Rheingarten Restaurant — authentic German dishes

With a corporate background in accounting and sales, Terry and Gabi Ryan decided after their children were on their own they didn’t have to maintain their current lifestyle and decided to move to the lake and open a restaurant.

“Cooking was a hobby of mine, so it just seemed natural,” Ryan said.

Rheingarten means “Garden on the Rhine River” in German.

In a state known for platter-size chicken fried steaks and mounds of mashed potatoes smothered in chicken gravy, Rheingarten’s is famous for its Schnitzel.

Schnitzel is a tenderized, light-breaded pork tenderloin.

Another customer favorite is sauerbraten, which is round roast beef that has been marinating in red wine, vinegar, bay leaves and onions for at least three days.

Other specialties include German hot potato salad and a cold potato salad that is made from a family recipe.

Prices average less than $10 for lunch and around $22 for dinner.

The restaurant was established in an old 1919 Grove homestead that sits on Main Street.

At one time, Main Street in Grove was lined with old homes with large porches and yards full of oak and maple trees. Through the years, people would buy the old homes as they became available and local businesses started popping up.