"I noted the culinary duo behind Magpie and the Tiger will be conducting cooking demos in Gallery 27 during the Chuseok festivities, teaching onlookers how to make Songpyeon and how to set up a food-based memorial called a Charye Table at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m." - Emily Venezky
"I enjoy Magpie and the Tiger’s weekly Sunday residency at Nido showcasing Korean American snacks and South Korean dosirak bento boxes (preorder by Thursdays for Sunday pickup); this week’s lunchbox includes miso hamachi kama (yellowtail collar), salmon roe on mountain greens rice, and many delicious banchan sides. The pop-up comes from second-generation Korean American couple Caleb Jang and Roren Choi, who pivoted from brick-and-mortar in 2023 to experiment with pop-ups and private dinners across the District, and their residency at Nido has been welcomed by the shop." - Emily Venezky
"I saw Magpie and the Tiger as a cozy, 22-seat small-plates project from second-generation Korean American couple Caleb Jang and Roren Choi that opened in early 2022 in the storied Himitsu space but lasted only seven months before they shifted into a “period of exploration and collaboration.” With help from D.C. chef Kevin Tien, Jang used the concept to explore his Korean roots while drawing on his pastry training at Seylou Bakery and Choi’s experience from Michelin-starred Tail Up Goat and Reveler’s Hour; rather than insisting on a strictly traditional menu, they aim to translate their life experience through food. Their pivot includes roving pop-ups, collaborations, private dinners, catering, cooking classes, and a planned bottled line of spicy sauces, and they’re planning more partnerships (including talks about projects in Seoul and London) plus a Korean-Italian pop-up inspired by Choi’s New York upbringing. During a November residency their tasting menu featured rolled egg omelets with parmesan and nori, Korean rice cakes in a rosé gochujang sauce, and kimchi-wrapped pork sausages, and they continue to workshop playful, Korean-inflected dishes through partnerships and pop-ups." - Emily Wishingrad
"I was smitten with Magpie and the Tiger while it was open, though it sadly closed after only seven months." - Adele Chapin
"A playfully worded Washington, D.C. restaurant name used as an example of the trend toward expressive, narrative titles." - ByMaggie Hennessy
