***Hot Lola’s*** *fried chicken sandwich and waffle fries. (Photo courtesy Caleb Jang.)*

by Maya Gold

Magpie and the Tiger, the Korean restaurant run by Chef Caleb Jang and owned by Kevin Tien, is set to open this month at 828 Upshur Street NW. However, with COVID-19 cases reaching historic highs in the DC area, the establishment has been forced to make some adjustments.

On Wednesday, January 5th, a beloved local eatery will set up shop in the space: Hot Lola’s. Tien’s famous Sichuan-Nashville hot chicken restaurant will operate out of the space during lunch time, with food available via delivery or to-go only. You can order on their website or third-party apps like Doordash and Uber Eats.

***Hot Lola’s*** *fried chicken sandwich. (Photo courtesy Caleb Jang.)*

The following week, starting January 12th, Magpie and the Tiger will start to offer a dinner takeout menu, featuring Korean and Chinese dishes (Hot Lola’s will continue to operate during lunch time).

Check out the new Magpie and the Tiger takeout menu below:

“We’re finishing up some R&D on some desserts we’re gonna offer for the takeout menu,” says Jang. “We’re really excited about that despite not being able to open fully.”

Some menu favorites that Jang highlighted include chocopie, or a Korean whoopie pie updated for an adult palate, jjajangmyeon, a black bean noodle dish, and kkanpungi, a sweet and spicy garlic fried chicken.

Jang plans to do take-out for the first month and then reassess starting February 12th. They’ll then decide whether to extend the take-out model or switch to dining-in options.

When the restaurant does open for indoor dining, Jang has the menu ready to go so you can start planning your meal now…