YEAR IN REVIEW
N E W R E S TA U R A N T PA Y S H O M A G E T O B Y R N E D A I R Y AND COMBINES MODERNISM WITH CLASSIC CUISINE
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BY MOLLY SHEETS
offee pots brew across the counter as customers chat over waffles and omelets. A neon sign hangs on the wall, illuminating the words “The Milkstand” across the restaurant. Warm, inviting, yellow lights line the ceilings, reflecting off the gold silverware placed upon the marble tables. This is the scene of the new neighborhood restaurant spot The Milkstand. The Milkstand is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in diner-style options. Crepes, flatbreads and burgers are some of the highlighted menu options. Ithaca College junior Kayla Barry works as a hostess at the restaurant. She says the menu choices help to separate the restaurant from other diners in the area. “We have a very unique menu,” she said. “The chefs really try to have options for people who are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. They know it’s hard for people to eat at restaurants when they need those accommodations.” Junior Aidan Feldman agrees that the food options are what makes the restaurant special. “There are a lot of nicer menu options that are otherwise unavailable in Ithaca,” he said. “The brunch options were great and the restaurant seems a bit more upscale. It’s different from regular diner food.” Christopher Logue is the executive chef at The Milkstand. He created the menu himself, hoping he could help people have more food options. “I know that there is a population in Ithaca that desires Patrons waiting outside The Milkstand. Brendan Iannucci/The Ithacan to have that food available,” he said. “Most restaurants are kind of lacking in options that cater to people with dietary restrictions or preferences. I wanted people to come and be able to eat whatever they desire.” “We are open until 9 p.m., so that really sets us apart from other restaurants in the area,” Barry said. “Most diners in the area close early, so we can draw in a crowd of people who want to eat later.” Sophomore Sophia Wachtel said the style is what surprised her most about the diner. The decorations in the restaurant include bright, yellow lights hanging down from the ceiling; rose-quartz salt and pepper shakers; gold silverware; and marble tables. “The aesthetic really stood out to me,” she said. “It is very modern looking. It looks very different from the rest of Ithaca. It really reminds me of something I would see in New York City.” Logue wants the diner to be the hit breakfast and dinner spot in Ithaca. He
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said the restaurant offers fine dining but does not have the “stuffiness” that comes with most classy restaurants “My culinary background is in classic French fine dining,” he said. “I wanted to make the menu a little more relaxed, like the restaurant, but have really high-quality food at the same time.” The owners of The Milkstand are Chris Kim and Soyong Lee. The couple also owns Maru Ramen, a ramen shop located at 512 W. State St. The couple actually created many of the decorations in their new restaurant. “They almost did everything by themselves,” Logue said. “They are very DIY. [Kim] actually hung the lighting, brought in the lamps, painted the walls and mounted the trim on the walls. He also found someone to custom-make the neon sign on the wall.” Feldman said this decorated dining area made the restaurant feel more classy.
