Black Lagoon is back at Butcher & Bullock. I have visited this popup for the last 3 years, and it has become my start of spooky season tradition. I love that it is always evolving and feels new each consecutive year.
This year they leaned more into the mysterious lagoon theme, but I wished that they did more. They still had animatronics lighting the entryway corridor and cotton spun “spiderwebs”. However, there was more smoke, the addition of mysterious neon green lights, and a make shift lagoon with skeletons of marine life that you might find in a black lagoon. This included a mermaid, an octopus, and a turtle.
We started with a couple of their drinks, choosing each based on their vessel. Black Lagoon is known for their iconic tiki mugs, and this year they have brought back the iconic skeletal mermaid, and given her a fishy friend, Flounder
The Nocturna Colada is described as a “piña colada of your darkest dreams”, served in the tiki mermaid this Bacardi spiced and gold rums, Passionfruit, coconut, pineapple, Kahlua coffee liqueur, and bitter queens coffee cardamom bitters. I wish I got more of the coffee flavour to have this standing out more.
The Black Tide came in the zombie fish mug. More ice than liquid, with it over flowing. Del Maguay Puebla Mezcal, grapefruit, lime, pomegranate, baking spice, absinthe, bitter queens coffee cardamom bitters. Like the above, I wish I got more of the outlying flavours to have this be not just another tropical, fruity, rum cocktail.
I ordered this one for the unique list of festive ingredients like sweet potato and figgy bitters. The Creature’s Curse is described as a fall-flavoured Old Fashioned. Disappointedly served in a regular tumbler, when one of their motif versions could have been a more exciting choice. Rice-washed Lot 40 Rye, Bacardi Gold Rum, roasted, sweet potato, bitter queens coffee cardamom bitters, and naughty figgy bitters. I didn’t see it other than a regular Old Fashioned, so was further disappointed. It at least paired well with the popcorn below as a companion snack.
They also have some speciality non-alcoholic options like the Window Maker which is Genmaicha tea, Passionfruit, ube, and lemon. A pretty colour in a fun glass, but too sweet to enjoy for my tastes.
The Charcoal Popcorn is a must try with the pageantry of being able to unleash plumes of smoke as you take out handfuls of tasty kernels. Flavoured with smoky beef tallow and bbq spices this is a snack you have with a drink. This was highly addictive and we packed what we couldn’t finished to go.
I liked the idea of having a raw meat dish on their spooky menu. Beef Heart Tartare with pickles, mustard, and charred bread. The meat was a little dull and grey, thoroughly flavoured with cream and spices to hide any quality concerns. This was a good amount of food for sharing, and it was a lot heavier than it looked. Not necessarily a dish I would recommend with the sweeter drinks.
I liked the Triple Heat Boo! Bird Sandwich with breaded and crispy fried chicken, three chilies, spicy oil, dip, dill ranch, and a brioche bun. This was a tasty fried chicken sandwich that unexpected came from this bar. I am proud to admit that I finished this one in one sitting. There was enough heat to make you sweat, but not too much to make it sting. I liked having the thin shoestring fries on the side as a taste changer, but think pickles would’ve been a nice addition as well. I also felt that the chicken didn’t necessarily match the theme, so maybe a fried fish burger instead?
Every year I grow more and more impressed with this Popup, as it feel like they get better every year. The new food component certainly felt more elevated and the decorations felt more curated, with the lights and smoke that really draws you in. The room was also CD a lot fuller as a result.
Black Lagoon Pop Up
Butcher and Bullock
911 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6C 3B2
