Magpie where food meets art in the Oct Loft art area

Written by Mark Revised by Brent Deverman

OCT Loft is known for creativity and art galleries. What if that art was applied to the food there? If an artist combined two cuisines together would he/she think to choose Chinese Northeastern (Dongbei) flavors and western food? Let’s face it, Shenzhen has so many places to eat, picking one can drive the sanest person crazy – but when I heard about the opening night of this new trendy artsy restaurant – Magpie – we had to check it out.

The team behind the concept

Tucked away in the beautiful surroundings of OCT LOFT, the Magpie restaurant - brainchild of head chef Cadence Gao - is ideally situated, serving traditional Dong Bei food styled with a contemporary western edge – the perfect escape from the hectic city lifestyle.

Cadence Gao Chef & Artist

The team behind Magpie: Eric-Cadence-Amir (from left to right) (Photo from Magpie’s official Wechat)

We heard about the team creating a restaurant something like 3 years ago so it is great to see that it has finally come together and that their skills all compliment each other to build a concept that is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

The decoration and ambiance

The first thing that grabs your attention is the relaxing ambiance and modern decoration which gel together perfectly. The staff were genuine and friendly and even though busy, were tentative and helpful.

Communal tables make Magpie a great place for dinner with friends. (Photo from Magpie’s official Wechat)

Clean grey and blue title make for a nice clean look.

Attention to detail is taken seriously at Magpie (Photo from Magpie’s official Wechat)

Best to make a reservation as word of mouth is getting around.

Drinks and cocktails

The menu offers something for everyone, beautifully presented and skillfully written, complimented with a collection alcoholic beverages including some of the finest cocktails, carefully chosen and sculpted by talented mixologists.

Sit at the bar and order a cocktail. (Photo from Magpie’s official Wechat)

Mixologists create cocktails specially concocted for Magpai.

Best Selling Cocktails:

Cotton Candy Cocktail - RMB 85 （made up of fresh lemon juice, vermouth, and homemade Limonchelo) Flavor: Sweet, fruity, sour

Volcanic White Wine - RMB 85 (made up of white wine, citrus peels) Flavor: sweet, fruity

Bartender’s Favourite:

Burning Pine - RMB 85(made up of roasted pine nuts, burnt rosemary, Moscatel and a bit of rum) Flavor: sweet, aromatic

Wine by the bottle is also reasonably priced with a bottle of Artero Tempranillo going for 185RMB.

Biting into a painting

The food was succulent and juicy, each dish freshly prepared and cooked to perfection. – My favourite dishes included “Who killed my duck?” – “Belly full of Scallops” and “The Obligatory Steak” but to name a few. The menu is seasonal and may not be the same when you visit as they were just finishing their winter menu.

Who Killed My Duck - fowl murdered on your plate - 85RMB

Catch of the day scallops - 125RMB

Maybe it was the attention to detail, the mouth-watering food or the delicious candyfloss cocktails that made my visit so memorable – whatever it was, the entire dining experience at the Magpie restaurant was exquisite and I look forward to visiting again soon.

Starters to share

Food for thought - Fried pigs brains - 35RMB

Rabbit food (not on the menu)

A poached egg - 25RMB

Main dishes:

Venison Bolognese - 75RMB

Pasta with whatever - 60RMB

Coal Oil Tartare - 75RMB

Dessert Art

Yuan Xiao - 50RMB

Orange Creamsicle - 50RMB

Restaurant Name: Magpie 喜鹊派 Place Address: Oct B Loft A5 125 深圳华侨城创意园北区A5125（旧天堂书店背面） Place Phone: +86755-86528782（14:00-02:00） Business Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 17:00-02:00

Map to Magpie

Additional Resources

• Find more Shenzhen restaurants
• Explore the OCT-Loft area
• After dinner listen to jazz music at Penny Black