Restaurant veteran brings Oliver's, contemporary comfort food to Old University

Oliver's, a new casual neighborhood restaurant proposed for Old University Avenue, wants to bridge the culinary gap between Lombardino's high-end Italian and burgers at the Blue Moon Bar & Grill.

The food, as described in an application to the Alcohol License Review Committee, would be approachable and familiar salads with roasted beets; pan-roasted brussels sprouts and candied nuts; sandwiches with hand-carved turkey, grassfed beef, braised pork and pan-fried walleye; entrees of mussels, perch fish fry and a half chicken with frites.

"There will be food that will take people back to when they were young, maybe something grandma made for Sunday dinner, said Bob Harriman, who will run the restaurant with Don Michelson. Thats the environment.

The proposed restaurant at 2540 University Ave. would be located on the first floor of the six-story apartment building recently completed by the Mullins Group, 2550 University.(City planners have recently pushed for taller, denser construction in the area.)

At 3,016 square feet, Oliver's would have seating for 93 people inside and 24 more on an outdoor, seasonal patio.

The current proposal is to open quietly for business on Labor Day, serving lunch and dinner from Monday through Friday, with brunch, lunch and dinner (8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) on weekends.

No chef has yet been named, but the application lists Chad Vogel (Maduro) and Craig Madigan (Johnny Delmonico's) as manager/collaborators. Harriman is a co-owner of Sardine and his construction company has had a hand in building many restaurants including Heritage Tavern and Francesca's al Lago.

Harriman, 67, calls himself an "old west side kid." Both he and Michelson, recently of Michelson Associates in Middleton, graduated from Madison West High School.

"Oliver's is the culmination of 35 years of around or in the business," Harriman said. "My grandmother owned a restaurant and bar on Lake Wisconsin I would have been 11 years old when I started bussing tables."

Harriman chose not to be a manager or owner but "simply a designer and builder of restaurants," until now.

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Restaurant veteran brings Oliver's, contemporary comfort food to Old University