Grand Opening and 10% Discount

Proprietor Steve Fogleman and Partner Mehrnoosh Rajabi are pleased to announce the July 1^st opening of Magnolia’s on King, an intimate 60-seat restaurant located in the heart of Old Town at 703 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.  Guests of the inspired “Southern Immersion” restaurant will be treated to a 10% discount on their dinner check from Wednesday, July 1^st through Saturday, July 4^th.  This special savings only applies to the cuisine served throughout the restaurant and upstairs lounge. Beverages are not included, and the preview discount is available at dinner service only, Wednesday and Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.  Reservations for “Preview Dining” are recommended and can be made by calling the restaurant at (703) 838-9090.

Proprietor Steve Fogleman says the discount is the best way to reward customers for their patience while the staff perfects their routine.  “It's our way of introducing our restaurant to the Old Town neighborhood,” says Fogleman.  “Although open to the public, we consider this first week to be part of our training and therefore didn’t want to charge full price."

With an emphasis on exceptional southern hospitality, Magnolia’s on King will serve dinner and Sunday brunch in the welcoming main dining room located on the first floor of the restaurant.  Upstairs guests will want to venture to discover the second floor bar and lounge, an oasis for enjoying a bar menu for snacking and craft cocktails, where no detail is overlooked, including the perfect size ice cube.  On this lounge-focused level, small plates of southern-inspired dishes are server while one takes in the street views and the historic working fireplace.

Magnolia’s On King Brings “Southern Immersion Cuisine” To Old Town, Alexandria This July

Proprietor Steve Fogleman and Partner Mehrnoosh Rajabi are pleased to announce the July 1^st anticipated opening of Magnolia’s on King, an intimate 60-seat restaurant located in the heart of Old Town at 703 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.  With an emphasis on exceptional southern hospitality, Magnolia’s on King will serve dinner and Sunday brunch in the welcoming main dining room located on the first floor of the restaurant.  Upstairs guests will want to venture to discover the second floor bar and lounge, an oasis for enjoying craft cocktails, where no detail is overlooked, including the perfect size ice cube. On this lounge-focused level, small plates of southern-inspired dishes are server while one takes in the street views and the historic working fireplace.

Brian Rowe has been tapped to serve as executive chef of Magnolia’s on King.  A native of Annapolis, Maryland, Rowe brings twelve years of experience to the restaurant having worked at esteemed restaurants in Beverly Hills, California, Orlando, Florida, Annapolis, Maryland, and Lyon, France.  Prior to joining Magnolia’s, Rowe held positions of ever increasing responsibility, most notably for Wolfgang Puck’s group.  He started at Wolfgang Puck’s Grand Café in Orlando followed by a stint at the prestigious Spago in Beverly Hills, which led him to be awarded an internship with the French chef Jacques Ganeu at his restaurant in Lyon, France.  Under Chef Ganeu, Rowe learned the fundamentals of French cooking and honed his skills in sauce making and butchering.

Guests can anticipate classic dishes with a southern twist, with a big emphasis on what is locally sourced and firmly rooted in farm fresh practices.  Rowe believes in supporting and showcasing the finest local products, promoting healthy choices and welcoming guests to Old Town with southern hospitality at the forefront.  Menu standouts include Molasses Crusted Pork Belly with chipotle cheddar grits and smoked apple BBQ sauce; Deep Fried Oyster Po-Boy Sliders, served on a grilled baguette with Bibb lettuce, tomato and blacked aioli; Watermelon and Local Feta Salad with arugula, baby spinach, red onion and Champagne vinaigrette; Cornmeal Dusted Fried Blue Catfish, served with house made cornbread and Southern coleslaw; Sweet Tea Brined Buttermilk Fried Chicken, served with quinoa sweet potato hush puppies and greens; Bison Meatloaf with pan gravy, greens and mac & cheese, as well as Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop with mashed sweet potatoes greens and root beer gastrique.  Dishes will be presented on assorted plates from Tognana, Italy, and meats and produce will be sourced within a 60-mile radius of the restaurant whenever possible. 

