Milwaukee's hustle and bustle movement to trendy nightlife over the past five or so years has left many of the older, more traditional restaurants in the area flying under the radar, while they continue to create their non-California spa, non-Chicago style, non-New York City, and decidedly traditional Milwaukee style menu selections.

One of these establishments, Mader's Restaurant, 1041 N. Old World 3rd St., can also argue that it is one of the oldest, if not the oldest (with the shuttering of long-lived John Ernst in 2002), continuously running restaurants in the city, at an astonishing 104 years.

Mader's caters to its clientele with time-honored décor and home cooked German meals that easily usurp anything those who grew up in Deutsch households ate as children. While traditional, the dishes at Mader's were comforting yet complex, and we found dining here to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience on three separate occasions. We were also pleased to discover that Mader's offers one of the most affordable and satisfying lunches in the city, for both business and social luncheons.

Lunch options at Mader's come with your choice of soup of the day or a house salad with their signature hot bacon dressing; both were superb.

All three of our lunch options were also outstanding. A beef and mushroom strudel ($8.50) came with sauerbraten (a German beef dish in which the beef marinates in a combination of spices and vinegar for a number of days and then is browned, simmered and served with a gravy, usually flavored with ginger snap sauce) in a light and flaky phyllo dough crust with Emmenthal cheese (a type of Swiss cheese). Sauerbraten ($9.95) as a standalone dish truly exhibited the wonderful flavors of a ten day marinated sauerbraten and was topped with sour cream, golden raisins, and toasted almonds. Hungarian style goulash ($9.25) was also a favorite, with tender braised sirloin, lots of Hungarian paprika, and spaetzel (German dumplings, similar to a very heavy flour-based pasta).

Dinner at Mader's was less exemplary, but still very good and again, very comfortable and relaxing. Service at all three meals was excellent, and the restaurant was never overly busy, which allowed for a quiet, enjoyable meal every time.

We loved a stuffed portabella ($5.95) that had been smothered with ground pork, bacon, cheese and a Madeira wine sauce and garnished with slices of tender red and yellow bell peppers.

Our entrees, which unlike the lunch options, do not come with soup or salad options, were not quite as enjoyable. Duck Chambord ($26.95) did not deliver as expected. The duck was tender and succulent, but the Chambord raspberry sauce did not stand up well to the strong flavors of the duck, and the spinach and sweet potato side dishes were not thoroughly warm.

Stuffed beef tenderloin "Rouladen style" ($29.95) a standard German recipe of beef stuffed with bacon, mustard, dill pickles, and onions, was much more agreeable and the spaetzel was delicious with the Rouladen gravy over the top.

Desserts at Mader's were also a success, with a crème brulee ($8) with rich and creamy custard and lovely ripe blackberries and raspberries nestled on its glassy top. The warm chocolate torte ($7.50) was also wonderfully rich and melt-in-your mouth delicious.

Mader's is worth a visit, too, just to view their phenomenal collection of steins and medieval weaponry, or to see the table where President Gerald Ford ate back in 1976.

The second floor also houses a Hummel gift shop and the bar area is reminiscent of an old German beer hall with wide spanned tables and a respectable beer selection of over 80 different bottles. For something a little different, a little old school, and a place with excellent dining options, Mader's definitely fits the bill from its wooden ceiling planks and chairs down to its old German carpeting.

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