dropped by granville island on wednesday at 12:30 pm and decided to have lunch here. wanting to switch things up, and break free from the usual, a la mode caught my eye. with so many options, i asked the server what their most popular dish was and she said the clam chowder. no sooner did i order the clam chowder, she immediately placed a clam chowder on the counter, and i was surprised, as i thought i would have to wait a bit for this. the pie crust on top gave it an impressive appearance, even drawing attention from a curious bystander who inquired about it. the puff pastry was flakey, but digging into the chowder, i found it to be lukewarm and watery. to my disappointment, the chowder was bland and lacked the desired rich and creaminess. at $16.59, i expected more. to be honest, i prefer campbell's chunky new england clam chowder, as it's creamy, hearty, and definitely more substantial than à la mode's clam chowder. read more