with ingredients that there’s no room for things to cook properly, so the gel fueled flame’s only purpose is to keep things warm. That being said, I guess what attracts customers the most is their competitive price as a hot pot. If you want to get a hot pot for less than $20, your options are probably limited to Boiling Point, and food court hot pot.
I think $14 per pizza is a fair price to charge because of the space required for customizing pizza. The authentic pizza places are more expensive, but they also have a better topping selection, so we cannot compare Assembli to them. If we compare all the big name franchises like Pizza Hut, Fresh Slice, and Domino, etc, Assembli is more expensive, but also has more of an artisan feel to it.
If I was writing a review for Kowloon Chinese Restaurant a year ago, they would have been rated near-perfect. Ever since their reopening, I find a decline in taste and food quality. The storeowner’s connection to the local students is still there. It is heart-warming seeing many international students away from home having someone to talk to, so I think Kowloon is doing something right. It is worth mentioning that the store owner is very nice and generous to allow customers to bring outside drinks to enjoy with their mala dry pot. Our visit cost us $30 per person, and that is not cheap. I really hope they can pick their flavour mojo back up.
Yunshang Rice Noodle serves most of its main course in hot clay pot. It’s a warm comfort food alternative to hot pot in this cold weather. The food doesn’t taste that special. Our visit cost us about approximately $19 per person. For the same price, there are better rice noodle options.
Benkei Ramen is a seasoned ramen joint that’s been around for a while. Their price went up a little but remained in the same range throughout the years. That is why it is still a ramen place a lot of people default to. I personally think their ramen is too soft and feels a little overcooked. Their special dish is the curry ramen, with the soup similar to the miso ramen that is too thick to drink. Benkei Ramen is an okay ramen joint with a very competitive price of $13 per person. Because of that, there’s always going to be customers willing to come here instead of Raman Santouka across the street.
