Last week, I quite simply had the best lunch of my life at Hawksworth Restaurant at the renowned Rosewood Hotel Georgia.
I had heard amazing reviews about the restaurant for years and was thrilled when the opportunity arose to have a meal there. Voted best upscale Vancouver restaurant, I soon realized why Hawksworth, Bel Cafe and Reflections constitute a triple threat for the Hotel Georgia.
Hawksworth
David Hawksworth – ever heard of him? He’s kind of a big deal. In 2005, Hawksworth was named Vancouver’s Chef of the Year and in 2008 he was named to Western Living’s ‘Top 40 under 40’ and became the youngest chef inducted into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Image: Follow Me Foodie
After tasting just one of his courses, I found out why. I am not a “foodie” and I don’t claim to be but I do enjoy good food and I’ve been to enough great restaurants to know when I have been to an exceptional one, and Hawksworth is indeed one of those. The lunch menu was beyond expectations and the roasted carrot salad with avocado, crème fraîche, almond and dill was not only the prettiest salad I have ever had, it was also the tastiest. I moved along to the house made squid ink linguine with dungeness crab, chili, basil, and lemon and you know what, linguine (and life for that matter) will never be the same. I had to sit back a few times and just take all the different delicate flavours in.
I figured it being mid-week it woudn’t be that busy, wow, was I wrong. Speaking to Annabel Hawksworth, David’s wife and dynamic entrepreneuress of Hawksworth Communications, I learned that most lunch hours are booked out, every day. I can only imagine how busy the dinner service must be! Word to the wise, make a reservation in advance.
Bel Cafe
Full disclosure, Bel Cafe is my regular. It’s very convenient to my work location and they have the best herbal tea selection for a cafe that I have found in the area. My coffee drinking friends swear by their americanos, lattes and croissants. In the morning, Bel Cafe is bustling with Vancouverites picking up their drinks en route to work. They have a sufficient and welcoming seating area and after 10 a.m., the cafe is full service. The breakfast, lunch and dessert items will have you coming back for more, as will the world’s friendliest manager – Anna. Word of advice – don’t leave without one of their macarons. You won’t regret it.
Image: Vancity Buzz
Reflections
Reflections is one of the best upscale patios in the city. A few weeks ago I organized a girls night out and the big question amongst us was, where to go? Given we all have children, going out on the weekend isn’t a luxury we enjoy too often, so we wanted to go somewhere that didn’t disappoint. We selected Reflections as we had all kept hearing about the prosecco on tap. As soon as we arrived, we knew we had made the right choice. The patio was packed, drenched with a warm sun and an incredibly talented solo artist made the atmosphere near perfect. The cocktails, wine selection and food make this patio a must visit this summer.
