Magna Kainan

The Wagyu Taretare and Lumpia from the Pulutan menu arrived quickly and were delicious. The Sinnegang, with its garlic rice, impressed even our non-Filipino family members. The Buko Pandan Cheesecake and Ube Biko Sticky Rice for dessert were equally delightful. The variety of flavoured drinks, including cold-brew, was impressive. If you're in the area, definitely visit Carlo's restaurant!The service was excellent. They were attentive to your orders and they arrived very quickly. Just observing other servers you can see how attentive they are with other customers while walking to the restroom, which was also well kept!The music fit the vibes of the restaurant well. Loved the decoration and the overall atmosphere even on a Wednesday. I bet it's even more lively on the weekends and when there are events going on. Only visiting from California for a family trip, but if i'm ever in Denver again, I'll return to Magna Kainan for the Mom's Crab Fat Noodles haha! Salamat

Was the food good? It was not exceptional.Was it authentic? No. Some menu items don't even match their names. If you're not Filipino, this may not bother you. If you are, you probably cook better food. Is the food priced properly? The food is way too expensive for its (sub par) quality.Was the noise level ok for dining? It's a tad loud. The waiters had to bend down and get really close to hear our orders.Is the service ok? It was quick. But I'm not sure why they would hire waiters who don't even know the food (the one serving us looked so offended when we corrected his pronunciation. IKR?) . Also it looks like they are hiding Filipino customers in a back room. What's up with that?Listening to conversations in the back room where the first gen immigrants were, the consensus seemed to be that folks just wanted to be polite. There were zero sounds and exclamations of food appreciation.Details for Pinoys: if you got excited by the inclusion of sisig in the menu, mamu, ali ya sisig. Balamu diced adobo ya. Obvious mga manong at manang, dehins pa nakakain ng totoong sisig ang mga chef. Masabaw sha. Baketwhy?The bagoong does not taste at all like bagoong. It seems like some sort of sanitized bagoong, as if they did not want non-Filipinos to smell the glorious fishy-shrimpy scent. I sense some kind of shame. You don't see Japanese restaurants serving non-stinky natto. They will also place the half teaspoon of (fake) bagoong in the middle of your kare-kare. lol! You'll have to scoop it out and ask for a tiny platito so it can have a proper, temporary home. But then it really isn't enough bagoong (because it's fake) so you order more and really for the price of that extra teaspoon of fake bagoong it you'll realize that you'll need to bring your own jar SHOULD you come back.I really wanted to like this place, but if I cook better food, or if I can have better Pinoy food at a potluck, why should I pay so much money for meh food served with a side of shame?The chef is nice and may come out to chat with you if the waiters sense you're not happy. There will be claims of wanting to take your suggestions to improve dishes. But I think this gesture is just to discourage you from telling others what you think about the restaurant. Menus and dishes are refined before restaurants open and won't change because of the whims of customers. That's because a dish's composition propagates all the way to supply purchases, prep time and funds.We may come back, because we are still hopeful for at least one Filipino restaurant to make it in the Denver metro. But something tells me this is more of a fusion restaurant, like Panda Express on end of the spectrum and PF Chang's on the other. There's nothing wrong with that. You just need to realize and own the decision of who it is you're really cooking for.

Food was greatCustomer service was greatCulture was greatWe came on a Friday night and they had karaoke and had a late night happy hour! $5 Filipino rum near or on the rocks ‍

We tried this place for a friend's birthday. Being half Filipino myself, it's amazing to have a Filipino restaurant in Denver.Our drinks were spectacular. Every cocktail we tried was delicious balanced, and presented beautifully.Our first orders were the Sisig and Mom's Crab Fat Noodles - both great. The noodles were yummy and rich but not too fishy. The Sisig was maybe the best I've EVER had. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned just as well, and the egg was the cherry on top.For bigger entrees we had Lechon and Inasal. The lechon was also some of the best I've ever had - seasoned and delicious, felt like a fresher version, but was still enjoyable in the same classic way I've enjoyed lechon my entire life. The inasal was good, but a bit dry, and I've had better made by my family. It was great, don't get me wrong - nothing was wrong with it. But it was just lacking some flavor.Our hostess was super friendly, along with the servers who brought out our food! We loved chatting with them. Our waitress, though, was a bit rude with us throughout the meal, and just sort of seemed impatient/uninterested. However, after we tipped her, she suddenly become very friendly and talkative. It was like a stark and noticeable change. I'm hoping for this part of the experience to be a bit better next time.Other than the food and service, and restaurant itself is beautiful. The attention to detail in the decor is lovely, the music fit the vibes perfectly, and the lighting was moody in a cozy way. I'll be coming back to give this place another try! What a great high end Filipino restaurant overall.

