German Culinary Classic

The last decade has not been kind to Milwaukee’s German restaurants, as names like Ritter’s Inn, the Bavarian Wurst Haus and even the venerable John Ernst have all closed their doors. In fact, only two of the old-timers remain: the oldest, Mader’s, which opened in 1902, and Karl Ratzsch’s, whose origins date two years later. Both have plenty of Old World character, but Ratzsch’s provides more elegance.

The main dining room at Ratzsch’s features wooden-beamed, vaulted ceilings, complete with chandeliers made of antlers. The adjacent bar displays a large collection of antique glassware, and there are beer steins aplenty. Vintage oil paintings convey the restaurant’s serious Germanic character—in other words, dining at Ratzsch’s is a unique Milwaukee experience.

How does a restaurant survive when copious servings of heavy German food have fallen out of favor? Ratzsch’s found an answer by expanding the menu and adding lighter items, including entree salads and a vegetarian plate. But the best items remain the classic dishes.

Start with an import beer or a glass from the wine list, which offers a remarkable number of German white wines. A complimentary basket of dinner rolls and bread provides finger food. Augment this with an order of Konigsberger klopse ($7.50) or Octoberfest strudel ($8.95). The klopse are small meatballs of veal, beef and pork with a delicate cream sauce, tiny capers and a hint of lemon. Instead of being meaty or bulky, they are light in spirit. The strudel, filled with Swiss cheese, smoked pork and sauerkraut, is another example of Germanic ingredients being used with a light touch.

The German entrees and steaks include soup or salad. The always-available consomme with liver dumplings is a sound choice. If cream of mushroom is available, it is just as compelling. The house salad is nothing out of the ordinary and the choice of dressings is predictable, although the raspberry vinaigrette is not a bad pick.

Now bring on the meat. Naturally, sauerbraten and schnitzel reign supreme. Another reason to visit is for the roast goose. I don’t know of another local restaurant that offers it on the menu. The choices are a boneless breast ($31.50) and a shank ($29.50). The shank, which is touted as Karl’s favorite, is served with red cabbage, a potato dumpling and rich gravy. The flavor of goose meat falls somewhere between chicken and turkey; the texture is firmer than chicken, but the meat has none of the dryness of turkey. The red cabbage offers the proper balance of tartness and sweetness.

Crackling pork shank ($27.50) arrives as a massive serving. The skin is cooked to a delectable crispness. Although much of the serving turns out to be bone, the meat is succulent and juicy.

Do not ignore the sauerbraten ($27.50). Often it is made with a cheap cut of beef that deserves days of marinating. Here it is made with sirloin roast and arrives as a thicker slice than usual. Ignore the steak knife, as this meat falls apart at the touch of a fork. The slightly tart gingersnap gravy makes this a remarkable sauerbraten.

After this much good food, dessert may seem like a remote possibility. But there are items like schaum torte, a German apple pancake and a chocolate eclair sundae to tempt you.

Service remains courteous and professional. Though the Ratzsch family sold the restaurant in 2003, the new owners have not changed the experience. Now in its second century, the restaurant remains as fine as ever.

Karl Ratzsch’s 320 E. Mason St. (414) 276-2720 $$$-$$$$ Credit Cards: All major, Smoke Free

Karl Ratzsch’s | Photo by Tate Bunker