Milwaukee's dining scene has changed dramatically during the last decade, with some longstanding restaurants disappearing and a flood of new, upscale restaurants and national chains taking the place of some of more traditional, family-owned dining establishments.

In the middle of Downtown, which has been a focal point for change, Karl Ratzsch's acts as a culinary time capsule. The stately restaurant, located at 320 E. Mason Street, celebrates its 104th year in 2008, and proudly serves time-honored cuisine that reflects Milwaukee's early German heritage.

Ratzsch's is decorated with steins, artwork and heavy wooden chairs. The staff is attired in dirndls and vests. The wine list is rich with German wines. The ambience at Ratzsch's is very old world and the service and menu can easily whisk you into a simpler era of hearty portions and comfort food.

Lunches and dinners begin with a basket of light caraway rye rolls and slightly heavier garlic and rye bread toasts. Soups are homemade and traditionally German -- diners can expect to see consommé with liver dumplings, as well as a daily soup of the day, any of which deliver comfortable, well-seasoned flavors and warmth. While prices at Ratzsch's are reasonable, portion sizes are large, simple and consistently delicious.

For lunch, diners can opt for an all-inclusive three courses at $9.95 with soup, entrée and dessert (on a recent Friday, this rotating option included baked ham with German potato salad and bread pudding), items from the regular lunch menu, or one of two daily specials. Ratzsch's also offers four specialty luncheon salads, with everything from a classic Caesar ($10.50) to the Mermaid Salad ($12.95) with fresh berries and sautéed shrimp.

On a recent lunch visit, I found great comfort in a cup of the turkey spaetzle soup ($3.50) and the Sprecher beer battered haddock ($8.95) The soup was obviously homemade and generously seasoned with pepper and fresh parsley, the haddock was flaky and the beer batter light and delicious, making this one of the better fish fry options in the area.

Dinners here are traditionally German and European, with liver, red cabbage and potato dumplings prevalent. An appetizer of chicken liver pate ($8.95) appeared with hard-boiled egg and red onion slices and was rich and flavorful. Spinach salad ($6.50) was layered with homemade hot bacon dressing for a delicious, although decidedly unhealthy, salad. The salad here remains one of my favorites, very similar to what many Milwaukeeans of German heritage will remember from their grandparents' kitchens.

Roast duck ($26.95) and Trudy's sampler ($29.95) proved why Ratzsch's restaurant has such longevity. The duck is crisp on the outside, and tender within, filled with a heavy wild rice stuffing and gravy simply and perfectly foiled by the pungent red cabbage side. The sampler features German classics sauerbraten and wiener schnitzel, marinated sirloin roast and a breaded veal cutlet, again accompanied with the trademark red cabbage and potato dumpling.

Meticulous, friendly, but non-invasive service makes Ratzsch's a welcoming, warm environment on even the coldest of Milwaukee nights. And with recent visits proving their food is as delightful as their décor, and as rich as their history, one can only hope that we'll be celebrating this wonderful Milwaukee restaurant for another century to come.