Simple Cafe's interior is bright and colorful. (Photo: Royal Brevväxling)

Mottos become motivations for trying new food. (Photo: Royal Brevväxling)

This collection of pots-turned-lights is as complicated as it gets at Simple Cafe. (Photo: Royal Brevväxling)

Simple Cafe's light yet filling winter salad. (Photo: Royal Brevväxling)

The portobello mushroom sandwich is served with lightly fried red potatoes. (Photo: Royal Brevväxling)

First Look: Simple Cafe

After years in the works, Simple Cafe, 2124 N. Farwell Ave., opened last week. Owners Tom Hartz and Young Cho have a cafe and bakery in Lake Geneva, also called Simple Cafe.

Hartz says he and Young searched from "San Diego to Boston" to find the right location for a second cafe and decided on Milwaukee's East Side.

Open for breakfast and lunch, Simple's menu features a variety of dishes, most of which are made with locally-sourced ingredients. Options range from Korean pancakes to turkey, bacon and Brussels sprouts hash to grilled chicken and goat cheese sandwich.

We had an exceptionally good portobello mushroom sandwich topped with goat cheese served on a ciabatta and a winter salad made with tofu, quinoa, dried cranberries, smoked bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds and cucumber tossed in an incredibly light but flavorful dressing.

Everything on the menu is under $10.

The environment is colorful and upbeat, with brightly-colored walls and chairs. The light fixtures are made from recycled pots and pans and there are fresh flowers on the tables.

"For Young and I, the decor is a loose metaphor of a farm. For other people, it's just pleasant and colorful," says Hartz. "We're about people. We believe that if we show people they are appreciated they will show this to others in their life."

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kealty | April 10, 2013 at 5:15 p.m. (report)

I discovered Simple in Lake Geneva! So happy it's come to Milwaukee. This place is AMAZING!

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