Love that we have this spot in town now -- what a cool representation of authentic Filipino food!The staff is absolutely wonderful, the space is organic and welcoming, and the food is fantastic -- spanning everything from the classic Lumpia most people know from Filipino cuisine, to creative modern takes on octopus with mango boba, to completely unfamiliar flavors to me of the pumpkin curry in the oxtail Kare-Kare.Some items I'd definitely recommend ordering:- Hawaiian rolls with bone marrow and guava butters- any of the meat skewers paired with their respective sauces- lumpia (fried pork rolls) -- a classic - kinilaw (yellowtail ceviche)- kilawin (charred octopus)- sisig (probably my favorite: crispy pork head skillet with runny egg)- lechon liempo (crispy pork belly with sinamak and liver sauce)And so many other things I wish I'd tried!

I noticed that people agree on two of things here. The high price. And dishes were delicious! Armed with that info you should consider that in mind when visiting. They also tack a 20% tip to the bill. But they tell you ahead of time so it's cool. They're busy but there's plenty of staff. If you drop in I think you get sitted in the communal table. I might be wrong on this. I like the vibe here. It's upbeat and it feels so positive! They open at 5pm and we had a reservation. You can't get thru the door before then. But they're sit you right away . I like that. Now on to the meal. I liked everything but the Sisig was my favorite. They show up in the app section and not in the main. This is something I wasn't expecting. I forgive them the portion because it's the app portion. My Crime of Passion Cocktail was more for the taste of Mango etc rather than the etoh. The skewer was very good but surprised me with its minuscule amount. The rest are for sounding less complaining is someone wouldn't order again. The Lechon Liempo was 5 pieces for $32! I think that's what got me more than anything. I know there's overhead and other expenses but it's way too much! It's like paying for each slice of crispy pork( the skin was perfectly crispy) $6.20! Akashi Japanese WhiskeyCRIME OF PASSION $15 / $55Shareable (Serves 5)Espolón Blanco, Grand Marnier, Orange, Mango, Passion Fruit, Calamansi Citrus BlendKAPIS TUHOG (Skewer)(Diver Scallops)Sinigang &Togarashi Powder $12SISIGCrispy Pork Head, Onion, Calamansi,Soy Sauce, Thai Bird Chili, Scallions topped with a Poached Egg $18SINANGAGGarlic Fried Rice $6LECHON LIEMPOCrispy Pork Belly, Sinamak & Liver Sauce$32LAINGCoconut Braised Greens with Crispy Shallots $12BASQUE STYLEPANDAN CHEESECAKETopped with Brown Butter Polvoron, Vanilla Tuile & whipped Cream $10

Super tasty! We were in the neighborhood and popped in to see if we could get a walk-in table, fortunately we went on the early side right at 5pm opening and were able to be seated. Later on in the night would've not been likely given it got jam packed. Cocktails were excellent -- got two different cocktails with yuzu, one was a LNY special which was a little bit too sweet, but the one on their regular menu was nicely balanced. Adobo fried rice is kind of a must to go with everything, paired well with the sisig. Mom's crab fat noodles was delightful and we scooped up the sauce with the rice. The pandan basque cheesecake wasn't bad, but would have added another app instead. Atmosphere was casual and fun but also nice and elegant with very attentive service.

