BY MARIAH MOORE
PHOTOS BY MICAH REINKE
Oktoberfest took place on Friday and Saturday this year due to the event’s overwhelming popularity. As such, more and more food trucks and vendors have been pining for a spot at the festival.
Most notably, The Local and Das Essen Wagen were there, providing authentic food as well as festival favorites. There was also a stand with homemade root beer, as well as many other locally run stands, all of which produced smells and treats which made the whole festival mouthwatering.
The food stops all had three or four main dishes in common, all with their unique spin on them. Bierocks, bean and noodle soup, turkey legs, and some variation on dumplings and sausage were among the most popular. Along with this, each truck and booth offered a few more treats, such as cinnamon rolls, heart cookies, or even more classical festival items such as nachos and corn nuggets.
“We try to make sure that there is something for everybody to eat,” said the owner of Das Essen Wagen. “There is a lot that we put out, and with an event this size, we really do want to make sure everyone is satisfied.”
Das Essen Wagen was arguably the most well-attended truck, their bierocks were so popular that they ended up running out of them within a few hours on Saturday. They also offered handmade brats. Their twist on both their dumplings and bean and noodle soup also drew a long line. The owners and workers all seemed very pleased with this turnout and heavily stressed their excitement for next year’s festival.
However, other vendors, like the Local food truck also brought lengthy lines. Their bierocks are also very noteworthy, however, their menu of less authentic foods did appeal to a larger audience. Plates of cheeseburgers, nachos, and fries did bring a sense of classic comfort foods to the palate of the festival.
Smaller, more local vendors did offer similar dishes, some even served by staff in costumes. These really added an authentic feel to the entire “marketplace” feel that the stalls gave.
All vendors wanted to assure readers that they should expect even better service and food for next year’s festivities.