Germany in the World Cup

World Cup fever is over, but the memories will last forever! We had quite a turn out for the games and a great time was had by all. I’ve never been a huge soccer fan myself however I could not help but get into the games when the restaurant was packed to the breaking point with face painted, Bitburger drinking fans urging the ball toward the goal with their spirited shouts.

The team USA fans had a good turnout, filling our Biergarten to the brim, but it was the Germans fans that really brought the house down watching our inside and outside TVs. Who knew so many Germany fans lived in and around little old Leesburg VA? Young and old came out to support the team, so many people that it made it quite a challenging feat to maneuver through the crowds, one that we, the staff, were more than happy to overcome. We had all hands on deck for the games and most of the time I could not understand a single word anyone was saying. It was like I was magically transported to Germany, and I did not even have to sit in the airplane seats to get there ;-)

Even people’s pets were getting into the action. I kid you not, I saw a dog with the German colors painted on his head; it was adorable. I saw all sorts of decorative accessories in the crowd, besides face painted dogs; Flags worn as skirts, leis in the German colors, an assortment of hats with soccer balls coming out of them, scarves despite the heat, medals and smiling faces.

Everyone had a great time. With every win came jubilant shouts and lots of chanting. I’m sure the entirety of Leesburg could hear the racket we were making, that is, until Germany lost. But don’t be sad soccer lovers, Germany still placed 3^rd overall which is extremely respectable. You’ll get um’ next time :-)

The World Cup may be over, but summer is just beginning. The TV outside is staying put so come on by and enjoy any of our cold beers and enjoy the summer from our biergarten. We have plenty of treats to keep you cool and content this summer, so bring your friends!

Some other exciting news I’d me amiss to not mention; German Deli’s search for the best German Restaurant in America is on once more! Remember last summer how you all helped us win 4^th place in the competition, well we need your help again this year to try for the number one spot. Voting is a little different this year, go to BestGermanRestaurant.com to sign up and vote for Döner Bistro. Remember, same deal as last year, if we win we’ll have a free food party for everyone! So get out there and vote Döner!

Well, that’s it for me. I am moving to England soon to pursue my Masters degree, so this is my last blog post. It has been a pleasure keeping you all informed about our events and specials. I have meet so many wonderful people this year who I am going to miss more than I can say; to say it’s been fun would be an understatement. So farewell Döner fans! Have an amazing summer and I’ll see you in a year!

~Maria

Happy Birthday Döner Bistro!

Hello everyone!

The sun is out the snow has finally melted and spring is here. It’s been months since last I wrote and so much has happened! A few weeks ago marked the second anniversary of Döner Bistro, and boy what a year it has been. I have been working here since May so I can tell you first hand that it’s been an exciting year. Here is a little recap of the year’s events!

*This year we were able to launch our new website after lots of a hard work by Timo, Nicole, Tibor and myself. If you haven’t checked it out yet go to doener-usa.com and have a look! A few fun things on the website: check out the ‘About’ tab and see a comic strip history of the restaurant illustrated by my brother James. Also, take a look at the ‘Location’ tab to see our new webcam in action.

*In October you will be sure to remember our wildly fun Oktoberfest. The rain and chill in the air brought Doener-Friends closer together and encouraged some to exercise the most creative dancemoves. Go HERE to read more about what went on. We are already planning for the next one which will be held October 14^th to the 17^th. Mark your calendars!

*December was full of holiday cheer, Gluehwein and Marzipan Stollen. Yum :-) Our friends Alte Kamaraden came to play a Christmas concert for the first weekend of the month to kick off the season. The second weekend was our German Christkindlmarket to go along with all the holiday festivities happening all over Leesburg. Thank you so much to everyone who came out that chilly December day and also to all our wonderful and creative vendors for making this event such a 'Christmas Wonderland'!

*Something I haven’t mentioned on this blog yet: Doener Bistro has become the first establishment in Leesburg to become a Virginia Green Certified restaurant! VA Green is a statewide program set up by the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the enviomental impacts of Virginia’s tourism Industry. Doener Bistro does everything from using biodegradable cups, straws and take out boxes to using food trays made of 100% recycled materials to make sure the restaurant has as little impact on the environment as possible. My faovorite eco-friendly aspect of Doener Bistro is the decking. The Biergarten is made of composite decking which is made to 50% out of 100% recycled materials and is made to look just like real wood. Check us out on Virginia.org HERE. We have also found another way to stay Green. With every purchase of our new water bottles ten cents goes toward saving the environment. Go to drinkgive.com to learn more.

