Reinvention has come early at Hawthorn’s. Only two years after the restaurant took residence in the bow of the historic Stephen and Mary Birch North Park Theatre, new owners Michael Mack and his partner David Cohen have implemented some changes to warm up the space and cool down the prices.

The guys took over last month after former proprietor Rose Witt sold the operation to devote more time to her teaching job. Mack, an impresario of the local GLBT nightlife scene and minor stakeholder at Lei Lounge, teamed with Cohen to posture the restaurant as more neighborhood-friendly, adding a front patio surrounded by plant life and streamlining the menu to better fit our ailing economy. Former entrée prices were inching toward the $40 mark, and they now average about $19.

Upgrades also include a new sound system and colored lights used for creating a loungy atmosphere after 10 p.m. Yet the restaurant’s ornate architectural details and illuminated photographs of playhouse scenes still remain to provide a grand welcome. Overall, Hawthorn’s tastes as good as it looks.

Chef Andres Banuelos has been on board since the restaurant’s original birth in Hillcrest some 18 years ago, when it was called Fifth and Hawthorn. His menu today is restrained by such longtime signature dishes as shrimp cocktail, seared filet mignon and an ultra-thick grilled pork chop that delivered me to the gates of heaven last week. Augmenting the standbys are seared ahi tuna, pesto ravioli, stuffed roasted chicken and a couple of risotto recipes – things that don’t necessarily reinvent any culinary wheels, but which are well executed nonetheless.

Act I had us munching on hefty spring rolls filled with chicken confit and chopped veggies. After enduring the horribly bland spring rolls riddled with rubbery noodles a few days prior at Mission Valley’s new Pei Wei (the Asian franchise that panders to mass consumers), these were a delight. Constructed with crisp, sturdy casings, the rolls are fried in sesame oil, adding an elusive peanut-y essence to the contents within.

Blue lump crab and salmon cakes rank among the chef’s longstanding offerings – and we loved them. Chunky crabmeat and compatible pieces of salmon are held together gently with an invisible measure of panko crumbs that replace the heavy mayo-egg binders in other recipes. The cakes are punctuated with fresh horseradish and diced jalapenos, and served with a smear of wasabi remoulade for extra zing.

Salad choices are less inspired, though pleasant. My companion chose the “North Park” made of field greens, candied walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles, as seen on a plethora of menus throughout San Diego. Ditto for the Hawthorn Caesar, a whole-leaf arrangement of romaine lettuce and shaved Romano cheese distinguished from all others only by a tangy dressing high in Worcestershire sauce.

We skipped over the soup of the day mainly because our waiter undersold it to us, revealing nothing good or bad about it when we inquired.

“Duck soup” was his concise response followed by a detached pause that we chalked up to a general lack of knowledge about the newly revised menu. New hires comprise about 25 percent of the front-house staff we were told, which means you may need to defer to the chef for answers on specific food questions.

In doing so, we learned that fresh fish arrives to the kitchen daily, thus prompting my companion to order habachi-style king salmon. A torrent of Asian flavors ensued as julienne-cut veggies joined forces with a pleasing coconut curry sauce that bestowed the delicate filet with a sweet Thai embrace. A generous serving of Jasmine rice served alongside was perfectly cooked, escaping the starchy texture that can so often be its downfall.

The chef’s “barbecued” pork chop is actually a versatile entrée that comes with either a choice of chipotle sauce or cranberry-Port reduction. I opted for the latter without regret. Served over a mound of good, lumpy mashed potatoes and sheets of wilted spinach, the meat boasted the girth and juiciness of a double-cut chop despite being single-cut. The reduction was exceptionally concocted, alternating poetically between sweet tasting and pleasantly bitter with the support of whole cranberries strewn throughout.

Our dessert was anti-climactic – a slice of outsourced raspberry cheesecake leaning toward the gummy side. Crème brulee, however, is made in-house. But after eating it at a trillion other restaurants, I’ve come to pass it up altogether.

The restaurant maintains a full liquor license and presents a succinct wine list featuring several champagnes and a smattering of coveted reds and whites from California, Australia and South America. I stuck with the only malbec on the list (Tamari from Argentina), which offered a semi-jammy character that teamed particularly well with the dense, savory pith of my pork chop.

Hawthorn’s is no doubt back on the radar for both foodies and nightlifers. With the new guard comes easier prices, an alternative “bistro” menu, live music on Tuesdays and monthly fashion shows planned with regional boutiques – all adding to the spirit of excitement occurring in North Park’s business district.