Lager House going big for Oktoberfest
Moerlein Lager House is going absolutely all out for Oktoberfest this year: a huge tent in the park done up with authentic Munich Oktoberfest decor, the official Oktoberfest beer from Paulaner, and special German food all add up to a great big party for 5,000 people for three nights. They’re the same three nights as Oktoberfest across the ocean in Munich and as Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, Sept. 21-23.
The tent is dubbed the UberDrome, and is described as “vast” by the Moerlein folks. Set up in the Schmidlapp Event Lawn next to the restaurant, it will fit 1,200 people, plus there will be room for 3,000 more at standing tables around it.
Paulaner, one of the official Munich brewers of the original Oktoberfest, is shipping authentic furniture and decorations, like garlands and pennant streamers and banners, so this tent will look just like a tent in Munich.
Each of the three nights, there will be 500 VIP seats in the tent set aside with a full menu of wursts and Oktoberfest chicken or kassler ripchen (smoked pork). Those seats, which cost $40, also include table serve and an authentic glass stein filled with Paulaner Oktoberfest wiesn lager.
There will also be a walk- up to order menu of wursts and schnitzels and strudel for the rest of the tent.
There will be entertainment including a mock wedding of Prince Ludwig and Princesse Therese, the event that got Oktoberfest started in the first place, plus skits and music and games and dancers.
The Lager House and its biergarden itself will be open for the three days, though it’s close to getting full up on reservations already.
In addition to the Paulaner, there will be a Moerlein marzen Oktoberfest, which brewer Richard Dube has just made: it’s a slightly darker copper-colored Oktoerfest beer that needs a few weeks to age.
The 14k Hudepohl Brewery Run (Sept. 22), which follows the Cincinnati Heritage Brewing Trail in OTR will begin and end at the Uberdrome.
Find out more at www.moerleinlagerhouse.com and hudepohl14kbreweryrun.com
ZZ’s Pizza to close in October
ZZ’s, the pizza place in the wedge-shaped building on Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills, is closing at the end of October.
Owner Ben Chassagne sent out an e-mail to customers explaining that, though he loved opening the restaurant three years ago, he’d decided that the stresses and strains of the restaurant owner weren’t for him.
Their last night will be Oct. 28, and until then, ZZ’s will be closed Mondays & Tuesdays. Open 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays (Wednesday will now be half-priced wine night), 5-10 p.m. Friday and, Saturday and 4-10 p.m. Sundays.
2401 Gilbert Ave., 513-961-3456.
Park+Vine adds weekend lunch, brunch
Great news for vegans and vegetarians: Park+Vine, the environmental general store on Main St., is extending their food service, with more hours for completely plant-based meals.
Their lunch counter is now open for Saturday lunch and Sunday brunch will both be served from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Melissa Cox Howard is the creator of the menu, which relies on local and seasonal ingredients.
Lunch includes choices such as a BBQ seitan sandwich, a wrap sandwich with ginger hoisin baked tofu, plus salads, and vegan macaroni and cheese.
1202 Main St., 513-721-7275.
Closed
• LeBoxx Cafe, 819 Vine St., Downtown, has closed.
• The Price Hill Bayou Fish House, which opened its doors in January, closed them on Friday. “It never developed the way we expected,” said owner Grant Gieseler, of the restaurant at 3108 Price Ave. He said the Newport outpost of the made-from-scratch fried fish restaurant, which is at 527 York St., is doing well and will remain open. 859-491-3474 (FISH); www.bayoufishhouse.com
