Magnolia was such a great private kitchen experience. I was expecting to be a bit underwhelmed having heard some slightly negative reports but we had a great time - the service was warm but unobtrusive, the food tasty and the rooms perfect in size and shape for a dinner party. At HK$450 a head plus wine, its not cheap but you do get quite a lot for your money.
The pre-dinner drinks are served in an area over-looking the kitchen. Fear not, this was not a noisy / smelly experience - judging by the activity level in the kitchen, Creole is a cuisine that can be prepared in advance. The individual dining rooms are all upstairs, dramatic because of a combination of low light, dark paint, high ceilings and a cunning use of mirrors. The food that flowed unobtrusively and at a good relaxed pace was full of flavour (if not exactly light and healthy!). There was a starter of Gumbo Soup, followed by shared mains including a pile of ribs which the boys were most excited about and then pecan pie to finish. One of the nice touches was that the owner came to talk about the menu before the meal which made it more of a "private kitchen" experience.
The only complaint I'd have was with the toilets that were quite gross, the problem being that they were unisex ... and not cleaned or checked regularly enough.
Shop 5, G/F,
No. 17 Po Yan Street,
Sheung Wan
No. 17 Po Yan Street,
Sheung Wan
Tel: 2530 9880