Yay, a brand new Filipino restaurant has opened up in Denver!! They opened last Friday (Nov 22) so it's pretty new in town but heard they've had their soft opening about 2-3 weeks ago?!So far, the dishes didn't disappoint. As a Filipino born and raised in the Philippines, I can say their ulam (main entrees), pulutan (appetizers), rice, dessert, cocktails and beer selections hit close to home like mom's cooked meals.I was introducing my date to Filipino food and he liked the family-style spread for the most part. For any non-Filipino adventurous eaters, trust me you can't go wrong with Sisig, Lumpiang Shanghai, Kare Kare (oxtail entree in sarsa/sauce) and Adobe Fried Rice which are among the staple dishes in the Philippines.I wanted to try the Mom's Crab Fat Noodles which the server mentioned is Chef Carlo LaMagna's dish that captures his journey as a chef and is the star of the show! It also looks good in the photos on Yelp or in reviews on the web so I will definitely come back for that and for the pandesal.Desserts - if you wanna go traditional, "Biko" is a must-try. The consistency is similar to that of mango sticky rice sans the mango of course, but the best part is it's made with ube w/ all the goodness of the "latik" (coconut based dessert sauce usually paired with biko). I almost thought the brown butter polvoron dusting is all brown sugar but all I can say, it's divine and what a perfect combo! I prefer that over the Basque Style Pandan Cheesecake.Cocktails - I keep seeing other tables get the Ube Colada mocktail and Ube Snack but I opted for the Under the Tamarind Tree which is glorious-- very tarty with calamansi and tamarind; I can barely taste the alcohol (rum) in it. I'm honestly ecstatic to see Red Horse and San Miguel on the beer list as these are staple drinks you can find in the Philippines.Our server Jay was pretty good with explaining the stuff on the menu and introducing dishes -- what will be good to order based on your liking so definitely ask away! I'm glad they can also modify the dishes based on your allergies (if you have any) and ask if stuff can be gluten free. My only qualm is the servers take away your plates quite so quickly! Granted, they do ask but if you are still working on something, let them know because even if there's some food on your plate- they'll most likely take it away unless you tell them not to.Finally, a good Filipino restaurant in Denver I can say I would go back to- and worth going back to as well. Just make sure to make your reservations on OpenTable. They do accept walk-ins but it's best to do your resys as it can get busy. I sure hope they are here to stay! I heard before they opened this up, the chef also has another Filipino resto in Portland called Magna Kusina, and my friend can vouch for it! So happy that Chef Carlo and @theculinarycreativegroup is putting Filipino food in the map, especially because you don't see a ton of Filipino food presence here in Denver.

Had to try Magna Kainan before it got too popular. We went the day after the grand opening and snagged an early reservation at 5:00pm. By 5:30pm - the dining room was packed and I can see why.From the greeting at the door to the warm wishes hoping to see guests return, service was sincere and wanting to ensure all were satisfied. Staff knew the dishes and were able to tell us their favorites so it was evident that they had been exposed to the menu.Cocktails are fun and tropical. One was plenty for me but they also have other options such as beer, wine, and regular spirits. The Who Yu(zu) was a citrusy but rich cocktail of yuzu vodka, melon, aloe, lemongrass, and egg white. We were told if we wanted to the bread (pandesal), to definitely order it early because it usually runs out by 7:00pm. Well worth it! Four fluffy rolls with a crisp top served in a steaming hot cast iron pan with bone marrow butter and chamoy guava butter. (BTW - these heat up nicely the next day!)We decided to try several of the skewers & snacks and split a main and rice between two of us. The Lechon Liempo (pork belly) was cooked well and was nice and juicy. It paired well with the adobo fried rice. My favorite was the Lumpia Shanghai. A crispy thin pastry wrap (lumpia) filled with pork served with a pineapple chili sauce.Filipino food is hard to come by in Denver. Run, don't walk, to Magna Kainan.

Our supper club had marked our calendars for the opening of Magna Kainan a number of months ago and had been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to give it a try. I for one was excited, as I hadn't really hadn't had Filipino food since moving to Denver (read: far too long ago).The space has a very hip vibe with a number of gorgeous decor touches (beautiful constellation of woven lanterns and other neat light fixtures, fun & funky wallpaper and paint colors, etc.), and the music was upbeat and unexpected. From the moment I walked in, the staff was on point. Helpful, cheerful, and enthusiastic. They also functioned as a team, which this early in the game was a notably positive thing. (Also special shoutout to our server who properly steered us on our order in terms of quantity; we had read so much about small portions that we definitely would've overshot without her guidance.)The menu includes some more classic dishes as well as many chef-inspired takes, and honestly, it was all fantastic. The beverage menu was also interesting, and we were able to try some cocktails and mocktails. (Definitely appreciated that they had fun N/A drink options.) The new cabbage dish was stellar, I also loved the coconut greens. The bread was amazingly warm and tender, and I would find any excuse to consume that butter again. Ha. The crab fat noodles were such a tasty flavor bomb, and the new leche flan was gorgeous to behold and tasty to eat. I think the only thing I would say remotely negatively, is the lumpia didn't stay wrapped very well (maybe too much filling, or not enough wrapper), so consuming them was a bit piecemeal. While I don't have the same experience with this food as some of the other reviewers, I will say I think this is meant to be a modern, fancy take on Filipino food, and if you go with that in mind I think you'll be quite pleased.