ALTHOUGH we have fared better than most, the Rube Goldberg machine that continues to take down the world's most powerful economies wreaked some havoc here too.
Job hours were cut, exports and investment dropped, household spending dipped - and we didn't get to eat David Hawksworth's food for more than three years.
The much-loved local boy - who grew up in West Vancouver but cut his culinary teeth in Europe working in Michelin-starred kitchens such as Le Manoir aux Qaut' Saisons, L'Escargot and The Square - garnered an impassioned following as exec chef at South Granville's West restaurant.
It seemed clear, when he untied his chef's apron there for the last time at the tail end of 2007, that his fans would soon be following him downtown to his own restaurant in the soon-to-be glossified and reopened Hotel Georgia; scheduled for early 2009.
It didn't work out that way though.
When the economy took a dive, so did the hotel project, and it sat for months on end, wrapped in a gloriously huge Canadian flag during the Olympics but otherwise dormant.
So news that Hawksworth would finally realize his dream this spring was greeted with excitement, and with expectations that climbed rapidly into the stratosphere.
Funny thing about expectations - they can so rarely be met. When I finally made it into Hawksworth for dinner earlier this month I was prepared to be let down. Maybe just a little. (Hey, cut me some slack. I'm a journalist, ergo something of a cynic.)
I'm happy to say it didn't work out that way either. My expectations were met, even in some cases, beaten into submission. Make no mistake, unintended hiatus or not, this guy can cook.
The space is spectacularly pretty. Its 2,800 square feet is divvied into three: the lounge, the Pearl Room and the Art Room, with passage taking place through high arched doorways. It's all in the details - everywhere you cast your gaze there is something lovely to look at: moulded ceilings, soft leather seating, the glittering elliptical chandelier in the pearl room, spidery light fixtures and Rodney Graham's custom art installation in the Art Room. My only complaint: the polished marble tables are set too close together - it's a squeeze to get in and only the buzz in the room prevents you from hearing every detail of your neighbours' conversations. On the other hand, it's not easy to get a reservation; if the tables were more generously spaced it might have been even longer before I could have dined at Hawksworth.
The real star of the show, however, is the food.
Hawksworth excels at what he calls contemporary Canadian cuisine; his obsession with pedigreed ingredients and his craft shine; ingredients are local, influence is Asian, technique is thoroughly French. There are elements that surprise and delight, but it's never weird. This isn't "comfort food," nor is it at all uncomfortable.
Though we were sorely tempted by appetizers such as foie gras parfait and yellowfin tuna carpaccio, and entrees like sablefish in tom yum broth, duck breast, or pork belly, we decided to sample the summer tasting menu. (Now we have an excuse to go back soon, to see what's planned for fall.)
Veal carpaccio arrived, as artfully arranged as the installation on the wall behind us: ethereal slices of tender meat studded with romesco, crisped bread and thick shavings of parmesan.
Slow cooked halibut cheek was next. It tasted of summer: impossibly buttery, accompanied by sunchoke, corn, and a puff of lobster emulsion.
The mix of tastes and textures on the plate with pork belly were a revelation: chorizo was rugged, pea tendrils added delicacy.
As it should have been, the bacon-wrapped elk loin was last in the well orchestrated progression towards fall: earthy and darkly rich, it was served with elegant puffs of parisienne gnocchi, fava beans and saskatoon berry jus.
Without wine pairings, the tasting menu is $78 per person; with them, it's $114. It's worthwhile to spend the extra - the wines, like all of those in the glass-walled cellar - are thoughtfully chosen.
It was an outstanding dinner, unforgettable. Our bill for two, which also included cocktails, dessert and coffee, added up to $297.92, including HST.
Hawksworth Restaurant at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, 801 West Georgia Street, Vancouver. Call 6046737000 for information or visit hawksworthrestaurant.com.
