Hawksworth Restaurant

Hawksworth

801 West Georgia St. | 604.673.7000 | Website

David Hawksworth Photo by Tracey Kusiewicz

It was possibly the most anticipated opening in Vancouver restaurant history. When David Hawksworth left his executive chef position at West in 2008 to open his own restaurant, he couldn’t have anticipated the many—and lengthy (almost three years)—delays that would occur before the doors could finally open at what is now the Rosewood Hotel Georgia.

Good things come to those who wait—and cater on the side—and the restaurant stoves are finally lit. The stunning room (designed by Alessandro Munge of Munge & Leung) reflects the simplicity and elegance of the fare. Monochromatic walls in the main dining area are layered with subtle texture reminiscent of Japanese line drawings, as well as installations by artists such as Rodney Graham. The massive crystal-shard chandelier reflects a soft light off the multi-coffered ceiling, and the glassed-in wine room is a feast for both eye and palate.

In fact, wine plays such an important part that, in addition to the loving ministrations of Wine Director Terry Threlfall (formerly of Chez Bruce in London, England and West), the restaurant has a team of sommeliers to help you choose between two-ounce tasters, five-ounce glasses and full bottles from the seasonally-rotating list.

As with the design, the food is deceptively simple. The “contemporary Canadian” menu is reminiscent of Hawksworth’s time at West. Local, seasonal ingredients are showcased in clean, simple plates with hints of the Far East. Roasted tomato and fennel soup with spot prawns and bacon bits ($12) is at once clean and smoky. Yellowfin tuna carpaccio ($17) is laid out in beautiful, large, thin sheets over cucumber and Asian pear salad, with crackly puffed rice and charred avocado. Olive oil-poached salmon ($29) sits over a bed of lightly cooked Indian cucumbers and eggplant caviar that is pureed with squid ink, for a slightly briny and tart accompaniment. A favourite was the Yarrow Meadows duck breast ($30), with crispy skin, sided by some confit leg wrapped in Savoy cabbage. Yogurt panna cotta was a bit runny for my taste, but had a luscious creaminess that was well set off by the fresh chunks of mixed citrus, grapefruit sorbet and Earl Grey meringue fingers.

– By Anya Levykh