Milwaukee’s deep ties to German heritage permeate so many aspects of this city’s culture. Some argue we should play it down and focus instead on all the new and trendy restaurants and cultural offerings in town. While I’m certainly grateful to have a nice variety of food and shopping options available, after living here for a couple of years I disagree with those who want to focus only on what’s new. I can go to LA, Chicago, or Miami to get a truly hip and cutting edge cultural fix. But beer and brats? Friday night fish fry? Those are pure Wisconsin.
Oh sure. You can find men with thick My Name is Earl-type mustaches cruising on a Harley Davidson, as well as beer and gluttonous platters of fried fish in other places. But in Milwaukee, they are a distinct part of what fuels the heart and soul of the city. And I think they should be celebrated. And so should the more traditional cultural underpinnings of the culinary scene. With that in mind, I decided to check out a restaurant that is a veritable icon of Milwaukee’s German culture.
Mader’s started serving up steins of “Cream City” beer and plates of hearty German fare way back in 1902, and has been a must-stop for both locals and visiting celebrities ever since. In addition to the food, stein collectors will find a great assortment on display and available for purchase, and those who can relate to Dwight Schrute and his ardor for weapons will be entertained by the $3,000,000 collection of medieval German weaponry housed within the cavernous walls.
Located on Old World Third Street, it’s worth noting that Mader’s offers complimentary valet parking, which although becoming more common here, is an especially appreciated amenity when the place you are going is located in one of the busiest sections of central downtown. Inside, the décor is, fittingly, reminiscent of an ornate German beer hall; however, here you’ll find the traditionally rugged tables are covered by crisp white table linens and adorned with softly glowing candles.
On our visit for dinner, we started with a basket of traditional breads, followed quickly with a couple of house salads topped with the signature hot bacon dressing. If we had been feeling more adventurous, we could have ordered the oxtail soup, but the hot bacon dressing just sounded too good to pass up.
Salads were followed by warm plates of stuffed beef tenderloin "Rouladen style," a traditional German recipe of beef stuffed with a mixture of bacon, mustard, dill pickles, and onion. The last time I had this dish, I was actually in a tiny little German village, visiting a friend, and since rindsrouladen was my friend’s favorite dish, her mother had prepared some for dinner. Anyway, Mader’s was every bit as good and the sautéed spinach and spaetzel served alongside it made for both colorful and tasteful pairings.
We also ordered one of the Bavarian platters, which came with grilled bratwurst and simmered knockwurst. As you know, I personally don’t care for brats AT ALL and left the tasting of these items to Scott, who assures us they were excellent. Along with the brat and knockwurst, the Bavarian platter also included a slice of kassler rippchen (smoked pork loin), potato dumpling and some sauerkraut.
For dessert we tried the apple strudel. While I will never claim to be an authority on strudel, there just seemed to be something missing, flavor-wise. I can’t quite put my finger exactly on what it lacked, but we left more than half on the plate.
Overall though, dining at Mader’s was a nice experience. One that shouldn’t be missed by anyone searching for a little bit of old school Milwaukee culture.
I want to go this place whenever I come to visit. The stuffed beef tenderloin "Rouladen style" sounds delicious and you know I am a beer guy. Love the Dwight Schrute reference.
Matt from Texas
Posted by: Matt Peeler | November 29, 2007 at 02:22 PM