New Brunch Place in Walker’s Point

Future location of Toast. Photo by Cari Taylor-Carlson.

A new restaurant planned for 231 S. 2nd St. in Walker’s Point is following in the footsteps of the space’s former occupant, Zak’s Cafe. Co-owners Gordon Goggin and Lyn Magnarini hope to open the new brunch spot, Toast, around March 1. Magnarini is the founder of the HR firm HR Sherpaz, and Goggin is the owner of Cedarburg’s Stilt House craft-beer bar and restaurant. Toast’s chef will be Alex Romero.

Goggin spoke with the Journal Sentinel’s Carol Deptolla about the plans for Toast:

Toast, like Zak’s, would be open for breakfast and lunch. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily

Although it will have some menu items such as salads and sandwiches, Goggin said, Toast mainly will be geared toward brunch dishes.

“We’re definitely shooting to have some craveable classics,” Goggin said.

Toast will also serve a variety of doughnuts, expresso drinks and cocktails.

Goggin also had plans earlier in the year to open a food stand called Gordo’s on Water, but those plans have been shelved while Goggin focuses on Toast.

The Grille Opens in Tosa

The closing of the fast-casual restaurant known as John’s Sandwich Shop (8913 W. North Ave.) is shrouded in mystery. Owners Peter and Kris Hyndiuk have not made an announcement about the closure, but an online auction is selling items from the restaurant. The reasoning and timing for the closure is also currently unknown. What is known is that Mike Topolovich, owner of North Avenue Grill, will take over the space on Jan. 1, and plans to open a new restaurant named The Grille in April.

Deptolla writes about Topolovich’s vision for the restaurant:

Topolovich explained it was always his intention for the building to be a small diner and sandwich shop with a classic, family feel to it. Topolovich wants to bring the restaurant back to what it was in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s…

The Grille will offer a variety of craft malt and shake options.

Topolovich said customers want good, hearty food at a reasonable price. At The Grille, there are plans to experiment with fresh-cut hash browns and breakfast tacos — food options his customers have asked for in the past.

“There will be enough different things where you could eat breakfast at The Grille and then go to dinner at North Avenue Grille and have two totally different dining experiences,” Topolovich said.

Topolovich, in short, plans on keeping the menus at both his restaurants different enough to offer unique dining experiences.

First Cat Cafe Still Coming

In August, a number of outlets reported that Milwaukee would be receiving its first cat cafe, called Sip & Purr Cafe. More details are falling into place for the feline-friendly joint, which is slated to open sometime this year. According to a tweet from the cafe’s Twitter, the proprietors have signed a lease for the new business’s space.

The tweet, complete with a heart-eyes-cat-emoji, reads:

High-five! We’ve official signed a lease on the#PURRfect space for Milwaukee’s very first #catcafe! Location announcement coming soon!#Milwaukee#COMINGSOON

According to an article from OnMilwaukee, the Milwaukee cafe will be the third cat cafe in Wisconsin, joining predecessors in Madison and Green Bay. Sip & Purr will offer a “cat-free” cafe area with a viewing window that overlooks the cat lounge, where customers can hang out with the cats.

Raucous Daucus Food Truck

Food trucks are no stranger to Milwaukee, but are definitely harder to find in the winter months (for, brrr, obvious reasons). One food truck that will actually be around this winter is the new Raucous Daucus Food Truck, owned by Loulou and Johnny Guolee. Loulou Guolee previously worked as a chef for Carrot Bomb Catering, as well as cooking for bands and catering events at Turner Hall.

Lori Fredrich details the menu:

Although the truck doesn’t have a regular menu (dishes are seasonal and always changing), Guolee says winter options focus on items like hearty soups with homemade and rustic style breads along with weekly grilled cheese specials and entrees…

Pricing on items vary, but soups are generally priced between $4 and $6 (with quarts for $12). Loaded chili is $8-10 per serving and specials are typically priced in the $4-12 range…

The truck currently parks between 50th and 55th and Vliet Streets, where it hosts the weekly “Eat on Vliet” Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

An Unconventional Hangover Cure

While this may not necessarily be a restaurant, it does involve sustenance. Anyone looking for a way to re-energerize without guzzling copious amounts of energy drinks can try hydration treatments at H20 Health Hydration Oasis (17110 W. Greenfield Ave. Suite 6) in Brookfield. Treatments at H2O are intended to provide fluids and nutrients that help energize and detox recipients. Along with more serious illnesses, common maladies like the flu or a hangover can be combatted with hydration treatments.

The Journal Sentinel’s Karen Pilarski spoke with H2O owner Dr. Alia Fox about the treatments:

Fox said people are starting to pay attention to what they put in their bodies yet are still unable to keep up with the basic needs. For example, daily vitamins only provide 20 to 30 percent of necessary vitamins.

With an IV, the value is 100 percent, with no fillers, she said…

According to the H2O website, depending on a patient’s particular medical condition or nutritional status, the infusion may contain any number of essential vitamins, amino acids, minerals, antioxidants and nutrients to support cell function and overall health… these are compounded with various fluid solutions to provide the most effective manner to hydrate and replenish the body rapidly.

H2O more closely resembles a doctor’s office, taking patients’ vitals and giving them medical records and will even address more serious ailments, including migraines, inflammatory problems or morning sickness.

Now Closing: Hello Falafel

Say goodbye to Hello Falafel (2301 S. Howell Ave.), at least for now. The vegetarian joint’s last day will be Saturday, Jan. 6. Proprietors Melissa Buchholz and Ross Bachhuber have plans to use the location as a “private catering/event space under the tentative name Little Duck Kitchen,” to serve large parties from the Odd Duck restaurant. Meanwhile, Hello Falafel may pop up in a new location.

Ann Christenson dishes the details:

[Buchholz and Bachhuber] are looking for a new location, mentioning the East Side and Third Ward as possibilities. There may even be some Hello Falafel pop-ups.

Once the Howell Avenue resto closes, it will undergo cosmetic changes and then be available for booked parties of 12 to 35 people. As for catering, events can be booked for up to 150 people. The owners say their decision was determined by requests at Odd Duck to accommodate large parties, and Hello Falafel’s hop-skip-and-a-jump-away location made this feasible.