*This year has also brought with it some new menu items. We are always trying out new German beer to keep our bottled beer selection new and interesting. Right now we have a Schlenkerla Smokebeer and a new Eggenberg Pils; come on by and give them a try! Another new addition to our drink menu is wine by the glass. We currently have a 2007 Pinot Gris, 2008 Riesling, and 2008 Tempranillo . Just in time for summer we have two new drinks, Redbull and Prosecco or a Champagne Cocktail with Lemon or Strawberry Sorbet. The strawberry cocktail is my new favorite drink; you really need to try it!

*Food wise we would like to introduce a new kind of Currywurst. Along with the cut up beef sausage you now have the option of skinless pork sausage as well as your choice of mild or hot curry powder.

This past year we have survived hot summers and more snow than an area should ever get all at once and have still managed to have a fantastic time. Thank you to all our loyal customers and regulars for making all our events so much fun. If you enjoyed yourself at any of our events this year you can pat yourself on the back: you are the ones who made this year as successful as it was! Here’s to another year of Döner eating and beer drinking and to many more to come!

Prost!

~Maria

Heads up, seasonal events coming your way

Since last I wrote it’s gotten cold, much colder. But with the cold also comes the holiday season, and you know what that means. Christmas is coming and we are prepared to get you in the mood. Walk inside the restaurant and smell Glühwein, our hot, spiced red wine, which warms you from head to toe. Every time I walk in the smell reminds me of Christmas trees and cookies right out of the oven. Soon we will be expanding our menu with Marzipan Stollen, a fruitcake covered in powdered sugar, as well as split pea soup with bacon and sausage. Stollen and Glühwein together are the epitome of Christmas in Germany, so I’ve heard, so I cannot wait to try the combination for myself. As always we also have hot chocolate and tea as well as coffee; whatever you need to have a happy, cozy holiday season.

Here is our list of events coming up at Döner Bistro this December:

It’s going to be a fun month. The first weekend our good friends the Alte Kameraden (Old Comrades) band will be playing a Christmas concert. They are the same band that played for our Oktoberfest and we can’t wait to hear their version of all our favorite Christmas songs. I really love this band; they are all extremely friendly, incredibly talented and really know how to get the crowd in the Christmas spirit. Their CD will also be on sale so you can play their fine music for your own Christmas celebrations. Get a Glühwein to warm yourself up as you listen and let Alte Kameraden warm your heart.

The second weekend is going to be full of goodies town wide that would make even Ebenezer Scrooge get into the Christmas spirit. At our restaurant we will have crafts, art, kettle corn, wreaths, jewelry, Christmas ornaments and all sorts of wares that would make perfect stocking stuffers and gift ideas. All our vendors will be under a tent decorated for Christmas with lights and greenery, just like the real Christkindlmarket in Germany. I would suggest stopping by to check out our vendors while you are out Christmas shopping, you might find just what you’ve been looking for.

That same day the entire town of Leesburg is celebrating the season. The annual Christmas parade will march right down Harrison Street starting at 10am and from 11am to 2pm there will be all sorts of festivities going on in the rest of town such as a Holiday Rock n' Roll concert at the Tally Ho, ice carving, games, rides, carolers and carriage rides. Many businesses in town, including us, are participating in a gift exchange and Santa himself will be running around town with goodies galore. It’s going to be an exciting Saturday in historic downtown Leesburg!

The third weekend is my personal favorite: Tuba Christmas. I may be a bit bias since I am a mediocre tuba player myself, but seriously, you can’t miss this. If you have never seen and heard a band made entirely of tubas and euphoniums playing your favorite Christmas tunes, you have not lived. Another cool thing about Tuba Christmas; anyone can play. Dust off your old tuba you haven’t touched since school and come play with us! If you want to play, come around 1:30 to get set up and register. If you are coming to give it a listen, we will start playing at 2.

Don’t forget, all our events are outside, so make sure to bundle up accordingly.

December is going to be awesome. I for one cannot wait.

Happy Holidays!
~Maria

Döner Bistro’s second annual Oktoberfest; recap

Where do I even begin? Should I start by writing about people dancing on tables at 2pm on a Thursday? Or, about our faithful customers ignoring the rain storm that was the weekend and partying with us anyway? Or should I start with how the band was staying an hour longer on Sunday because they were having such a good time? Where do I begin?

I will start by saying that Oktoberfest was a total blast, and I think I can safely say that everyone who attended would agree. The weather was less than desirable, but it did not keep our customers down for a second. We did our best to keep the benches dry and I think Jordon swept enough water off the patio to last him a lifetime. With the help of our closed in tent, a massive space heater and copious amounts of beer, everyone managed to stay warm and have a good time. Another way people stayed warm; dancing. Döneristas Carol and Brittany danced the night away in between pouring beer and serving food. And like I mentioned, dancing on the tables started early on Thursday and lasted all weekend long.

