I wanted to like this place more than I did. With the word "great" in the name it sounded like just the spot for us. And since it was recommended by the hotel's concierge and it was only a block away, Restaurant Magnus got our visit.
You can order off the tapas menu or go a more traditional route. We did both- ordering fresh oysters, xinxin and soft shelled crab off the tapas menu, and then our entrees of salmon and steak off the regular menu.
The oysters were from Vancouver and New Zealand tonight. They were ok but were lacking that fresh salty flavor of my preferred East Coast oysters.
Interested in knowing what xinxin is? Well it's kind of a stew with shrimp, chicken, chorizo and beef in a coconut milk sauce and cashews. Very odd combination of flavors, I am still not sure if I liked it.
Hands down, the soft shell crab was the best thing of the night- served over a salad with mustard dressing and roasted tomatoes.
The entrees were pretty to look at but there was a lot going on and the flavors were almost too complex. The salmon had a shellfish mousse on top and was served with corn and a black bean relish. My rib eye steak was served with warm potato salad and coated with a spicy sauce that was almost BBQ like.
The wine list is pretty extensive with a wide range of wines by the glass. Service was spotty as the place was packed and we often had to flag our server down and this was on a Monday night!
If I were to go again- I'd probably just grab a table on the outdoor patio or at the bar- and enjoy a glass of wine with some of their amazing bread and their selection of Spanish cheeses. And with the live jazz playing in the background, I'd be in the perfect place. Who needs xinxin anyway?