VanFoodies.com

This year’s Dine Out has 4 menu price points: $15, $25, $35 and $45. Not many places offer a $15 menu but I was most intrigued by Popina on Granville Island. The restaurant concept is created by some of the most celebrated chefs in Vancouver. The space is made up of shipping containers, located right by the Granville Island Public Market.

The $15 menu is pretty straightforward. A sandwich + a side of fries and its signature puffcream for dessert. CC and I went there on the sunny Sunday afternoon, 3 hours before our dinner reservation. Luckily for us, because it’s just counter service, we were able to just order one set and share between the two of us.

Food

For the sandwich, you have the option of BC Beef Cheeseburger or Crispy Chicken Burger. We chose the Crispy Chicken Burger.

It was a big piece of fried chicken! It was crispy and juicy. Think good quality chicken karaage where it’s only a light dusting of coating on the outside, fried to piping hot, and the meat is still tender and tasty. The bun was nicely buttered. The sauce in the sandwich had a hint of heat, and the pickles added brininess and acidity. It’s a very tasty sandwich.

The Shoestring Fries were good too. They were crispy all around, and because they were thin, you weren’t looking for soft and fluffy inside. They came with tomato seasoning, which reminded me of cajun seasoning minus the heat.

Its signature Puffcream essentially is soft serve ice cream in a cream puff. They have a rotating daily feature and for us, it was Salted Caramel & Almonds. The vanilla soft serve was creamy, the salted caramel wasn’t overly sweet, and the crushed almonds added some crunch. It’s a little bit awkward to eat, though, I must say. The cream puff was a little hard so we needed a knife to cut it into pieces. And because it’s in a cup, you basically have to finish all the soft serve because you get to the bottom of the cream puff. It’s a good dessert, but it’s not among my favourites.

The Inside

Is it inside, or outside? The seating area here is covered but it is meant to resemble patio seating. In the winter now, the seating area is enclosed with temporary window siding along with heat lamps installed on the ceiling. Still, on a clear, sunny day, you get a gorgeous view of False Creek and the Burrard and Granville bridges. This is my first time here, and I bet it would be busy and perfect for the summer when they open up the seating area so it’s like sitting on a patio. Keep in mind it only opens 11am-5pm, Tuesdays to Sundays, so don’t be disappointed if you are going there for an early dinner, or on a Monday, only to find that it’s closed.

Final Thoughts

All three items are available on their regular menu so this was a good opportunity to try them at a discounted price. In fact it’s a saving of $10 ($13 for the chicken sandwich, $4 for a side of fries and $8 for puffcream). Overall, I really enjoyed the food at Popina, and I would definitely go back when I need some grub on Granville Island.
Popina
By the Granville Island Public Market
1691 Johnston St, Vancouver
604-428-7518
popinacanteen.com