The entire weekend really reminded me of the German Army Beerfest, but in a much more intimate setting. The other day I overheard Teague talking about the event, saying that when people stepped into our Oktoberfest it completely transported them to Munich. I can defiantly see that; our tent was full of jovial people, many speaking German, talking to their neighbors regardless of knowing each other and festive Döner team members getting refills. The Hofbräuhaus banners didn’t hurt either :-)

Alte Kameraden and DJ Timo were the icing on the cake, leading the crowd in drinking cheers and giving everyone a reason to get up and dance. I saw many a tiroler hat, real ones and the ones we sold, as well as dirndl wearing women turning heads. All of this came together and transformed the Döner Bistro into a little piece of Bavaria in the middle of Historic Downtown Leesburg Virginia.

Personally, besides the fact that I now hear ‘Ein Prosit’ in my sleep, Oktoberfest was above and beyond what I was expecting. I could not take two steps in any direction without running into someone I knew and I actually saw some old friends I haven’t talked to in years. Every time my shift ended I was sad to leave and every morning I was excited to come back. How’s that for job satisfaction?

But now it’s come to an end, but don’t be sad. Only 365 more days till next year’s Oktoberfest! And now Döner’s back in action to satisfy your cravings and tickle your taste buds. Today’s a chicken day, come on out!

Thank you all so much for coming out and I’ll see everyone around the restaurant,

~Maria

See the rest of my pictures on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2344594&id=25808219&l=dcf4479fff

****PS. Miss the Weisswurst and Meatloaf already? You’re in luck, we have leftovers! We are selling packages of Weisswurst for $15, Meatloaf for $20 and Sauerkraut for $1 per pound. Hurry to the restaurant to get your hands on these once-a-year Bavarian specialties! ****

Oktoberfest 2009!

It’s that time again, Oktoberfest season is right around the corner and I for one am getting excited. Unfortunately I was not around last year for the Döner Bistro’s first annual Oktoberfest, but I have heard a LOT about it. I’ve not only heard about it from all the employees, but from customers. Just about every day at least one person tells me what a great time they had last year and how excited they are for the next one.

From what I’ve hear, last year’s Oktoberfest was a beer-mug-banging good time. Over a thousand people came, exhausting the three portable toilets to the brink :-)  What would you expect from such an event?  The German band Alte Kameraden played for the crowd all four nights with traditional Oktoberfest music.  Fellow Dönerista Carol had this to say about the occasion: 

 "Aside from being surprised by the turnout, I felt that the atmosphere was very friendly, which made my job seem less like work and more like a social outing. The feedback I got from customers showed that they liked the experience, because they felt welcome, had fun, and met new people."

All the customers I have talked to have shared Carol’s sentiments exactly; Oktoberfest was an overall good time.  All 22 kegs ran dry by Sunday and left in their wake many happy customers and an equally satisfied Döner Team. 

 This year proves to be just as exciting, but with a few changes. To make things flow a little easier for everyone there will be buffet style food serving and a much bigger tent for everyone to relax under.  We’ve ordered 30 kegs this time around plus a reserve just in case. With more beer also comes more security; this year we will have a bouncer Friday and Saturday night checking IDs at the door (you will only be able to use the front entrance) and giving out wrist bands to the over 21 crowd. 

Alte Kameraden will coming again for your listening pleasure, but only Thursday night from 6-9pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. The other two nights we will be playing traditional/pop music DJed by Timo himself.  I’m looking forward to the sing along songs, most of all Country Roads :-)  Between the music, beer, food and friends there is sure to be something for everyone. 

Speaking of food, for all of you who have not been to Oktoberfest before, here’s a little heads up. No Döner during Oktoberfest.  Döner is the number one fast food in Germany, but during Oktoberfest the menu is more traditional. For all of you who have wondered why we don’t have sauerkraut and potato salad, you’re in luck! Here is the menu:

Looks good doesn’t it?  Its $10 for your food, $3 for a pretzel or fries; easy. 

 Something else to look forward to: merchandise! This year we will be selling all sorts of goodies like t-shirts, hats, buttons and beer cozies for the steins that look like lederhosen and dirndls. Funny! Don’t forget to bring your stein, but if you do never fear, you can always buy a new one :-) 

 Excited yet? I sure am. Come ready to party and bring all your friends; it’s sure to be a weekend to remember. I can’t wait to see you all there!

 And don’t worry; we are doubling the number of portable toilets :-)

 Party on!! 

