With two locations in the Milwaukee area, Cafe Hollander expanded west and opened at Hilldale Mall in mid-October. First thought: this place is huge! Two stories with a second-floor outdoor eating area and bay doors for walls–it’s just too bad Cafe Hollander didn’t open in the warmer, summer months. Still, I’m sure the robust menu and bright atmosphere should draw plenty of new and repeat business.

It’s hard not to order an appetizer with such an appealing list. During my first visit, the Sriracha cider wings ($10.95) called my name. I enjoyed the hint of smokiness and Sriracha flavor and appreciated that the wings weren’t too messy. I thought the accompanying Sriracha ranch sauce had way too much fennel, so I didn’t use much of it. I also wish the order came with more than just six wings, making it close to $2 per wing.

The Dutch Bitterballen ($8.95) also is a tasty app. The cooks did an impressive job with these croquettes, maintaining a fried, crispy exterior with the soft, gooey interior of cheese mashed potatoes, leek, red pepper and sausage. You won’t need to use either of the two accompanying sauces, as the curry ketchup overpowered the flavor and the aioli was incredibly bland.

I’m a fan of duck, so I couldn’t resist ordering the Duck Duck Egg Burger ($14.95). The juicy patty, the duck-fat fried egg (over-easy, of course), the nicely portioned duck confit and the chewy duck bacon (which resembled turkey bacon) made for quite an ensemble. Although I typically prefer chewy bacon over crispy bacon, with this burger, crispy bacon would have provided some needed contrast in texture.

In addition to the long list of burgers, there’s a sizable number of sandwiches, most of which are quite creative. Take for example the BBQ Boar ($11.95). The shredded boar, which strongly resembles pork, is made with a unique Sriracha ginger BBQ sauce. I appreciated the crunch and slight sweetness provided by the sweet pepper relish and the crispy onion straws.

Many of the entrees, known as Grand Cafe Plates, are priced similarly to the burgers and sandwiches. Of course, that didn’t stop me from ordering the second-most expensive dish, the crab- and brie-stuffed salmon ($17.95). The salmon was tender and flaky, but the brie was on the verge of being too rich and the crab was nearly non-existent (I actually received a few pieces of baby shrimp).

I look forward to returning for breakfast or brunch (the menus are similar), especially for items like the Maker’s Mark Bourbon Butter Waffle ($8.95) and the Pretzel Breakfast Sammy ($10.95). Plus, any of the specialty Bloody Marys, including the Frenchie ($8.50, comes with Dijon mustard and haricot vert), seem like a great way to start the day.

Cafe Hollander is open for lunch and dinner every day, breakfast on weekdays and brunch on the weekends.

***

See more photos in our Cafe Hollander Flick album.