Hans Fogleman has been appointed as the pastry chef of Magnolias’s on King, which will showcase homemade pastries and sweets to honor Virginia’s southern hospitality.  A native of Washington, DC, Fogleman has maintained his roots and pursued his culinary interests locally. He attended the Baltimore International Culinary College, graduating in 1997.  Since then Fogleman has pursued various culinary experiences, honing his skills and passion for all things pastry, focusing on desserts.  In 2011, he joined Bayou Bakery in Arlington, VA.  Then in 2014, he accepted a position with the team at BLT Steak in Washington, DC before joining the opening team at Magnolia’s on King in April 2015. Desserts off the opening menu include Bananas Foster Pudding with banana custard, NILLA® wafer crumbles, fosters caramel and brûléed bananas; S’Mores Bread Pudding, chocolate pieces, graham crackers, torched marshmallows, whiskey caramel, served with vanilla ice cream, as well as World Fair Cake, moist chocolate cake with pistachio, almond, peppermint and cinnamon-cocoa cream layers.  

Magnolia’s menu is aimed at being an affordable option. Prices range from $10 to $15 for sharable plates, $9 for salads, $14 to $27 for entrées, $3 to $4 for sides, and $6 for desserts.

Craft Mixologist Zachary Faden with be in charge of the bar program at Magnolia’s on King and he will open with twelve house-made, specialty cocktails including the Magnolia Old Fashion, a signature drink of the restaurantmade with Rittenhouse Rye, pineapple syrup, Fee Brothers cherry bitters and Angostura bitters, garnished with a maraschino cherry and brûléed pineapple. Faden’s notable hospitality stints at his current age of 27 include time spent honing his craft at the notable Columbia Room in 2013. He also worked at Rogue 24 as a captain and bartender, from 2014 until his new May 2015 appointment as the craft mixologist at Magnolia’s on King. His drinks pay homage to the classics, as well as experimenting with unusual and delicious flavor profiles, which is reflected in Magnolia’s bar menu featuring Zach’s Classics, Riffs, and Originals.  Magnolia’s cocktails are priced from $12 to $18, and they will be served in antique 1920’s crystal stemware in the second floor lounge that have been sourced from flea markets and antique stores throughout Old Town, Alexandria and Frederick, Maryland. 

The restaurant will also have an inviting, approachable wine list, overseen by Service and Beverage Director Olivia Mills, that emphasizing the Italy, Argentina, Germany, California, Oregon, Virginia, etc.  There will be 15 wines by the glass.  Prices range from $9 to $15 by the glass and  $40 to $85 by the bottle; higher end wines are $100 to $300 by the bottle.

Sucha Khamsuwan of Studio Ideya is responsible for the design of the space, which integrates modern design features with the historical, southern qualities of Virginia and Charleston plantation homes.  Gold upholstered chairs, deep red leather booths, and deep mahogany stained tabletops adorn the intimate 30-seat main dining room, which is located on the first floor of the restaurant, while also helping to give the space visual interest.  Upon entering the space guests are greeted by a beautiful pineapple chandelier.  The pineapple has long been an essential element of Virginia hospitality, and has also been incorporated into the restaurants logo.  The first floor also showcases a tropical ceiling fan, which was one of Fogleman’s requests with a nod to historic Charleston design.

The second floor, 30-seat lounge combines historic charm with contemporary lighting, which perfectly marries the old with the new.  A six-seat granite bar, complete with industrial pendant lighting, provides the beautiful stage for the restaurant’s resident mixologist to create seasonal, craft cocktails.  Other design elements include a working fireplace, leather upholstered bar stools and plush leather sofas.  The lounge also boasts large windows, which overlook the tree-lined streets and brick sidewalks of King Street.

Magnolia’s on King is located in the heart of Old Town at 703 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314.  The restaurant is located 1.1 mile from the King Street-Old Town Metro Station accessible on the Yellow and Blue Lines.  Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.  The Lounge is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.  Brunch will begin at a later date, and will be served Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  For reservations or additional information, please call (703) 838-9090 or visit www.magnoliasonking.com.