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| - Model Milk is a relatively new restaurant (est. 2011) on 17th Ave. The space itself is amazing. Modern, inviting with a lot of variety. It has a small patio with a little bar downstairs. Then going up 3 stairs you enter a huge open area, tastefully decorated. You can go up a full flight of stairs to the upstairs dining area, which is overlooking the big open space. There is some bar-like seating and a bunch of tables. Very inviting and fun. Reminds me of some of the hipster restaurants I've been to in New York. One problem was that it was very noisy. We were at a small table with 5 people, 1 on the end, and it was hard to hear the people sitting across the table from you.
The beer list is excellent with a good selection of nice microbrews including a few I had never heard of from Ontario. The menu is small, varied, and distinct with a number of appealing options. The 5 people in my party all ordered something different, independently and there are only maybe 7 large dishes on the menu.
They were offering a nightly special of fish tacos, where they bring a whole sea bass to your table and as many tortillas as you want. It is accompanied by 5 delicious sauces like a sriracha-based sauce, a jalapeno vinaigrette, a pickled cucumber, an avocado "mousse" (which seemed to be the same as guacamole to me), and a freshly made tomato salsa. This dish was fantastic, all 5 were delicious. It was meant to be dinner for two, but we ordered it as an appetizer for the whole table of 5, and there was enough fish for us to have about 3 small tacos each. So often with fish tacos the fish itself isn't great, but when they cook you a delicious sea bass (gosh!) and bring it your table, you know it's good.
My wife ordered the macaroni with braised lamb. It wasn't sitting well with her and was quite heavy and hard to eat. I ordered the rainbow trout which was very delicious, with butter lettuce and blue cheese citrus sauce. I really enjoyed mine, but shouldn't have ordered more fish after going for the fish tacos.
Overall, I was fairly impressed but my wife wasn't. The space and distinct menu was compelling enough that we will definitely give it another chance.
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