Thick Seafood Pancake at Sumi Korean Restaurant

Chef Tom named the restaurant after himself, so expect dark leather booths, a marble bar, and a 4.7 to match the confidence.

Vancouver's original Korean fried chicken house since 2011: soy-garlic, cold beer, and a kitchen that runs till 1am.

A Richmond Korean izakaya running to 2am on weekends, because someone had to do it, and spicy chicken-cheese demanded a late-night home.

A jail-themed Coquitlam grillhouse where you cook makchang at the table and discover how adventurous you actually are.

Sooda's induction grills and neon at Amazing Brentwood, where you cook bulgogi side by side and argue over the honey-butter fried chicken.

The Fraser St bistro that locals call FauxBo, guard jealously, and can't stop recommending despite the notoriously tough reservation.

The West End Korean spot where even soju-skeptics order the yogurt bottle and come back for late-night all-you-can-eat wings.

Lantern-lit West End izakaya where the sake list rewards bravery and stone-grilled beef keeps arriving until you've forgotten your plans.

Six or eight tables, Ethiopian art, and a tradition called gursha where you hand-feed each other, which is romantic on purpose.

The chain that helped invent Korean fried chicken, now on Robson Street, with yangnyeom, soy-garlic, and tteokbokki tucked right in.

Kang's Kitchen upgraded every table with a grill and overhead exhaust so cooking dinner together is now part of the date.

New West's Ethiopian-Eritrean spot where dinner is a shared platter you eat by hand and ends with a traditional coffee ceremony.

The only dinner where eating with your hands from the same plate is not just allowed, it's the whole point.

Off-Fraser corner café, 4.7-rated, with jerk chicken that falls off the bone and oxtail rich enough to end an argument.