Diablos Rojos' newest outpost, a second Cafe Hollander -- this one in the heart of Tosa Village at 7677 W. State St. -- opened for a sneak preview Tuesday night. Of course word traveled fast and the place was packed!
Arriving a little after 8 -- about an hour after the start time of the event which was initially meant to be a thank you to the contractors who built out the new restaurant and bar but rapidly grew into something bigger -- the circular Hollander signs were illuminating, reinforcing what a beacon the place is for residents of Tosa and Milwaukee's West Side. Options in those neighborhoods are slim in comparison to the East Side, Downtown and Bay View, so Hollander is a welcome addition.
Co-owner Mike Eitel was clearly enjoying the packed house, mingling and chatting in the bar and dining room, but also outside, where tables line the bridge over the river, offering welcome al fresco dining, in season, of course.
Last year when news emerged that Hollander would open on State, co-owner Eric Wagner told us that the cycling community helped spark the idea for a Tosa location.
"A lot of the guys on our cycling teams live either out in the
Highlands or in Wauwatosa," he said. "They were incredibly persistent, and
sometimes a little crazed in their demands that we brought beer,
Belgium, and bicycling to the West Side. They would come to us every
time a 'for sale or lease' sign would go up anywhere west of 50th Street."
So, perhaps it was no surprise that we ran into City of Milwaukee bike guru Dave Schlabowske. We also talked to Jim Plaisted of the East Side and Shorewood BIDs and saw Fever Marlene's Scott Starr filming the scene.
Service manager Stephen Minutolo told us that more than 400 people came to last night's opening and that the crew there was preparing to open this morning at 7 for breakfast. Hollander will open early seven days a week for breakfast and Sunday brunch.
Of course, you can expect an extremely wide and interesting selection of beer from Europe and a menu very similar to the one offered at the original location on Downer and Belleview.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
