We have a rule of thumb: when your hostess offers you a seat with a view of the open kitchen, you take it. We definitely took it on our Thursday night visit to Model Milk, one of the new jewels in Calgary’s fashion and culinary crown, 17 Avenue SW.
Everything about Model Milk is neat, for lack of a better description. Its a spacious, open and fun space, with minimal decor but maximum vibe. The frequently-updated menu is presented on a clipboard. I could hear Robin squeeing at Model Milk’s attention to style detail.
We ordered our dinner based on the server’s recommendations and on what we saw the kitchen preparing. After watching the sous chef pile a giant heap of fries into a small casserole bowl and top it with a ridiculous portion of freshly-shred manchengo cheese, we unanimously declared “and we’ll have one of those!”
The menu is very protein focused. Herbivores, be damned. Carnivores, be delighted.
Our only regret was not having room to try one of their desserts. High end comfort food that left us comfortably full, Model Milk is on our must-repeat list for our next Calgary visit.
Model Milk
308 17 Ave SW
Calgary, Alberta
403 265-7343
modelmilk.ca
@modelmilkbistro
Photos by Robin
Words by Richard
What can be seen of the restaurant in your photos is gorgeous! The food looks amazing too! It looks like a place I could take my hubby and he’d actually EAT there. (He is,sadly, a meat and potato only man.)
Love the photos. Perfect for the inner Carnivore…
Hi Richard and Robin-
I would have loved to have contributed to your queries about where to eat in Calgary on chowhound but as I’ve been banned from the site–funny story, and by “funny” I mean completely imbecilic–I couldn’t. It’s great to see that you discovered Model Milk; next time (if you haven’t already) be sure to check out my two favourite spots on that strip, Brava Bistro and Farm. I’d have been thrilled to suggest some coffeehouses too (Calgary has Canada’s second- and third-place baristas from the 2011 national comps and, not to start a fight or anything, has a third-wave coffee scene that Toronto cannot touch, and I don’t mean per capita either), but as I say, chowhound is closed to me. Please check out my reviews at urbanspoon (jfmanzo) and my “places I like” page at my blog.
Really lovely pictures of Model Milk by the way- gorgeous.