On a chilly Friday afternoon, I ventured to the Financial District’s South Street Seaport neighborhood, where Pier 15 was transformed into a bonanza of beers and brats. Oktoberfest NYC — which is running from Sept. 14 to Oct. 27 — allows New Yorkers to get in on the fun of the German celebration, which ended on Sunday after a two-week run. But as promising as it was to see festival-goers with German beers in hand and wait staff dressed in traditional German folk clothing, Oktoberfest NYC failed to capture the spirit of chaotic merriment — and culinary pleasure — that the festival is known for.
The original Oktoberfest holds a rich cultural history, first appearing in Munich more than 200 years ago as a city-wide celebration of the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Bavaria. Now, German food and beer are served at Oktoberfest celebrations all over the world, including New York City. Don’t get me wrong — eating a giant pretzel with a view of the East River is undoubtedly a luxury. Most attendees seemed to be enjoying the festival in a peaceful manner, sharing beers with friends as chatter remained quiet throughout the afternoon. In addition to a wide range of cocktails, the festival offered five types of draft beers, eight canned beers and a variety of beer packages, from the $80 six-shot bundle to the $575 Oktoberfest Royalty (two kegs, two margarita pitchers and 12 shots). But the festival’s largest fault was not the lack of classic Oktoberfest liveliness, but rather the high prices for lackluster food.
The $24 jumbo soft pretzel was, indeed, enormous — to polish it off would’ve been a four-person job. However, while the horseradish mustard offered a tangy escape, the pretzel was doused in way too much salt, which masked the subtly sweet taste of the bread. The other two dipping sauces, Austrian pimento cheese dip and Radeberger cheese sauce, were not up to par. The pimento dip was strangely solid, making it difficult to dip the pretzel. The Radeberger sauce was more flavorful, containing hints of onion, but was still largely outshined by the mustard. While feasting on a salted pretzel with a German beer is touted as a quintessential Oktoberfest experience, I have to disagree. For $24, I would rather indulge in Oktoberfest foods other than a carb-filled, gargantuan-sized pretzel doused in sodium.
Nestled in a toasted pretzel bun alongside grilled onions and a remoulade-like sauce — think a tangy, peppery mayonnaise — the $16 bratwurst was a much more promising option. The bun was crisp yet soft on the inside, complemented by the soft snap of the sausage. In fact, the pretzel bun outdid the giant pretzel itself. The bratwurst itself was mild in flavor and juicy. Piping hot pork juices exploded in my mouth, intermingling with the caramelized, melty onions. What tied the dish together was the tangy sauce, adding a much-needed moisture to the bratwurst.
The real drawback to the food and drink was the cost. Oktoberfest NYC serves up a jumbo pretzel, bratwurst and one beer for $50 — an outrageous price that surely isn’t worth it, especially in a city where cheap, delicious eats are plentiful. That being said, the festival’s unspirited environment is also a product of its corporate nature. Commercialized festivals like Oktoberfest NYC — which is hosted by Watermark, the restaurant group of Pier 15 — don’t always deliver the most authentic dining experiences. As I was walking back from the pier, I made a pitstop in Chinatown and got 50 frozen dumplings for $13 — now that is something worth celebrating.
Contact Aidan Levin at [email protected].