Take-out has become a coping mechanism for diners and restaurants, helping both endure the long, dark weirdness of 2020. Over the months to come — in the stressed out space between today’s bubbles and tomorrow’s vaccines — Take This Out will focus on the delicious things we can all take home.

First up is Robert Belcham, co-owner of Popina Canteen…

What is the take-out item you sell the most of?

Our biggest seller is our Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwich.

What is the take-out item you think everyone should try and why?

Same as my first answer, our Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwich. It best represents Popina: simple, delicious and pretty fast food, done well with good ingredients and expert technique to bring out the best flavours. The chicken is brined with herbs, shallots and lemon for 12 hours, then marinated in buttermilk and more herbs and shallots. It’s dredged in our proprietary gluten free starch coating and cooked to order every time. Hot scoop: our spicy version, Hammer’s Hot Chicken Sandwich, is currently a Saturday special but it’s dropping on the regular menu this spring and will soon be available every day.

Moving on to Terrence Feng, owner of Kin Kao…

What is the take-out item you sell the most of?

Pad Thai is always king! We make a kick-ass vegan Pad Thai with little to no compromise on flavour.

What is the take-out item you think everyone should try and why?

Crispy Pork Salad with Fermented Pork is a very unique dish that combines so many layers of flavour from sour, sweet to salty. Finished off with a crunch from our deep fried rice balls. The balance of all these intense flavours is a beautiful representation of how addictive Thai food can be wine done right.

Next is Haitham El Khatib, owner of Aleph Eatery…

What is the take-out item you sell the most of?

The most selling two items on our menu are equally the Shish Kabab Bowl and the Falafel Bowl. Our whole menu is vegan so it makes sense that the Shish Kabab bowl is a top seller as people want to see what it is about. We make it with Soy Curls and a strong garlic paste (Toum) that people love.

What is the take-out item you think everyone should try and why?

I think everyone should try our Silk Road dish! It is an explosion of flavors and it is a mix of savory, sweet, acidic, and a little bit of spice. It comes with a freshly made flatbread called Saj that is smothered with Chimichurri to deliver a delicious journey through the Middle East.

Next up, Mogu Fried Chicken‘s co-owner/manager/chef, Yuji Aoki…

What is the take-out item you sell the most of?

The take-out item we sell the most of is our signature Mogu fried chicken – marinated, boneless Japanese style fried chicken. It comes in a Mini, Regular, or Jumbo size with a choice of our original house made sauces – sweet chili, spicy gochujang sesame, or shio garlic lemon. And we have a bunch of different take-out packs – Couples Pack, Family Pack, Party Pack, and Food Truck Greatest Hits Pack – to make it easier for our customers to order a few items.

What is the take-out item you think everyone should try and why?

I think more people should try our Ebi Katsu Sandwich which comes with your choice of our sea salt & aonori fries, or one of our salads. This sandwich has a house made 100% prawn cutlet patty, Mogu sauce (aka smoked paprika chili mayo), pickles, lettuce, and honey-sriracha, all on a world famous Martin’s Potato Bun. I don’t think anybody else in Vancouver makes a prawn sandwich like this. Ebi Katsu is very popular in Japan and most of the major fast food chains have a version of it on their menu.

Last but not least is Sharif S., co-owner and Director of Coffee at Coffee Roastery Modus…

What is the take-out item you sell the most of?

Lately the breakfast focaccia out of our weekday lunch menu has been a hit. Baked runny egg, chermoula, ‘nduja and provolone on our house focaccia.

What is the take-out item you think everyone should try and why?

2.2L Coldies – large formats of our favorite coffee and non-coffee drinks for your homebody needs. The perfect companion to keep in your fridge, pre-orders only through the modus2go page.