Restaurants I go to for...

Legend

$ = Cheap Eats

$$ = Moderate Pricing

$$$ = Expensive but worth it

Eating out in Vancouver is so expensive because of the HST...I still do go out occasionally but usually I visit specific places.  Restaurants I go to for....

Korean Food

1. Norboo - Inexpensive Korean food, very authentic...not really a place you go to for BBQ-ing meat though.  They do have a BBQ option but it's either chicken or pork..not beef.
Cost: $
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/181277/restaurant/Robson-Street-West-End/Nor-Boo-Korean-Vancouver

2. Insadong - A tad on the expensive side, excellent for BBQ-ing meat!  I use to go here only to eat the kalbi and bulgogi..very YUM.
Cost: $$$
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/763177/restaurant/Vancouver/Insadong-Korean-BBQ-and-Seafood-Restaurant-Coquitlam

3. Ddoo Gau Bee - Inexpensive Korean food, again authentic.  They offer sushi but I don't recommend it unless your craving Korean food and Japanese sushi.  The Jjajang myeon is good too...cheap, might come FREE with some combo order. 
Cost: $
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1451500/restaurant/Vancouver/Burnaby-Cariboo-Lougheed/Ddoo-Gau-Bee-Burnaby

Japanese Food- Regular and AYCE

1. Sushi Nanaimo OR Sushi Town - Inexpensive and good sized.  It's fresh too!
I am pretty sure Sushi Garden, Sushi Town and Sushi Nanaimo is all owned by the same people.
The menu and price is identical and they all seem to be owned by the same bunch of people.
Cost: $
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1619940/restaurant/Hastings-Sunrise/Sushi-Nanaimo-Vancouver

2. Aki Japanese Restaurant - Very authentic Japanese food actually owned and ran by Japanese people.  There are a lot of Japanese restaurants ran by Chinese people who don't seem to do it right.  Aki is awesome!  Currently Aki is moving...they used to be located on ThurlowStreet but they have relocated somewhere else in downtown.  I will update as soon as I find out where.  Only eat lunch here because lunch is more worth it..I tried dinner and lunch and realized there is a better deal during lunch.
Cost: $$
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/762765/restaurant/Robson-Street-West-End/Aki-Japanese-Restaurant-Vancouver

Aki House Roll

Aki Chirashi Don

3. All you can eat- Tomokazu OR Ninkazu (owned by same person) - I usually eat here for dinner.  I forgot the price BUT  I remember the pricing is similar to other all you can eat Japanese places.  I like this place because the selection is wide AND they have kaki pon!!!  mmMmmm..raw oysters....mmmMMmm...deep fried shrimp tempura....*Droolz*
Cost: $$
Link to site: http://www3.telus.net/ninkazu/

Vietnamese Food

1. Song Huong - Inexpensive Vietnamese food..place I go to for Pho.  I haven't found a place that beats the price and size, although they have increased there price slightly recently...
Cost: $
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/181679/restaurant/Hastings-Sunrise/Song-Huong-Vancouver-Vancouver

2. Phnom Penh 金邊小館 - Relatively inexpensive Vietnamese/ Cambodian food.  LOVE their chicken wings..love their beef on rice..they are currently closed for renovations.  I believe they are re-opening early/mid March 2012.
Cost: $$
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/181389/restaurant/Chinatown/Phnom-Penh-Vancouver

Deep Fried Chicken

1. Phnom Penh 金邊小館- Chicken wings here are so delicious~!  Seriously...if you have not tried their deep fried chicken wings, you have got to come here just to try them!

2. Zabu Chicken - This is a Korean deep fried chicken place.  The chicken here is just as YUM as Phnom Penh!  The service here is not so good, mainly because they seem to employing inexperience foreign exchange students.  I don't really notice bad service anymore mainly because the Chinese places I have been going to all my life give bad service..ha!  The deep fried chicken here doesn't seem to be greasy and it is so flavourful.
Cost: $$
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1565172/restaurant/Robson-Street-West-End/Zabu-Chicken-Vancouver

Zabu Chicken inside

Dessert

1. Thierry - A new dessert/pastry cafe located on Alberni Street.  They have pretty awesome desserts but is a tad on the pricey side.
Cost: $$
Link to site: http://www.thierrychocolates.com/

Thierry Latte

Macaroons!

2. True Confections - They have good cheesecake.  I tried cheesecake etc. and other cheesecake places locally but I seem to like true confections the most.  I also love their chocolate cakes...mmmMmmm Hazelnut mousse...
Cost: $$
Link to site: http://www.trueconfections.ca/

Vanilla Bean Honey Black Tea

Caramel Cheesecake

White chocolate Raspberry cheesecake

3. The Coffee Bun - A small Korean bakery..well not really bakery as they only sell buns!  The buns here are fresh, soft and warm.  Great to have with coffee or tea!
Cost: $
Link to site: http://www.thecoffeebun.com/

Front door of Coffee Bun

4. Beaver Tails/Whale Tails -  Carnival food!! You can get Beaver tails in Whistler, PNE, Playland(seasonal) but if want them just whenever...you can find them at Londsdale Quay at the food court!
Cost: $

Beaver Tail

Menu of Beaver tail at Londsdale Quay

4. Mazazu Crepe -  A Japanese Crepe place where you can purchase sweet and savoury crepes!  It is located in Richmond Aberdeen Mall.
Cost: $
Link to site: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1495926/restaurant/Vancouver/Richmond-Central/Mazazu-Crepe-Richmond

Strawberry ice cream cheese cake crepe

  

Ramen

1. Benkei Ramen (several locations)- I choose Benkei to my favourite go to ramen place because I have tried the popular one's in Vancouver...this is the places I tried and I remember:
-Hokkaido Ramen Santouka 山頭火
-Kintaro
-Motomachi Shokudo 元町食堂
-Benkei

Out of the 4 locations I feel that they all have good ramen...no one really stood out to me as a MUST eat.  So based on that, I chose the one that is the least expensive...Benkei!  I think Benkei is just a wee bit cheaper...LOL...plus they also have a stamp card..I believe if you eat 10 bowls you get one free...I usually eat Shio at all locations because I tried Miso, Shio and Shoyu and found that my fave is Shio...
Cost: $ + half
Site link: http://www.benkeiramen.com/home.html

Benkei table top

Extra side of Char siu 叉燒

Shio Ramen!

 2. Motomachi Shokudo 元町食堂 is number 2 for me if I want to eat their charcoal ramen.....yea...charcoal.
 Cost:$$
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/451873/restaurant/Robson-Street-West-End/Motomachi-Shokudo-Vancouver

Menu from Motomachi Shokudo

Charcoal Ramen

 3. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka 山頭火 - Its good but I think its the pricier one out of the 3 places I like. Shio rules!
Cost: $$$
Urbanspoon link: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1510560/restaurant/Robson-Street-West-End/Hokkaido-Ramen-Santouka-Vancouver

SHIO RULES...mmmMm

-Carm