Old-fashion, belching good times

By Manuel Gamiz Jr., On-Line Forty-Niner

Thursday, October 15, 1998

Famous for its quaint shops, authentic European feel and delicious foods, Old World Village in Huntington Beach provides the ultimate in Oktoberfest festivities. More than 60 shops, including restaurants, gift shops and friendly pubs make up the village.

This year marks the 21st year that the village has hosted Oktoberfest activities.

The events at the village center around the Old World German Restaurant and Old World Festival Hall.

Oktoberfest at Festival Hall can easily be remembered for three things: hilarious dancing, authentic German foods and thick German lagers.

Providing the music is an exciting oom-pah-pah band, "The Black Forest Rangers." The band comes all the way from Donaueschingen, Germany.

Every night, Bernie Bischof, proprietor of Old World German Restaurant, leads the audience through an energetic and hilarious demonstration of German dances. The dances include the "Donkey Wave," the "Zillerthaler Wedding March," the "Grand Polonaise" and of the course the famous "Chicken Dance."

Famous foods at the village include German bratwurst, sauerbraten and knackwurst dinner strudels. Cindy Cross, creative consultant of Old World Oktoberfest said the most popular dinner is the schnitzel.

"The schnitzel is a tender pork, veal or turkey that is lightly breaded and cooked to a golden brown," she said.

One cannot have an Oktoberfest without having a great selection of German beer. Old World Village provides a great selection, plus it offers many domestic beers for those who are afraid to venture off to a foreign locale.

Beers on tap include Becks Oktoberfest, Spaten Oktoberfest, Warsteiner and Lowenbrau. Bottled beers include Dinkel Acker, Bitsburger Pils and Fransiscaner.

Old World Village festivities end Oct. 25. The village is located at 7561 Center Ave.