Back in the swing of things with Oktoberfest

JAKARTA (JP): I'll wager you 10 to a penny that when most people think of Bavaria, one of the first things that pops up in their mind is Oktoberfest, with images of untold thousands of waiters in lederhosen and pointed felt hats sprouting feathers, buxom maidens in low-cut blouses, and untold thousands of Bacchalian revelers glugging down beer and singing rousing drinking songs.

This is all, of course, true, but Oktoberfest is also about a lot more than beer, as I found out recently on a visit to the Kempinski Hotel Plaza, which is staging its first Oktoberfest here in Jakarta under the capable direction of Chef Florian Eberl.

Munich's world-renowned annual festival is up there on a par with Rio's Carnival and New Orleans's Mardi Gras, and it's origins can be traced back to 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig (later Ludwig I) of Bavaria threw a monster party for the citizens of Munich to celebrate his marriage to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

As it happened, the party turned out to be such a ball that the good burghers of Munich decided to repeat it every year. The marquees that are such a part of the event were introduced in 1900 and today more than seven million guests from all over the world come to let it all hang out at the festival (collectively consuming more than six million liters of beer!).

But, as I said before, Munich's annual shindig is much more than beer drinking. For it is also the time when the country folk got the chance to savor the fruits of the harvest, the freshly churned and salted Summer butter, the wildly aromatic cures and preserves, and the jams, pastries and cakes created from the exquisite Autumn fruits of the forest, bursting with exuberant color and flavor.

Chef Eberl has done more than justice to the fine produce and ingredients at his disposal to produce an exquisite banquet that will tempt even the most fastidious of diners to overindulge themselves. As Chef Eberl says, "Just eat and do all those things that you're not supposed to do. It's the Oktoberfest, after all!"

But with such an array of attractive delicacies lined up, where should one start? Well, how about trying a refreshing salad with some of the many cold cuts on offer (I found the Bierschinken, or beer sausage, to be exceedingly good).

Or, perhaps, you could venture the weisswuerste mit suessem senf, a thick and satisfying boiled white sausage topped off with sweet German mustard, a perfect companion to the lightly seasoned meat and so different to the fiery British variety.

Alternatively, you might find yourself unable to resist the hearty beef soup with liver spatzle (German egg noodle) and shredded pancake before moving on to your main course of the evening.

And what a dilemma choosing with so much mouth-watering fare on offer. But as Chef Eberl says, "Just try a bit of whatever takes your fancy."

Not one to offend my host, I decided to take him at his word, starting with a slice of jaegerschnitzel. Although pork is traditionally used for this dish, in deference to local sensibilities Chef Eberl has decided to use veal this time, and the result is none the less impressive. Fried in the pan and topped with a glazed mushroom sauce, this dish is a treat to both the taste buds and the eye.

Right beside the jaegerschnitzel was another epicurean delight, the gegrillte rippchen (roast baby ribs). Glazed three times in red wine sauce, they are wonderfully warm, almost glowing lustrous red. Absolutely delicious.

If any of the above fail to tickle your fancy, among the other treats on offer is the lachs in weissweinsosse, or salmon in white wine sauce. Although, I didn't try this, it appeared to command a considerable following among the other diners.

And then it was on to Chef Eberl's piece de resistance, the gegrillte schweinshaxe (roast pork knuckle), laid out so invitingly on the carvery table. Served with altbiersosse (dark beer sauce), this is a signature dish if ever there was one.

Following boiling, the pork knuckle is then glazed with the dark beer sauce, a combination of dark beer and bone stock, caraway (probably the principal flavor ingredient), thyme and rosemary, and then roasted long and slow. The result is a masterpiece, full-flavored, sweet and tender, a gastronomic and visual treat.

Combined with bratkartoffeln (sauteed potatoes) and the tart sauerkraut (pickled white cabbage) or blaukraut (pickled red cabbage), this is a dish to be remembered and tried at home (although with much less success, no doubt).

With an enticing selection of deserts and pastries with which to end your meal, including a delightful cheesecake and a full- bodied black forest gateau, you are assured of leaving your table a few inches thicker at the waste. But don't worry about that, it's Oktoberfest after all!

Oktoberfest at the Java Restaurant, Kempinski Hotel Plaza. Rp 135,000 per person (excluding tax and service, but including one complimentary glass of Bintang beer). Running until Oct. 3. For reservations, call the hotel on 021-2510888. (Bill Blade)