For $30 per person, 38 Sampal Korean BBQ is a very affordable restaurant to get BBQ. The pork combo has a very large portion so I think that is really worth it. However, the downside is the lack of texture variation. Our staff came to cook the meat for us and came to flip them once. He never came back so it was a little confusing because we though the meat wasn't ready until it's burnt. Then we realize it's because the restaurant got too busy.
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.
Ben Gong's Tea offers one of the best bubble tea you can get in Vancouver. Their revolutionary tea jelly cubes have balanced flavour between tea and sweetness. It adds a shot of tea's taste to the drink and offers an alternative for customers who don't want to have chewy textures in their drinks. The store has interesting decoration including an artificial tree and the staff strive to offer excellent service. With the use of fresh milk and carefully picked tea, the price for $5.45 (large) and $4.99 (small) is the lowest we have seen in the lower mainland. I would definitely recommend giving Ben Gong's Tea a try.
I like how yolk's food tastes. Everything seems to be made to be very high quality in all aspects. It's really a restaurant that excites your palate for tastes you never knew existed. The downside for Yolks is its above-average price. You are looking at about $25 per person if you come here. Despite the high price, I think everyone should give Yolks a try at least once.
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.
Hanlin Tea House serves very good and refreshing bubble tea. It is such a pleasant surprise that they also serve high-quality afternoon tea desserts. Paying $20 for a plate of 6 bite-size snacks is a little expensive, but you get to try most of what Hanlin Tea House has to offer. If you share this order with another person and order a drink, the $15 per person visit to Hanlin Tea House is actually quite reasonable.
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.
Oh! Zzhu Sam Korean Restaurant is a home-style Korean restaurant that focuses on baby octopus stir-fry. One of the special services they provide is to make fried rice at your table using the stir-fry you have ordered. Aside from the shady neighborhood and the tinted windows Oh! Zzhu Sam Korean Restaurant achieved a very high score to our standard. The small octopus stir-fry cost $36 which drives the overall cost up to $22 per person, but it is reasonable considering we were enjoying fresh seafood. If you enjoy Korean food, we recommend giving Oh! Zzhu Sam Korean Restaurant a try.
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.
Takenaka Onigiri Cafe (2026): Perfect Rice, Fresh Seafood and a Cozy East Van Room 
Din Tai Fung Vancouver: Iconic Xiaolongbao and Elegant Dining in Downtown 
Mui Kee Chicken Pot 
Hot Pot Master on Kingsway (正宗钢管厂五区小郡肝串串香) Authentic Skewers Hot Pot in Vancouver 
38 Sampal Korean BBQ in Richmond 
