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| - Hawthorne refers to an English hedge plant which has large sharp thorns. The only thing sharp here is Chef Wood's cleaver that he uses to debone a duck!
The restaurant has officially opened for lunch but hopes to be open during the holidays for brunch. Full dinner service is expected to be full swing in January.
The decor is very Jamie Kennedy with all sorts of preserved goodies lining the walls. Apart from being a kitchen, chef Eric Wood hopes to make this a training ground for aspiring chefs and servers alike.
For drinks you can opt for housemade soda served in cute boot-shaped glasses, a selection of craft beers or a generous glass of wine.
We started with a plate of Edamame with ponzu molasses, chilli and peanuts. While I felt they were a tad overcooked, the flavours were amazing.
We then moved on to the Fish 'n Chips (fried smelts with Kennebec frites, MALT VINEGAR DUST that I would snort if nobody was looking - it was THAT good), tartar sauce and ketchup.
There ain't no fried chicken here, but there is fried quail in a buttermilk batter drizzled in honey. Not as crispy as fried chicken, but definitely tender and more delicate.
The signature 4SquareMeal ($16), imported from Chef Wood's square pegs in his Fabarnak days see the same format. Think jazzed up bento box. Today's selection included:
Whole Grains Salad with Squash and Kale - Delicious AND nutritious? Apparently these words CAN co-exist!
Chestnut Gnocchi with Vanilla-infused cherry tomato - The gnocchi for me was a bit starchy - not sure if it is because of the way they are shaped (thick, round slices). The vanilla-infused cherry tomato was bursting with flavour.
Lemongrass Ribs on a bed of Cannellini beans - I want the recipe for these ribs now! Wet rub with hints of fish sauce. These were nicely caramelized without being too sweet. The beans were really fresh.
Chocolate Oatmeal Brownie - If you are a slow eater, the gelato will have melted by the time you get to dessert. I felt the oatmeal brownie was a tad dry. Whenever you're using oatmeal, it sucks out a lot of moisture, so definitely more wet ingredients in the mix could solve this problem.
Chef Wood is extremely down-to-earth so you are in good hands at Hawthorne. I like that he is creating employment for the community and that he is hoping to add an educational experience for his staff outside of the normal scope of running a restaurant. A great addition to the neighbourhood!
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