My
husband (wonderful as he is), lists as one of his "special talents",
the ability to have absolute creativity in all situations. I'm not verifying
any of that, but I can say that he has come up with the most creative way
to enjoy dinner and still maintain your waist line: start with DESSERT!
Sounds ridiculous? Here's how this works: when you get the menu, go straight to the dessert section and see how tempting the line up is. If you see something you definitely want, then you know you need to order light on the appetiser and main courses. If you are REALLY tempted, skip the appetiser altogether and just have the smallest entree you can find. If however, the dessert selection is not to your pleasure, then heavy on the first two courses - have a pasta starter, and a salad and plenty starch with your main course. No need to leave any room.
At Magnolia we started with dessert! We literally wanted to start with dessert, just to ensure that we had space for it, but then we had consideration for the kitchen and thought better of it. But those Chocolate Cheese Cake and Warm Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream were booked from the start and we planned our entire meal around them.
Magnolia Wine Bar and Restaurant is perched on a gently rising hillside in Providenciales, with a spectacular view of the Turtle Cove Marina. If you get there early enough, (the Wine Bar is opened from 5:00 pm), you can enjoy an absolutely beautiful sunset while sitting on the charming open-air deck or if the weather is not the best, just cosy up right at the bar with your favourite drink.
The main restaurant is divided into multi-levels - to suit everyone's preference. The decor is tropical elegance, with rock gardens sprinkled with pepper lights to add to the ambience. The staff exudes professionalism, in their chique black outfits, warm smiles and the incredible way they seem to simply float around the tables and up and down the stairs. They almost just appear at your table, ready to explain the menu, make very useful suggestions and just as quickly serve your order. They are also wine experts; they know just what will be the best selection to accompany your dinner, at every course. Lean heavily on their expertise, as it may just make the difference in your dining experience.
Now, don't get me wrong, we didn't want to begin with dessert because we were depressed with the other items on the menu - not at all!! In fact, I'm well impressed by Magnolia's menu - it's very international, well balanced, yet simple and straight forward. Apart from the regular dinner menu, there is the nightly special suggested meal, which can be chosen in its totality or mixed with the regular items. The wonderful thing about the special menu is that there are recommended wines for each dish, creating the fine balance of a perfect meal.
The dinner begins with Focaccia Bread, seasoned with rosemary and thyme, sprinkled with sea salt and brushed with olive oil. A wonderful, hard bread, you dip it into a balsamic and oil mixture, ideal for opening your appetite. Lick the salt off your fingers and smack lips, then order up a bottle of wine off Magnolia's extensive wine list, which is creatively displayed with photos of the wine labels to assist you with your decision. Now you are ready to dine.
Since we had to start at the beginning, we ordered up some starters, mostly off that night's great special menu: Oven Baked Duck, shredded and packed into a Filo Purse and drizzled with Grand Marnier sauce; thick, creamy and tasty Mushroom Soup; Shrimp Tempura, served with a sweet and sour sauce for dipping and then off the regular menu - Garlic and Herb Escargot served with fresh greens.
I'm a seafood fanatic and I must admit that in the past, my first choice at this restaurant has been the Sesame Encrusted Tuna, which I can still highly recommend. This night, however, I thought I would give the Cornmeal Crusted Grouper on the special menu, a try. I was not to be disappointed - the grouper was succulent and perfectly done; served with a tomato and jalapeno vinaigrette and a lovely sweet potato mash.
This was indeed a very, very special, "special menu" as for both the appetisers and entrees we made most of our choices there. One of my fellow diners tried the Gingered Beef and Lobster dish. I would have tried to describe it to you, but my companion had no words for me. She was totally enthralled by the flavours and just got down to the business of eating and eating... Well, they do say that silence speaks volumes, so there you go. I had a similar experience with trying to get a description of the Shrimp and Spinach Risotto. I did manage to get that it was perfect, creamy and that they still managed to keep the shrimp tender; not at all over-done.
If you prefer some meat on your plate, Magnolia is also the place for you - there's Bacon wrapped Pork Tenderloins, Beef Tenderloins and the nicest looking Rack of Lamb I've ever seen. All done just as you request it and served with enough vegetables to balance your diet... but remember, we are leaving room for dessert.
That very large slice of Warm Chocolate Cake was rich and very, very chocolatety. The Chocolate Cheese Cake was every cheese cake lover's dream come through... and more chocolate! I sampled the Strawberry Stuffed Crepes, which was my attempt at stopping those guilty calorie-feelings from ringing in my ear. I could pretend I was "only having fruit" instead of the rich, flavourful, melt-in-your-mouth crepes that I really had. This was also accompanied by vanilla ice cream and worth every sweet pound I put on my hips that night.
Remember Magnolia is not only a restaurant, but also a Wine Bar, so the libations from aperitif to after dinner, will meet and match all tastes and desires. They also do the traditional coffees - cappuccino, espresso, cafe latte or just a regular coffee if you so request it; the best partner for your chocolate cheese cake.
Then you may want to end the evening the way you began - with a nice drink on the deck, overlooking the marina. Let the warm, tropical breezes lull you gently into the Caribbean night. Relax and bask in the after glow that a good meal gives you. And dream about doing it again tomorrow night, as there are a few more things on that menu that you will want to try before your leave these shores.
By Karyn Williams-Sykes
