MILK

[wideeyedraven]

Went there yesterday, had a terrific Cobb Salad and a scoop of mint chip. Very nice staff, good cooks. Only drawback was a loud and boorish woman who mistook her volume for charm. One can't blame a place for its customers. Will go back many times.

The cobb was excellent because it wasn't overdressed and had quality ingredients, sectionailzed so it wasn't just a morass of cobb. The tomatoes were fresh and tasted like actual tomatoes. The cheese was cheddar (unusual) and deceptively good. The bacon was great, the egg perfectly cooked and had a little dash of pepper. I was impressed.

The ice cream had a burst of mint flavor, which at first I was almost overwhelmed by, but like many cold sweet foods, the tastes shift with the numbing of the tongue. Great cone, btw.

[hazelnutty]

I had the cuban sandwich for lunch today and yes indeed it was really good. The pork was tender and seemed to be of quality. Also I had their chocolate chip cookie, realllllllllly good! Not too sweet and not hard--just the way I like them. Their muffins are okay, but I'm sticking with the cookie. I'm really starting to like this joint.

[running pig]

Do they let you sample the ice cream flavors at MILK?

[SauceSupreme]

Yes they do. That's how I was able to taste the tangerine sorbet before the citrus shortage kicked in.

[hazelnutty]

Yes, I sampled the papaya sorbet. It was really good. I have yet to have ice cream there though. I have time, I don't think they're going anywhere...

[revets2]

i sampled the green apple, guava, passion fruit, mango with lime, lychee, chocolate, banana dulce de leche, and strawberry yesterday.

these guys are terrific. the kitchen is like a laboratory clean room.

they need to improve their espresso situation. i had a double shot with some grinds served in a large paper cup even though i was eating there. city bean. just okay. you'd think they'd go more upscale like la mill.

snaps to them. i'll be back. oh, and service was out of this world!

[hazelnutty]

I agree. They need to improve their drinks. I ordered tea, and asked if the small size came in a teapot, the counter lady said yes, but it didn't. They should just have one size and it should come in a teapot. The tea I had was strange. So the food is good, the ice creams are good, but the drinks need work.

[arisu]

I finally got the chance to swing by MILK after visiting the Mark Ryden show at the Michael Kohn gallery. We had the Banana Butterscotch Crunch Bar and the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich, as well as a bon bon. Yummy and so decently priced!

For a quick review and to see pictures:

http://arisuland.blogspot.com/2007/04...

[meganinlosfeliz]

Thanks for the pics. I bet vanilla ice cream in those chocolate cookies would be delicious!

[chica]

I like it, too. Here's my recent report: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/381904

I mean to try the blue velvet cake one day. :)

[esculent]

what are the hours at milk like?

[meganinlosfeliz]

They are open pretty late- I think until 10 PM. We had their coffee ice cream and also the mint chip - picked it up on the way home from work (parking was tough). Loved the coffee- had bits of toffee in it. Did not care for the chocolate chips in the mint chip (I don't like whole chips like that), but others might. Looking forward to trying other flavors.

[emilymm]

Im pretty sure I've been there later than 10pm on the weekends. Not sure about during the week.

[yinyangdi]

Milk was originally open daily but are now closed on Mondays (I think until summer?)
Mon - Closed
Sun, Tue – Thur 7 a.m.– 10 p.m.
Fri-Sat 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Milk
7290 Beverly Boulevard
(x-Street = Poinsettia)
Los Angeles 90036
323-939-6455

[SauceSupreme]

I love Milk, but the parking situation could be better. Fortunately, it's not too bad of a walk, and with all the confections I typically order, maybe that's a good thing.

Here's my blog post on a recent trip to Milk:
http://www.taste-buzz.com/always-save...

[auntflo]

Had a gooey chocolate-chocolate chip cookie for 75 cents. Amazing. And was as full as if I just had a big piece of ice box cake. MMMMM..... chocolate.....

[radman123]

yes it was a good cookie and warm

[PseudoNerd]

the residential area allows for 2-hour parking without an area permit.

[snooze button]

and there's a MILK parking section too up until 6 pm (I think).

[LoveCulverCity]

There is...right behind El Coyote

[tastytasty]

Went there for the first time on Saturday, and liked it to. Had a medianoche (cuban sandwich), and it was one of the best I've had in some time. The sandwich was pressed and actually slightly crunchy, which I really liked. My partner had the same thing, and the only improvement we could come up with was a bit more flavor in the pork, but overall a really good sandwich. Our only complaint was that you had to buy chips separately (it came with a really small pickled veggie salad). For almost $9 a sandwich, it would seem that a few chips could be added. We also each had a milkshake; a strawberry shortcake and a passion fruit. They were both really good and we definitely will be trying more flavors. Overall, we had a good experience and will definitely be going back.

