Nightingale
1017 West Hastings | 604-695-9500 | HawkNightingale.com
Open daily, 11am-midnight
Vancouver has had a love-hate relationship with chef David Hawksworth’s eponymous restaurant since it opened over five years ago. Despite numerous and consistent accolades from both critics and the public, ask any Vancouverite, and you’ll hear one of the following: “It’s too expensive.” “It’s not fancy enough.” “The food is too complicated.” “The dishes lack depth.” Yadda-yadda-yadda…
Well, love it or hate, Hawksworth’s newest offering, the newly-born Nightingale, will likely have those detractors singing a different tune, and it’ll likely go something like this: “Erm-my-God, why is this so good?” That was one dining companion’s heartfelt utterance while still chewing a large mouthful of octopus. After averting my eyes from their gaping maw and trying the dish for myself, I had a similar, albeit quieter, reaction. It was excellent. Full stop.
The menu here is envisioned as being considerably more casual than Hawksworth, but the focus on modern Canadian flavours, local and sustainable ingredients, and cocktail-friendly dishes is still very much in evidence. Prices are definitely more palatable. Pizzas hover around $15-$18, all vegetable dishes and desserts are $12, and the rest falls in the $12-$22 range, with only a couple of dishes hitting the $24-$25 mark, and one, a roasted halibut and cioppino platter suitable for two, reaching $45.
Those vegetable dishes are called side dishes, but they’re really quite large. Lightly marinated beets are dressed with sumac labneh and dukkah. Oven-roasted cauliflower comes with green harissa and sunflower seeds. The salt and pepper frites with garlic aioli are classic and perfect; creamy flesh cased in crispy exteriors.
Despite some of the Middle Eastern influences, it’s really an ode to Italy here, with fantastic pizzas and handmade pastas worthy of repeat investigation. Roasted mushroom with garlic confit, fontina and young potatoes is earthy and soul-satisfying. Ricotta tortellini is delicate and delicious, with chanterelles and pine nuts.
Dishes like the crispy chicken were too good not to order several times. Served over a preserved lemon yogurt and sprinkled with fresh dill, it’s a perfect symphony of texture and flavour, marred only by the mild espelette peppers, which felt a bit out of place here (pickle is ideal).
In keeping with the casual ethos, the room is bright and cheerful, with acres of light wood, white tiling and high ceilings and windows. The two levels are loud, but not uncomfortably so, and the vintage architectural details of the famed Marine Building have been incorporated for a truly lovely take on a beautiful classic style. The full menu is available at the bar, so sitting here gives you both front-row seats to the action in the kitchen (it’s more than a bit busy, as you might imagine) and access to the full menu with less chance of long waits.
Service at opening was better than expected, and it’s only improved since. Like many restaurants dealing with Vancouver’s archaic and slow permit process, Nightingale’s opening was delayed, meaning several experienced staff that had been hired in advance were forced to find work elsewhere as the delays dragged on. This in turn meant that a week before opening, the restaurant was madly scrambling to fill its FOH roster. Despite this, the service has been solid on every visit, no mean feat for any new open.
In addition to the dozen-or-so excellent cocktails here, you can also indulge in some stellar local draughts and cans, and even some zero-proof libations for those in the designated driver seat.
Nightingale’s ode to Canadian comfort food might not be new, but it’s a pretty tune and one I’ll be singing again.
Food: ★★★★★
Service: ★★★★
Ambiance: ★★★★
Value: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★1/2
All ratings out of five stars.
★: Okay, nothing memorable.
★★: Good, shows promise.
★★★: Very good, occasionally excellent.
★★★★: Excellent, consistently above average.
★★★★★: Awe-inspiring, practically perfect in every way.
Anya Levykh is a freelance food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
