We all know the saying, “when one door closes, another opens” and that was certainly the case when Circa Dupont closed their doors at the end of 2017. The brains behind Southern Hospitality and Scarlet Oak took over the old Circa space and unveiled Magnolia Kitchen & Bar in April 2018.
Magnolia is modern and bright without trying too hard. It has a laid back vibe. The menu focuses on comfort food and traditional American fare. It is a great neighborhood spot that you can visit for consistently good, affordable food that will please everyone in your group.
Starters:
We started off with beef sliders and the eagerly anticipated bacon wrapped brussels sprouts.
The sliders were perfectly cooked and the meat was nice and juicy. This would definitely be a game day favorite. The bacon on the brussels sprouts was delicious, however, the sprouts themselves were a tad undercooked, making it difficult to cut or bite into each bacony bit.
Entrees:
Entrees included a pan seared salmon with creamy orzo and asparagus over an orange glaze and the New York strip.
The salmon was perfection. Expertly seared and tasty. The best bite on the plate was surprisingly the orzo. It tasted like an awesome risotto and I would order it alone as an entree, it was that good.
The steak was well-cooked and adorned with a red wine sauce. The potatoes had a good texture and were well seasoned.
Drinks:
Magnolia’s bar program left us impressed. The wine menu had several well priced but very high quality selections. For cocktail aficionados, you can sample drinks such as the Hot Honeysuckle (pineapple and jalapeno infused honeysuckle vodka, lime juice, pineapple juice) or the What in Carnation?! (monkey shoulder scotch, Riesling wine, mango, honey).
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