Massive omelettes starring three huge farm-fresh eggs. Fish bowl-sized cocktails for two. Just about every menu offering imaginable—dozens of burgers, steaks and prime rib, seafood, barbeque, chicken, pasta and yes, German food.

    Any time of year is a good time to visit Old Country Inn, but people seem to gravitate to the local’s favorite during Oktoberfest, because of the German menu. At Old Country Inn, delightful sausages like bratwurst and knackwurst come straight from a German butcher, the homemade potato pancakes are simply luscious, the schnitzel is spectacular, and the sauerkraut is so good, it will have you chicken dancing in the aisles.

    Yet those who just zero in on German food are missing out, because there’s so much more to Old Country Inn than stuffed cabbage rolls and sauerbraten. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner—and Old Country Inn is open daily for all three—there is a multitude of offerings to explore, served in a rustic mountain lodge setting that screams Big Bear with antler chandeliers and woodsy decor.

    Alas, I’m one of those who homes in on German like a U-boat torpedo, largely because OCI is the only restaurant in town that offers it on a consistent basis. So on our recent visit, wife Sandy and I set out to do exactly the opposite of what we normally do this time of year—order something other than German cuisine!

    That meant staying away from the famous combination dinner for two, still just $35.95 despite skyrocketing prices everywhere. It’s a feast fit for the Kaiser, with sauerbraten that’s first marinated and then roasted, rouladen, stuffed cabbage rolls, and choice of kanckwurst, bockwurst, bratwurst or Polish sausage, all teamed with those incredible potato pancakes, red cabbage and sauerkraut.

    It also meant passing on the many schnitzel offerings, like wienerschnitzel ($18.95) with lightly breaded veal topped with homemade German gravy, pork or chicken (both $17.95), or even Jaeger ($19.50), which is really wienerschnitzel topped with sauteed mushrooms. Also off limits was the tasty German goulash ($17.95), Sandy’s favorite with a mountain of top sirloin topped with gravy and sour cream, sort of a German stroganoff.

    Settling on our selections still took us a half-hour as we waded through entire pages of menu offerings. Let’s see, there’s steaks and pork chops, three different cuts of juicy, roasted prime rib (including the 1-1/2 lb. logger’s cut for $32.95), plus eight different salads including Cobb, Greek, Asian chicken, seared Cajun ahi tuna and more.

    If it’s barbecue you’re after, Old Country Inn has that too, including baby back ribs basted in homemade sauce, St. Louis-style pork spare ribs, or a sampler that includes both, plus beef ribs and a quarter-pound chicken breast, for $24.95.

    My eyes kept homing in on seafood, like blackened ahi and Atlantic salmon filet, each $17.95. Sandy was tempted by the wide variety of Italian offerings, particularly chicken marsala ($17.95) and fettuccini alfredo ($16.95). But that’s just the tip of the Italian iceberg; there’s also the popular baked lasagna with three cheeses, meat and plenty of sauce ($15.95), chicken piccata ($17.95), veal marsala ($19.95), and many more.

    While we mulled over the possiblities, we enjoyed shrimp cocktail with an entire bowl of homemade sauce. Seahorse-sized crustaceans arrived, so big and meaty they were a virtual meal in themselves.

    Finally we settled on entrees. I went with one of the tempting chicken selections, the “Killer” Cajun ($17.95). A half-pound seasoned breast arrived topped with melted Pepper Jack cheese to tickle the taste buds without torching them. The bird was very moist and tender, quite juicy and savory to the last bite.

    Sandy opted for the house special—bacon-wrapped filet mignon charbroiled and topped with plenty of bearnaise sauce for $21.95. Incredibly she finished the entire cut herself, save for one tiny bite she sent my way for this story’s sake, and I can see why she was so greedy, the steak was so succelent and flavorful.

    While we dined we enjoyed Old Country Inn cocktails, a story in their own right. Every night of the week features a special, with selections including mai tais, pina coladas and many more. And don’t miss the enormous 60 oz. specialty drinks for two or more people, just $22 each, with selections like giant naked barbie doll (Malibu coconut ru,, watermelon pucker and pineapple juice), mega rum runner with three kinds of rum, blackberry brandy, banana liqueur, orange juice and grenadine, and jungle juice with two kinds of flavored vodka, two kinds of fruit juice, and a float of blackberry brandy.

    Old Country Inn is at 41126 Big Bear Blvd. 1/4 mile east of Pine Knot. Call (909) 866-5600.