Vancouver's Mount Pleasant neighbourhood is set to be home to a new burgers and fries spot with a standout concept and an impressive pedigree.
Street Hawker will feature Southeast Asian-inspired burgers, sandwiches, fries, and hand-spun milkshakes, and it's the venture of chef and co-owner Justin Cheung (Potluck Hawker) along with operations manager Dominic Sai, Lynn Sakai-Boden, and Darren Chuang.
The sibling to the Cambie corridor's casual Potluck Hawker (itself known for bold and playful Southeast Asian street hawker-inspired eats), Street Hawker is moving into the two-level restaurant space at 3088 Main St, vacated at the end of 2022 by Planetary, the plant-based burgers concept.
Street Hawker will be a casual counter service eatery with loft seating for 20 and room for another eight on the patio. The team is doing the interior design themselves, refreshing the modern restaurant space with vibrant touches including wall art by graffiti muralist Aime Milot, also known as Naks. The logo, which is part of branding done by Graeme Jack, might remind you of "a familiar 90s arcade game best known for fusing East with West," hinted the designer.
When it comes to the food, the menu in development for Street Hawker is pulling from some of Potluck Hawker's biggest hits, like their creative decked-out sandwiches, and will feature components such as chili crab, salted egg yolk, black pepper and nasi lemak - all between soft coconut griddled potato rolls. Cheung said one item he's particularly excited to offer at Street Hawker will be a "Malay-O-Fish," which features breaded fish, sambal, and coconut ranch.
To go with the burgers and sandos will be shakes in popular Southeast Asian flavours, like ube, mango, and Milo (a malted chocolate drink). Non-dairy options will be available.
“We wanted to bring the energy of a traditional hawker stand to Main Street, but with a West Coast feel, where people can come in for a quick meal or take out, featuring delicious Southeast Asian-style handhelds and treats,” said Cheung in a release.
Street Hawker is aiming for a late spring 2023 opening. Follow @streethawker on Instagram for more info and updates.
