Even with its location inside a hotel—requiring guests to pass through the lobby to reach it—Ladyhawk maintains a distinct identity. The design is stylish yet comfortably familiar, the sort of setting you might find in New York or Paris, making it both warm and transportive. One of its standout features is the cocktail program, which mirrors Hayek’s dedication to the flavors of his native Lebanon.
The Passionfruit Sour is a vivid yellow that could tempt even a non–food influencer to take a photo. Passionfruit and vodka are balanced with lemon, frothed with egg white, and topped with a deep pink hibiscus layer. The Souq of Byblos—made with Lebanese Jun gin, rose, and crushed cardamom pods—is named for a market in Hayek’s hometown and served in a glass dusted with pistachio.
Although Hayek’s culinary training is rooted in French and Italian cuisine, Ladyhawk is a departure—an homage to his upbringing. “When it comes to opening your first restaurant, it's gotta have an identity and a culture. So automatically, it took me back to my roots.” His goal was to elevate the food he grew up eating without changing its identity, serving dishes family-style to honor the tradition of gathering and sharing.
The menu features refined versions of familiar mezze—babajhanouj, hummus, garlic labneh, falafel—and a refreshing fattoush salad. California flair appears in the use of seasonally selected farmers market produce. Subtle reinterpretations of traditional flavors yield dishes like shawarma-spiced Australian Wagyu steak, while others are deliberate departures, such as dry-aged duck and hiramasa crudo.
“In Middle Eastern culture, we don't eat duck, but I worked at Mélisse for three years, where we dry-aged duck. I was the cook at the meat station,” he says, noting the inevitable influence of six years cooking in Los Angeles.
