Okay, so it’s an unusual name. And an unusual concept. But it is very, very good. The Hall on Mag is the latest outpost of a budding empire owned by former professional athlete turned entrepreneur Jamal Wilson. With a hip food hall in Orlando, and one in Atlanta, the Hall on Mag is the third, with another Atlanta location opening next year.
The Auction House Market on Magazine in the Warehouse District is a gorgeous space that housed a food hall in a city with one too many food halls. When COVID arrived, the already struggling operation closed. There was not much needed to repurpose the space. It was barely used. Even the restrooms are gorgeous.
Jamal got the new place open quickly, reporting to me that navigating through City Hall madness was easy. I can believe that because he is a truly likeable guy. He opened with a skeletal crew from New Orleans, mentored by a crew brought in from Orlando.
The vendors at Hall on Mag also came in from other locations. Six of them are here, offering a limited menu, which together give a diner a lot of options. The space is very open, with seating surrounding a huge and gorgeous bar. Servers are assigned stations just like in a regular restaurant, and can bring food from any vendor. The menu is set up according to cuisine, with a central section devoted to regional American classics like Yankee Pot Roast and a gourmet burger with a slab of foie gras.The middle section of the menu appears to come from a central kitchen, right next to beautiful event spaces.
When we first visited The Hall on Mag, the first thing we ordered was from the Italian concept, Amato Italia. A bowl of Pappardelle Bolognese was placed before me, sporting a small mound of ricotta cheese. This was one of the most delicious servings of any kind of pasta with any sauce that I have ever eaten. I wanted a lot more of this. The ricotta was unexpected, and I normally would have brushed it aside, but when I tried it I couldn’t imagine ever eating any version of pasta and marinara again without a heap of ricotta. The pasta was perfectly al dente, with a smooth rich tomato taste and plenty of meat. When the ricotta melted and coated the pasta strands, it added a creaminess that made each bite actually luscious. This was superb. I have often thought about this dish since I ate it, but I haven’t gotten it again because I wanted to try other things.
The second thing we got on that first visit was the pot stickers from Ja Nai, the Japanese street food concept. These were beautifully presented and as delicious as the pasta. It was hard to switch cuisines, but as soon as we started in on the pot stickers, we got right into it. The pot stickers were a portion of four, interspersed with various colorful pickled vegetables, and served with a spicy soy sauce. I wanted more of these too.
The last thing we ordered was the chicken pot pie from the Vendor called American Culture. It was just the right size, neatly packaged in a white cheddar crust. This flaky pot pie was loaded with chicken and vegetables, and was everything anyone would want in a comforting food like chicken pot pie.
We liked each of these so well we couldn’t decide on a real favorite. I kept ordering the tableside guac and canceling it, because we had so much food to eat, but each dish was so good we kept wanting more.
It took a while to get back to the Hall on Mag, but we went again recently. With the intent to get some of the tableside guac, we learned that they are no longer doing it tableside. Instead we got a trio of dips and some chips I didn’t care for at all. They were too dark and seemed a little stale. The guacamole was really very good, with an abundance of lime that I found outstanding. There was very little else done to it. The salsa was oddly colored but very tasty, and I couldn’t decide how I felt about the texture. The queso was bright yellow and reminded me too much of ballpark nacho cheese sauce.
I wanted the Yankee Pot Roast in this visit but it didn’t come in that day. Still, supply chain issues. And I’ve been told by a listener that I simply must have the burger. He went over the very day we talked to Jamal, and he has been obsessed with it ever since. Since I don’t eat foie gras it seemed a waste, (and a profligate one,) to get a burger with it, so I’ll just take his word for it.
We got something next that we wanted to get the first time but didn’t have room for it. The basil arancini seemed interesting, and it was. Three arancini “dumplings” were neatly stacked on each other, sitting in a puddle of delicious deep red sauce.
The sauce was smooth and thick and very rich, and I wanted a lot more of it. This arancini was vegetarian, with only the rice and fine vegetables and a dollop of cheese. While I definitely prefer meat or crabmeat in arancini, this was quite nice as well.
While I was initially skeptical of a global dine around of completely incongruous cuisines, the food at the Hall on Mag is so very good it is easy to move on from one to another. I still think it’s a good idea to pick a kind of food you want to eat and stick with it, ordering several courses from a particular vendor.
It just gives you another reason to go more often. You won’t be disappointed. Still on our list are oysters, oysters, and more oysters from South & Common, Saganaki and the Fig Compote with Pita from El Greco, and the pork “festival” from Itzanaya. And of course, anything else from Amato Italia.
The Hall on Mag is a food hall, yes, but most food halls tend to cater to millennials looking for inexpensive food as they pass through. The Hall on Mag is unique. Here is a vibe that is yes, hip, but also totally upscale and really very glamorous. More importantly, the food is absolutely on par with first class restaurants. It seems like a great place to go with a group, relax with drinks, and savor global cuisine in a casual atmosphere. I could be a regular here, get something different each time, and never tire of it. I’m confident you will feel the same.
