Lunch Review: Mr. Dunderbak's

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The packed crowds in the new Mr. Dunderbak’s have owner James Ellis concerned.  He ran the old location in Tampa’s University Mall, opened in 1974, largely out of his love for beer.  He augmented his sandwich menu with authentic German dishes to give patrons more variety.  He did not anticipate the crush of people that would rush into the new location.  Although the new digs have much more space, his employees could not keep up with the sudden surge in business.  Ellis hired a bevy of new employees to meet demand, and Dunderbak’s is functioning at full capacity again.

The digs: It is easy to see why so many people have flocked to the new Mr. Dunderbak’s at Oak Ramble Plaza.  The bar boasts almost fifty excellent beers on tap and many more in bottles.  A smaller bar area features televisions like a sports bar.  A beer hall contains long tables imported from Germany, and emulates the festive communal atmosphere of Oktoberfest.  The restaurant itself has more seating and a much larger kitchen than the old cramped space in the mall.  The wide variety of imported food products, such as meat, sausage, cheese, and confections, are still available for retail.

The eats: The reopening tested Ellis and his crew to the limit, but they have now regrouped and are keeping up with the crowds.  The popularity of his warm dinner dishes presented the biggest problem.  Most all of the food is made from scratch, and all is cooked to order.  “We’re not Chili’s,” Ellis said with a little irritation when he recalled the first two weeks after re-launch.  Chain restaurants might throw food directly from the freezer into a fryer, but Dunderbak’s employees prepare potato pancakes fresh every morning.

Ellis first reacted to impatient customers by wanting to shrink his menu, but his own success forced him to reconsider.  Years ago, when he first introduced sauerbraten, a tangy marinated beef roast, he sold an order per day ($9.99).  Now he sells two entire roasts daily.  Today, every time he wants to discontinue an item to streamline service, his patrons and servers complained.  For the moment, Ellis is keeping the old menu as is, but insists that great beer is his top priority.

That may be the case, but Mr. Dunderbak’s still makes great schnitzels, sausages, and sauerbraten.  The standout schnitzels, breaded and fried veal or pork cutlets, include jagerschnitzel (with a rich mushroom gravy), Zigeuner schnitzel (smothered with a sauce of beef stock, sour cream, and spicy paprika with peppers, onions, and mushrooms) and schnitzel marsala (Dunderbak’s Italian variation, stuffed with provolone cheese and prosciutto and smothered in tomato sauce).  All of these schnitzels cost $12.49 for the veal version and $9.99 for pork)  The spaetzle (small wheat dumplings) are perfect for running through leftover gravies and sauces, and the green beans with bacon and onions taste as southern as they do German.

The sandwiches and imported sausages provide great drinking food, along with a variety of salads and appetizers.  Don’t miss the goulash and other specialties on weekends.

The beer selection is far too extensive to list here, but for anyone who remotely likes beer, Dunderbak’s is a must-visit.  Beer lovers can only admire Mr. Ellis, who is also a brewer of some renown.  He respects the craft too much to mix two kinds of beer or serve fruit with his brew.  When some customers recently said that they thought beers were two-for-one during happy hour, he could only smile and say, “Not this beer!” 

The cost: The happy hour draft beer specials, offered from 4 to 7 on weekdays, are still a good deal: $2.95 for ten ounces, $4.75 for pints, and $7.55 for liters.  Regular process are $5.25 for pints and $7.95 for liters.  Appetizers average between $2 and $7, sandwiches about $6.50, sausage platters less than $5, and entrees between $7 and $12.49.

The bottom line: Beer lovers have much to rejoice about at the new Mr. Dunderbak’s, and the German-style menu is as tasty as ever.  For those looking for cheap domestic beer and fast food, Mr. Dunderbak’s may not be for you.

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Mr. Dunderbak’s
14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd.  Tampa, FL
813-977-4104
http://www.dunderbaks.com/

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