Pretty Pearl Sparkles as Great Budget Eat

What lies behind a fogged up storefront and an unassuming facade is Pearl Hotpot. A jewel among the strip of small local restaurants along Burnaby's Kingsway corridor, Pearl hotpot offers a variety of reasonably priced combos that suits the tastes of almost everyone interested in "hotpot," a way of eating whereby a person cooks an assortment of food through a pot of boiling water or soup base. The varieties are endless, and anything is considered hotpot food, including vegetables such as lettuce and enoki mushrooms, noodles, chicken wings, and seafood such as prawns and lobsters. At first glance, the restaurant looks to be a simple mom and pop operation, but the adventure begins right after your order.

We first began by choosing a soup base, ranging from plain water to satay flavours. Then we choose our meat/seafood entree, which comprises of 70% of the whole meal + an assortment of vegetables like the ones mentioned above. Once the ordering has finished, the broth in the pots bubble with fervor until the orders arrive in immaculate form. Along with your main dish (whether it will be beef, chicken, or seafood), you will also be presented with a neatly arranged plate of vegetables such as lettuce, enoki mushrooms, and tofu. These, considered the side dishes, accompany the main dish, such as your meat/seafood. Aside from the tofu (which I personally dislike), I enjoyed the whole experience of simmering my food in a rich flavorful broth that wasn't too salty or spicy.

For under $15 + tax + gratuity, I have never been able to get such quality fare at such low prices. That's why it's become one of my top recommendations for a Great Budget Eat. But you'll have to keep in mind that I went at the "special price" after 1:30/2:00 in the afternoon. I guess that's the sacrifice you have to make to get such a good lunch.