Say prost (cheers) to bier (beer)

With Oktoberfest fever reaching its peak, we decided to scout the city for its innovative take on starters and beer concoctions. Here's what we stumbled upon.

Goat cheese lollipops: roasted pepper aioli and a Beer Margarita at Brewbot, Andheri (W)
This starter is not only great to look at, but also tastes equally good. The goat cheese balls are coated with crispy golden corn flaks and stuffed with jalapenos and dates, mounted on breadsticks and served in a glass container filled with sea salt. It's accompanied with a side salad of rocket leaves dressed in honey mustard and topped with roasted red and yellow bell peppers.and a spicy mayo. As you take a bite, it's an explosion of flavours in your mouth. The spicy, savoury starter can be paired with a tall glass of the beer margarita. A pint of beer is placed upside down in a glass of margarita. It's an interesting presentation and works well as a combo with the goat cheese lollipops.

Cost: Goat Cheese Lollipops (Rs 445) and Beer Margarita (Rs 750)
At: 101 Morya Landmark, off New Link Road, next to Boveda, Andheri (W)

Beer Battered Fish and Nuclear bomb at Vicinia Café - Bar , Kemps Corner
Fried fish coated with a crispy batter that's dipped in beer is a great option to pair with Nuclear bomb (a beer cocktail served in test-tubes. It's a mix of beer served in test tubes with a drop of grenadine added just before serving. Like a nuclear bomb, you would see the granadine bursting into the frothy beer like an explosion!

Cost: Beer Battered Fish (Rs 525 ) and Nuclear bomb (350)
At: Ground Floor, Chinoy Mansion, Near Gangar Opticians,Kemps Corner

Death Wings and Two Lost Souls Swimming in a Fish Bowl at Colaba Social
True to its name, Death Wings is essentially fiery wings tossed in a sauce which is a blend of different types of chillies from various parts of India. This dish can bring tears to your eyes, but you can wipe them off as you seek comfort in Two Lost Souls Swimming in a Fish Bowl. A Mexican Margarita has a beer turned upside down in it and is hand-crafted with in-house sweet and sour flavours. As the wings are extremely spicy, the beer based cocktail which has tequila, beer and a homemade sweet and sour mix actually cuts the fiery effect of the food, giving you some much needed respite.

Cost: Death Wings (Rs 250) and Two Lost Souls Swimming in a Fish Bowl (Rs 450 for domestic beer/ Rs 550 for imported beer.
At: 24, Ground Floor, Glen Rose Building, BK Boman Behram Marg, Apollo Bunder, Colaba

Butter dosa khakhra with a green chilli cheesy dip and a non-alcoholic beer at The Local, Fort
Like it crispy with a twist, then try this butter dosa khakhra, that's served with a green chilli cheese dip. It goes well with any cocktail, but for those who want to join the party without having to drink beer, you can opt for Bavaria – a non-alcoholic beer that also available in different flavours.

Cost: Butter Dosa Khakhra with a green chilli cheese dip (Rs 120) and Bavaria Non-Alcoholic Beer (165)
At: 111 A, Currimjee Building, Opposite Mumbai University, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Fort

DIY beer cocktail
Black Jack (beer cocktail recipe) from Vicinia Café - Bar
Ingredients
20 ml Casis Cordial
Budweiser lager beer

Method
1. Put 20 ml of Cordial and top it with chilled lager.

2. Stir to perfection.

Beer Battered Fries recipe from Vicinia Café - Bar

Ingredients:

• 4 large Potatoes

• 1 cup Flour

• 1 cup Corn Starch

• 1/2 cup Baking Powder

• 1 can Beer

• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

• 1 1/2 cup Smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder

• 1 1/2 tablespoon Salt

• 1.5 litre of Oil for frying

• Peel and cut the potatoes into fries

• In large mixing bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, beer and all seasoning

until it blends well.

• Dip fries in batter and drop in oil. Cook until golden brown.

• Your Beer Batter Fries is ready.

• Serve it with wasabi mayo or sriracha mayo as done at Vicinia.

About Oktoberfest
It traditionally begins in the third weekend in September and ends on the first Sunday of October. The celebrations began with a Royal Wedding on October 12, 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. Horse races in the presence of the royal family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in subsequent years gave rise to the tradition of Oktoberfest. In the first few decades, the choices of amusements were few. In 1818, the first carousel and two swings were set up. Vistitors were able to quench their thirst at small beer stands, which grew rapidly in number. In 1896 the beer stands were replaced by the first beer tents and halls set up by the enterprising landlords with the backing of the breweries. The remainder of the festival site was taken up by a fun-fair. The range of carousels offered was already increasing rapidly in the 1870's as the fairground trade continued to grow and develop in Germany.