By Larry Barszewski
A snack bar with a fresh take on vegan dishes — along with more traditional meat fare — is coming to Boynton Beach’s Oceanfront Park.
Dope Vegan, a 5-year-old West Palm Beach food truck startup on Military Trail that specializes in plant-based menu items, has been awarded a lease for the concession stand at the beach park, which has been without a food service provider for three years.
Company officials said they hope to be open for business in late June or July. The Boynton Beach City Commission approved a four-year lease with the possibility of a four-year renewal.
While commissioners approved the contract at their May 5 meeting, the concession’s name made them uneasy.
“Dope” can mean “excellent,” like the vendor intended, or it could be confused with drugs, a potential image problem at the city-owned park, 6415 N. Ocean Blvd., near Ocean Ridge. Nor did Vice Mayor Thomas Turkin think it was a great idea to have “vegan” in the name, either. He said it might alienate would-be customers who have a negative view about meatless meals — especially since meat items will be on the menu — before they even have a chance to explore the options.
“I think it’s important that first impressions are done in a way that doesn’t deter anybody,” said Turkin, who acknowledged his own surprise when trying some of Dope Vegan’s fare at the Taste of Boynton Beach on April 18. “I’ll be the first critic of vegan food, but when we tried it, it was absolutely amazing.”
The company, which is building a following and often goes by just DV, agreed to use an alternate name, DV at the Beach, which pleased commissioners.
Commissioner Mack McCray still needed to be sold on the menu.
“Explain to me, more or less, about this Dope Burger. I’m just saying, you know, it’s supposed to be friendly for families,” McCray said. “Tell me what it is because, I’m just saying, because it’s kind of a turnoff for me.”
Rhona Nain, the company’s CEO and one of its founders, tried to explain the appeal of the plant-based dish — even for those who might like meat in their burgers. She said most of her customers are not vegans or vegetarians.
“Our Dope Burger is basically, it’s a vibe,” Nain told commissioners. “It’s our most popular, signature burger. It has vegan bacon; it has lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions — just about everything you can think of when you think of a traditional burger that you just want to indulge in. That’s what we do at Dope Vegan. It’s all about the flavor.”
Park’s canopy changing
In addition to having a new concession provider, Boynton Beach’s Oceanfront Park is getting a new ‘living roof canopy’ in its parking lot.
The solar panels that previously provided shade to some of the beach parking spaces are being replaced with living ‘green roofs’ that reduce heat and improve stormwater management. The new material is expected to increase the canopy’s lifespan, the city says.
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