Dietrich’s: potato pancakes, bacon-wrapped brats, and Black Forest cake

Last night was the first night of Hanukkah, a holiday that all but demands fried potato latkes as part of the menu. If you’re craving the dish but not so interested in actually making the potato pancakes, it’s not so easy to find this delicacy on local menus; Grunauer in the Crossroads offers them, but only on special occasions, according to Nicholas Grunauer.

I did discover a pretty damn satisfying version of the dish at the three-month-old Dietrich’s Modern German Cuisine and Biergarten at 1313 Northeast Douglas Road in Lee’s Summit; the restaurant opened in the location formerly occupied by Monetti’s Taste of Italy.

Dietrich’s is a family affair: Owner Randy Schulenberg operates the front of the house while his 28-year-old son, Craig Dietrich Schulenberg, oversees the kitchen as sous chef. Dietrich is a family name. Randy’s great-grandfather, Dietrich Schulenberg, immigrated to the United States in 1874. A former IT consultant, Randy Schulenberg says he was looking for a new career opportunity when he decided to open a German bistro in Lee’s Summit.

“Before we did, we met with restaurateurs like Martin Heuser from Affare and Nicholas Grunauer from Grunauer for ideas and suggestions. Martin Heuser has been a great mentor to Craig,” Schulenberger says. “So much so that we buy our bratwurst from Affare. Our customers love them.”

And why wouldn’t they? Craig Schulenberg prepares the tasty currywurst brats by wrapping them in bacon and baking them in brown sugar. They’re incredibly delicious, particularly with the kartoffelpuffer, those crispy, golden potato pancakes (served with apple sauce and sour cream), a standard on this restaurant’s appetizer list. That list also includes kraut balls, beer-battered mushrooms and a fine cheese plate.

Traditional German fare like Wiener Schnitzel, beef rouladen, Sauerbraten short ribs, and a fork-tender pot roast are featured on the list of entrees.

“The reason we call the restaurant ‘modern German cuisine’ is that we’re focused on the comfort level of the dishes that we serve. We just want people who come here to open their minds — and their palates,” Schulenberg says.

Dietrich’s offers both a buttery and a cheesy version of the traditional Spaetzel dumplings, as well as potatoes mashed with cabbage and a hot German potato salad.

Dietrich’s Modern German Cuisine and Biergarten serves food from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed Sunday.