Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest at the Convention Center may be a weekend event, but the German festival plays out daily at Old Country Inn.

    Every day of the week? Every day of the year! Oktoberfest isn’t a seasonal promotion at Old Country Inn, it’s a vital part of a menu that also includes steaks and Italian, barbecue and seafood, and so much more. The German menu consists of recipes that have been at the restaurant for well over two decades now, dating back to longtime owner Bruce Buccionis.

    What’s more, the same guy has been preparing it that whole time too: Casta Bernanl, who has worked at OCI for over 25 years. “We still have all the recipes in Bruce’s handwriting,” Bernanl said. “I think they came from his father. I started as a dishwasher and then Bruce started teaching me how to cook the German food. We prep German food all year but during Oktoberfest it definitely goes up.”

    So the restaurant is pretty adept at German schnitzels and sausages and sauerkraut and stuffed cabbage rolls and sauerbraten, the latter which is marinated two full weeks in vinegar and then 48 hours in spices to give it a tart, tangy kick. And rouladen, sliced beer stuffed, baked and topped with homemade German gravy.

    If that’s not enough to get you chicken dancing in the aisles, try the homemade potato pancakes, crunchy and almost dessert-like when topped with a little sour cream. Or finish the meal with savory apple streudel (maybe a la mode?) that really is dessert. And we haven’t even mentioned German goulash with tender cuts of sirloin.

    Indeed Oktoberfest is always in season at Old Country Inn, where the mountain lodge decor with antler chandeliers, trophy mounts on the walls, wood accents and stained glass practically scream Bavaria. New owners Maria and Gabriel Rojas took over OCI a year ago and have changed very little...other than lowering a majority of the prices!

    With one of the town’s most extensive menus, featuring dozens of steak, barbecue and chicken dishes, Italian, seafood and so much more, Old Country Inn guests aren’t limited to just German food. But that’s what wife Sandy and I were in the mood for when the air turned crisp last month, and we knew just what we wanted when we arrived: everything!

    That meant the restaurant’s popular combination dinner for two was in order, because it’s the ultimate Oktoberfest sampler. For $33.99—two bucks less than last year!—the two of us enjoyed generous servings of sauerbraten, rouladen, stuffed cabbage rolls and choice of knackwurst (beef), bockwurst (veal), bratwurst (pork) or Polish sausage (smoked pork).

    Rouladen, thinly sliced beef prepared with mustard, pickle, bacon, onion and spices, then topped with homemade German gravy, was tasty as always, ditto for the sauerbraten, but as usual I was impressed all over again with stuffed cabbage rolls. Large leaves filled with seasoned ground beef and luscious homemade gravy creates a taste sensation that dazzles even non-cabbage lovers like me.

    We opted for the knockwurst and I dipped mine liberally in stone ground German mustard, something unique that’s rich and zippy. Let’s not forget Old Country Inn’s tasty sauerkraut either, or the red cabbage, or applesauce...the combination makes for a festive Oktoberfest celebration...for $17 apiece!

    “The sauerkraut is nice and soft like I make at home,” said German-born waitress Gabriele Oogjen. “It’s tart and tangy but not too salty or bitter.”

    When couples aren’t having the combination dinner, they’re enjoying the lightly-breaded schnitzel, the restaurant’s next best seller. There’s wienerschnitzel ($17.99), a thick slab or real veal grilled and topped with gravy. Crown it with sauteed mushrooms and it becomes Jaeger Schnitzel—same price. Or enjoy pork loin schnitzel or chicken breast, each $16.99.

    Old Country Inn is also very popular for breakfast, especially Sundays when visitors are looking for an enormous meal before heading home. A variety of benedicts, homemade waffles, huevos rancheros and spectacular bloody Mary’s are but a few of the offerings, not to mention 25 different omelettes.

    —by Marcus Dietz

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