[Pei]

Yum. How much were the milkshakes and are they available to go?

TIA

[tastytasty]

They were $5 each and were available to go, as where homemade ice cream sandwiches, ice cream bars etc. Also, had ice cream bon bons for $3 a dozen, which I thought was a great deal.

[emilymm]

The milkshakes have about 5 or 6 scoops in them. That's a lot of ice cream! The regular 2 scoop ice cream cone is 2.50.

[Pei]

Sigh, I just spent all of today nursing a cold and eating an entire sleeve of thin mints by myself. Now I want bon bons too!

Thanks for the info, I'm definitely heading to Milk for that passion fruit shake.

[Julefish]

I love sitting on the couch and eating the bonbons and feeling a little like Peggy Bundy. They are fabulous! Can you choose which ones you want if you get the dozen - or do they give you the mix?

[lacaramon]

I was excited to hear that MILK's media noche was one of the best. I'm of the opinion that the best cuban food available in LA is if a cuban invites over to their house for dinner. As a cuban-american, born and raised in Silver Lake/Echo Park, I would stop daily on my way home from St. Francis at Cafe Tropical for un batido de mamey or fruta bomba (Papaya) and pastel del guayaba, emjoying each bite and sip on my walk home. I would also go with my parents to the Porto's house, knock on their back door, and secretly be handed our birthday cake with the merengue frosting and custard filling (yes, years before they created their Porto's empire). The obligatory hug from the owners made the experience that much special.

So today I made my way to MILK, filled with excitement like the litte chubby kid going in for his daily treat. I checked out the ice cream flavors. PAPAYA sorbet! Hmmm, blood orange too, reminding me of the morir soñando (die dreamining) orange juice milk shakes I drank during my Peace Corps time in the Dominican Republic! I ordered the media noche and a papaya/blood orange milk shake. "One meeedia noche and a papaya/blood orange milk shake" she confirms with a look of confusion. I try to correct her pronunciation, but she's busy to care or confused by my choice.

The milk shake comes out first. She asks me to taste it because nobody's ever ordered that combo before. It was deliciously thick combining two distinct, intense, and incredible tropical flavors. A bit later a gentleman brings the sandwich. He too asks me how's the shake because nobody's ever asked for that combination. "Great, you should try it." He just smiles.

I open the sandwich to inspect it...the crust is crunchy, the dough is soft. A thick layer of roasted pork is soft as a pillow, two slices of ham, cheese, pickles, some leafy green (ha! silly americans trying to introduce something healthy into cuban food!). The first bite and every bite until I finish is delicious, flavorful, crunchy, satisfying. Traditional media noche? No. Delicious? Absolutely. I walk back to my car happy as a chubby little kid.

[Dommy]

ITA!! We went yesterday and had the most wonderful lunch. Although the Bacon Cheddar Scone pales to Rockenwager's decadent version, the cob salad was wonderful. It had thise garlicy edge that went really well with the cheddar. They also were not stingy with any of the other ingridents. My only complaint was that it was HUGE!!!

P. tried the Media Noche. We are both HUGE Cuban Sandwich fans and both loved this version. Like you said, it wasn't very traditional, P. found the bread too crisp and wanted to amp up the the Pickles. But it still made for a wonderful and comforting sandwich. That pulled pork was amazing...

All in all, a wonderful first experience. I hope they keep it up! :)

--Dommy!

[WBGuy]

That was the thing I disliked about the medianoche, the crust of the bread. I really don't know what it is about sandwich shops and overly-hard crust. When I bite down on a sandwich, the last thing I want to happen is to chip a tooth, feel sharp shards poke into my mouth, or squeeze all the sandwich fillings out the back.

The fillings of the medianoche was pretty good I thought, but I didn't enjoy having to bite through a couple of shake tiles to get at it.

[sel]

I've never done this before lacaramon, but I just have to say that your post is lovely! I read it with more interest and anticipation than usual and was pleased that your adventure had a happy ending for you (and me!). I guess I'll have to make my way to MILK!

[lacaramon]

Sel, thanks for appreciating my self-indulgent post!

WBGuy, biting into a traditional cuban sandwich may require breaking a tooth, with the crispy crust and soft center. A media noche is made with sweet egg bread, which is soft and delicious. Like you said, Milk's version is not traditional.

For a yummy cuban snack, buy the freshest cuban bread from Porto's, open a can of sweetened condensed milk, break off a chunk of bread, dip it into the can, and enjoy!