Hawksworth @ Hotel Georgia

The restaurant was mostly full when I arrived at 1230pm.  It was rather noisy which made talking quite difficult and probably exacerbated by the fact that we were seated in the middle of the room.  If you want a quiet spot, a table against a wall would probably be better.  Situated in the newly refurbished Hotel Georgia, the decor is modern yet warm and inviting.  The restaurant is split into 2 separate rooms I'm guessing because of the need to preserve the structure of the building.

Not being from Vancouver, I'd heard quite a lot of good things about David Hawksworth and had been anticipating the opening of his new restaurant, Hawksworth.   I'd been looking forward to this lunch for a long time and Hawksworth sure didn't disappoint.

48hr beef shortrib, black pepper jam, green papaya, peanut, thai basil, shrimp salt

The shortrib was nicely marbled and melted in your mouth. The crunchy green papaya, lily bulb and the crushed peanuts gave the dish a good contrast and an Asian twist.

seared weathervane scallops, xo, beech mushroom, edamame, crackling

Scallops were seared to perfection.  The sauce was slightly spicy and the endamamme was refreshing.   The crispy and slightly chewy pork rind was a nice touch but might not be to everyones liking.

crispy halibut tempura

The halibut was super fresh, moist and tasty.   Wish I had fries to go with it.

roasted hanger steak, thrice cooked frites, arugula, chimmichurri

I liked the chimmichurri sauce and the fries.  The steak is cooked sous vide resulting in perfectly cooked beef.  

We wanted to end the meal by sharing some macarons but they were all out and it wasn't even 2pm - they have to make more.  I will definitely be back to try the macarons to see how they compare with Pierre Hermes.

As we were leaving we also met the Chef de Cuisine, Kristian Eligh - I think he's done a terrific job.  Loved the food and the presentation.  Took a photo with him but too shy to post.  I will be back to try dinner :)

Update:  I went again at lunch, check it out here and dinner where I tried their summer tasting menu.