 ~Maria

German Army Beerfest 2009!

Last night I went to the German Army’s annual Oktoberfest with the Döner Team. I had no idea what to expect having never been before, but apparently their Beerfest is a big event in the German community. The way it was explained to me is that in order to get tickets you have to be either a) a really big deal or b) know someone to get you on a list that will get you on another list that will get you tickets. Complicated right? After last night I can see why people covet these tickets; I have never seen so much beer and German food in one place before in my life.

We got there around the time the gates opened and there was already a line forming to get in. We found our friends, got in line and soon I was following Timo and Nicole inside where they knew the perfect place to sit. Everything was all taking place in an airplane hangar at Dulles Airport and it was soon apparent why; 2,000 people don’t easily fit into spaces smaller than airplane hangars. The German Army did a very creative job with the decorations. All the walls were draped in camouflage and there were gigantic parachutes hanging from the ceiling accented with Christmas lights and balloons.

There were two bands entertaining the beer drinking, lederhosen and dirndl wearing masses of Germans and Americans. On the left of the stage was Alte Kameraden (Old Comrades), the very same band that will be playing for our Oktoberfest next month and on the right was the German Army’s band. They flew in from Germany just for the event and another performance in DC, sightseeing all along the way. Both bands were fantastic, it was a perfect mix of traditional German oomph and tunes everyone could sing along to like Country Roads (my personal favorite).

Between all the singing, dancing and drinking, a wonderful time was had by all. Germans know how to throw a party, that’s for sure! :-) I meet all sorts of cool new people, danced with a member of the band and enjoyed myself immensely. I saw and lots of our awesome Döner customers in attendance which got me excited for our own Oktoberfest. More details about Döner Bistro’s Oktoberfest on their way!

We got there as the gates were opening and were some of the last groups to leave around midnight. I can only imagine; if this Oktoberfest was so amazing, think of how much fun our Oktoberfest will be with all our friends and neighbors! This is the start of Oktoberfest season for me, I’m going to Lovettsville’s this weekend, and I have a very good feeling that October 15^th through 18^th in Leesburg will be the best one yet. I hope to see you all there with steins in hand and a big appetite :-)

Prost!

~Maria

I wish every Thursday was this exciting: Elliot in the Morning

The ballots are tallied and because of you Döner Fans, Döner Bistro finished #4 in the competition! But don’t start celebrating; it's not over yet. All through September the top restaurants will continue to be critiqued and under cover judges will be visiting to get a better idea of what they are all about. Stay tuned in October when the winner is announced. Thank you again for your votes and support, it means a lot to see how many people took the time to vote Döner!

As some of you heard, last Thursday we were on Elliot in the Morning. That was an exciting day; here are more details of our trip.

~~~~~~~~~~

The day started like any other, only earlier. I met Timo and Nils at the Döner promptly at 6:15 am; Leesburg was still asleep. They had Elliot in the Morning playing in the restaurant and I still could not believe I was actually going to the place it was broadcasting, how exciting! I milled around aimlessly doing as I was told while the guys got the food ready. They had been there a whole hour before I showed up so I didn’t dare complain about being tired. That’s what I call commitment.

Soon it was time to go and away we went! The drive to Rockville seemed extremely short, but then again I was in a tired daze the whole way there. Before I knew it we were waiting in the lobby of the DC 101 building waiting for Kyle to come and get us. In no time he arrived and up we went to the top of the building and into the studio.

Timo and Nils are old pros at this having brought food to Elliot five other times in the past. We were put in a room neighboring the room Elliot was broadcasting from and were able to watch them do the show through a huge window. Comedian Mitch Fatel was the guest and we listened to him and Elliot talk. They chatted about the upcoming Kiss concert while Timo and Nils got the food ready and I ran around taking pictures. Once all the Döners were put together and the Currywurst was ready we brought in the food to hungry radio hosts and then sat back and relaxed until Elliot called Timo in to chat.

See Timo on Elliot in the Morning on youtube HERE

See the rest of my pictures are on facebook HERE

~

Back at the Döner it was just about opening time. It was cool listening to people tell me about how they heard about us on Elliot in the Morning and just had to come over to get a Döner. My shift flew by and soon it was time for me to leave for the day.

But my Thursday was far from over. That night I meet up with the whole gang and headed to Clarendon, VA to check it out as a possible location for the new restaurant.

It was a fun night spent with awesome people; the perfect way to top off a full day. The trip left me excited for the future of the restaurant and wishing I spoke German :-)

Clarendon, Virginia; future Döner Bistro location? Only time will tell; stay tuned in for more information about restaurant openings and cool events to come.

Thanks for reading,

~Maria