The new bar and restaurant that's slated to replace Gil's Lounge, 2068 N. Downer Ave., is going through a slight name change before it opens this fall.
According to co-owner Mike Eitel, what was going to be called Café Centraal will now be known as Café Hollander. Eitel says his first choice was already in use, hence the name change. He had also considered Café Jenever, which is Dutch for gin, but the name didn’t make the final cut.
Eitel says he's hoping to open the restaurant around Thanksgiving, but he has to wait until he can fully take over the space vacated by Optix. He said he would like to "Trocadero-fy" the corner and is taking his plans to the neighborhood association soon.
Eitel is part of the "Diablos Rojos" restaurant group, which includes partners Scott Johnson, Leslie Montemurro and Eric Wagner.
The bar and restaurant will focus on being "affordable, approachable and casual" and will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner -- including Sunday brunches -- as well as a full bar.
According to co-owner Mike Eitel, what was going to be called Café Centraal will now be known as Café Hollander. Eitel says his first choice was already in use, hence the name change. He had also considered Café Jenever, which is Dutch for gin, but the name didn’t make the final cut.
Eitel says he's hoping to open the restaurant around Thanksgiving, but he has to wait until he can fully take over the space vacated by Optix. He said he would like to "Trocadero-fy" the corner and is taking his plans to the neighborhood association soon.
Eitel is part of the "Diablos Rojos" restaurant group, which includes partners Scott Johnson, Leslie Montemurro and Eric Wagner.
The bar and restaurant will focus on being "affordable, approachable and casual" and will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner -- including Sunday brunches -- as well as a full bar.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
