Hawksworth Sobers Up

The one thing we didn’t like about Hawksworth restaurant last weekend
was that it had very poor lighting for cocktail photos. But then again,
that’s not important, unless you are trying to review their new Zero
Proof pairing list and want some accompanying photos to go with it.

After noticing a demand for booze-free meals, Hawksworth decided to
create a non-alcoholic cocktail menu to match their tasting menu. So the
non-drinkers of the world (like this editor, who is heavily pregnant)
can now eat their meal with a series of delicious, considered mocktails
instead of water or orange juice. We loved that very few of them were
overly sweet (a quality of far too many cocktails these days) and that
the mix of flavours and seasonings was surprisingly interesting.

We started with a sparkling elderflower sour to go with our oysters, and
a cilantro and shiso fizz accompanied the salmon tartar. The dill spiced
tomato water with togarashi spice and yuzu extract was the perfect light
version of a bloody Mary to drink along with the hen egg, and the dorade
came with a thai basil cold tea, with grapefuit, yuzu marmalade and
lavender.

The only drink that was noticeably sweet was the blueberry fig and black
peppercorn cocktail, which came with the lamb confit, but the match was
perfect (and by the way, the lamb is TO DIE FOR.) Lastly, the chocolate
and pear came with an iced milk and honey with bourbon extract. Our main
question: why haven’t any other restaurants come up with this excellent
idea? The drinks were so delicious that we may have even chosen not to
try the wine pairings. Ok, maybe not. But it makes a pregnant woman’s
meal all that much better.

Zero Proof pairing, $28, at Hawksworth Restaurant, 801 West Georgia
Street, Vancouver. 604.673.700. www.hawksworthrestaurant.com