By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Jacob Proffitt is opening a new restaurant inspired by his mother Shirley's Volga German cooking, Shirley's German To Go.
The restaurant, 515 W. 27th St., Hays, will offer Volga German favorites, such as bierocks, galuskies (cabbage rolls), grebel, green bean dumpling soup, fried noodles and beans, sauerkraut and sausage, as well as fish and chips (home-cut french fries).
"Everything in here is from scratch," he said.
The restaurant is still working on what desserts will be offered.
The restaurant had been a pizza place called Little Dinero, also owned by Proffiitt, but he decided to go with another option.
"Most of the community here is German and we always thought it was weird that there was no German restaurant," he said. ... "I grew up on my mom's German food."
Betty Froelich ran a restaurant in Gorham, and Shirley's German To Go will be using some of her recipes.
Even in Ellis County, the family recipes varied from town to town and family to family. Shirley's family settled in Liebenthal, but the recipes for families in Catharine, also settled by Volga Germans, are slightly different.
"The only bad thing about a German restaurant is, we laugh, that people say, 'That's not the way my mom made it,'" Jacob said.
There are high, middle and low German foods.
Each week the restaurant will have specials. Proffitt encouraged locals to reach out to the restaurant and request some of their favorites.
The bierocks will be cooked a couple of times a day, so they will be fresh. The restaurant will offer both traditional bierocks with beef and cabbage, as well as ham and cheese. Both will run about $5 to $6 each.
You will be able to order in quantity, such as packs of six or 12.
The restaurant will accept call-ahead orders. Beverages will be sold from coolers, no fountain drinks. No alcohol will be served.
The restaurant has a small dining area, but Proffitt said he anticipates most people will get their orders to go.
Proffitt plans for the restaurant to be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
A website and Facebook page are pending for the business. Proffitt said he hopes the restaurant will be open in the next two weeks.