A LA CARTE : OKTOBERFEST.Byline: Larry Lipson Blame the weather. But don't blame El Nino. If you're wondering why Oktoberfests take place in September, it's because too many were snowed out during October in Germany, where this annual celebration began. You'd think they'd change the name to Septemberfest, Autumnfest or Fallfest. But they haven't. Anyway, whether it's this month or next, or both, here are a few Austro-German inclined restaurants with Oktoberfest activities worth consideration: Alpine Village Inn Address: 833 W. Torrance Blvd., Torrance. Phone: (310) 323-6520. Comments: At this bastion of things German, the biggest and longest of local Oktoberfests is held annually. It kicked off last weekend and lasts through Nov. 1. It's an adults-only happening every Friday and Saturday evening. Sundays are for families and there are the usual stein-holding and pretzel eating contests. Picks: The fare favorites are the most familiar of German dinner items, especially the popular sauerbraten sau·er·bra·ten n. A pot roast of beef marinated in vinegar, water, wine, and spices before being cooked. [German : sauer, sour (from Middle High German , hasenpfeffer ha·sen·pfef·fer n. A highly seasoned stew of marinated rabbit meat. [German : Hase, rabbit (from Middle High German, from Old High German haso; see kas- and wiener schnitzel platters. German Place Address: 23115 Lyons Ave., Newhall. Phone: (805) 255-9790. Comments: It's a true Oktoberfest here, beginning Oct. 1 and running through Oct. 31. The engaging one-man band, Herman the German Herman the German may refer to:
Picks: The annual special Oktoberfest platter arrives heaped with sausages, smoked meats, house-produced sauerkraut and German-style potato salad. Added this year is a hefty pork shank shank (shangk) 1. leg (1). 2. crus ( 2). shank n. The part of the human leg between the knee and ankle. plate. Knoll's Black Forest Inn Address: 2454 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. Phone: (310) 395-2212. Comments: Regarded by many as the best German restaurant in California, Knoll's always holds its Oktoberfest on a single weekend, this year on Sept. 26 (from 5 p.m.) and 27 (from 3 p.m.) with music, fun, Oktoberfest beers and a special menu. Picks: This year's menu offers goulash gou·lash n. 1. A stew of beef or veal and vegetables, seasoned mainly with paprika. 2. A mixture of many different elements; a hodgepodge. soup, maultaschen salad, schweinbraten, sauerbraten and the house platter of sausages and pork loin loin (loin) the part of the back between the thorax and pelvis. loin n. The part of the body on either side of the spinal column between the ribs and the pelvis. . Matterhorn Chef Address: 13726 Oxnard St., Van Nuys. Phone: (818) 781-4330. Comments: Chef-owner Ueli Huegli kicks off his Oktoberfest celebration Friday and runs it though Oct. 31. There'll be dancing and entertainment Thursdays through Sundays featuring plenty of oom-pah-pah tunes and German beer-drinking songs. And the food specials show up for both lunch and dinner. Picks: Huegli is cooking schinken-kase kuchen ku·chen n. A coffeecake raised with yeast, often containing fruit and nuts. [German, from Middle High German kuoche, cake, from Old High German kuocho.] (ham and cheese tarts) and entenbrust salat Noun 1. salat - the second pillar of Islam is prayer; a prescribed liturgy performed five times a day (preferably in a mosque) and oriented toward Mecca salaah, salaat, salah worship - the activity of worshipping mit ingwer (duckling duckling baby duck. salad with ginger sauce) among his appetizers. Look for venison venison (vĕn`ĭzən) [O.Fr.,=hunting], term formerly applied to the flesh of any wild beast or game hunted and used for food but now restricted to the flesh of members of the deer family. medallions, the traditional hasenpfeffer rabbit stew, Bavarian meatloaf with warm potato salad, assorted sausages with sauerkraut and roasted potatoes, oven-baked ``hendl'' chicken with parsley potatoes, roasted pork shank with potato dumplings and a veal steak with fresh forest mushrooms on the entree list. And for dessert there's a choice of eisbizet mit kastanien (ice cream meringue with chestnuts) and herbstblatt mit trauben (flaky pastry with grapes and vanilla cream). Old Vienna Address: 3845 Telegraph Road, Ventura. Phone: (805) 654-1214. Comments: It seems like yesterday when chef Hans Muelinghaus relocated from Reseda to Ventura. But it has been 15 years. So 15 Oktoberfests later we see the familiar special dishes and beers beginning Sept. 26 and lasting through Oct. 24 on weekends (Friday and Saturday nights) only. Also look for live entertainment. Picks: The best Oktoberfest dinner here is the combination feast for two that consists of portions of smoked pork chop Pork Chop An arrangement on the floor of the NYSE whereby clerks cover the booth of a floor broker and accept orders, phone calls, and associated tasks. Notes: The clerks in charge of maintaining the booths are directly compensated by the floor brokers who own them. , roast duck, roast pork shank and three types of bratwurst plus accompaniments. Schatzi on Main Address: 3110 Main St., Santa Monica. Phone: (310) 399-4800. Comments: Arnie has departed, but his heritage continues. On Oct. 12 Schatzi plans a big Oktoberfest bash featuring the No. 1 musical group from Austria. They'll play their hit songs and traditional music for dancing. Picks: Gosser beer from Austria will be poured along with Oktoberfare favorites like sauerbraten, schnitzels, bratwurst, sauerkraut and assorted sausages. |
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