On the corner of Third and McKinley streets, kitty-corner from the ruins of SoRo, an absurdly crisp, white house stands in stunning contrast to the deep shadow that Roosevelt Point casts over the whole block.
Approaching the mystically bright structure, I hastened my pace, knowing that inside the house, small plates of Polish delicacies and large glasses of foreign beer awaited me.
As I approached the house, the gentle seething thrum of music that seemed more at home in a Eurotrash club or nineties hacker movie dribbled out into the street, laying a sonic red carpet that welcomed me into the uncouth and delightful world of 800M Milk Bar.
Walking into Milk Bar is a bit like stepping into a Polish snow globe. From any seat in the restaurant, you have a panoramic view of the outside world, while at the same time feeling transported to and encapsulated in another place entirely.
The whole place screams of owner Derek Pasieka’s acclaimed and distinctive style.
The cool white walls, brightly colored lights above the bar and pop art on the walls seemed perfectly in place and provided an amusing contrast to the prompt and energetic server that immediately greeted and seated my party of three when we walked through the door.
After a few minutes of careful deliberation and some kind recommendations from the waitress we ordered a veritable feast of traditional Polish goods served in small but shareable portions.
The three soft and rich cheese and potato pierogi ($5.75) and perfectly crisp potato pancakes ($6.95) were satisfyingly adequate and true-to-form renditions of Polish classics. Definitely pay the extra 50 cents and get applesauce with the pancakes — the food is appropriately devoid of sugar and the sweet fruit helps to break up the otherwise impenetrable wall of savory flavors.
The real stand-out for the evening was definitely the bigos ($7.95). A hearty helping of stewed cabbage, sauerkraut, mushrooms, onions and various sausages, the flavors in this dish were intense in a very comfort-food type of way. It was easy to share and definitely a dish I could see ordering every time I go.
Trying to choose a cocktail was a difficult affair. All of them sounded complex and interesting, but most sounded too sweet for my taste. I settled on the Cactus Milk ($11.00), which was described as having a mixture of tequila, honey and cherry liqueurs and lime juice.
I was nonplussed. The drink was like a muted margarita, smooth but unsatisfying, and left me thirsty for something with more flavor, like the delicious Polish beers my dinner companions were sipping on. Both the lemon beer ($4.50) and Primator hefeweizen were excellent and refreshing.
When the waitress returned to check on us, I spontaneously ordered a bukiet ($4.50), or bouquet of pickled vegetables to be the pre-dessert palate cleanser. I don’t know what they used in those brines, but mushrooms and beets exploded with flavor and made me feel feelings towards beets I wasn’t aware I could muster.
Ordering small plates is kind of addictive. You can just keep adding and growing your menu as the night drags on with no need to commit to an entree or flavor profile — just ordering what you want when you want it.
That said, I wanted vodka ice cream ($4.50). This alcoholic, coconut-topped frozen treat defied all expectations and ended the meal with an elegant flair.
Let’s get something out of the way. Polish food is not “hip.” European night club music is not hip. In fact, little to nothing about Milk Bar is hip — and that’s why I loved it.
There were no curly-cue mustaches or mentions of small batch whiskey. No dish used the word confit, my pierogies were not served on a balsamic reduction. My food, however was good and the service was excellent, and for that I commend them.
Milk Bar has no intention of being something it isn’t and does not need to be, a lesson Phoenix — which is also not hip — would do well to learn from. Milk Bar is not spectacular — the liquor part of their bar could use some work — it is not shiny or innovative in the #phxfoodculture way that I love and is slowly becoming the new standard for restaurants downtown.
However, Milk Bar has the potential to serve as a staple in the downtown bar scene, despite being a weird yet nice place.
Location: 803 N. Third St.
Star rating (0-5): ★★★★ (Downtown Devil dining reviews changed their scale from a 4-star scale rating to a 5-star scale)
Contact the reporter at Gabriel.Radley@asu.edu.
